Apologies in advance as my patience is wearing thin and this is a long saga….we offered on a house in July. We have still not exchanged and the trail of events is below, at what point do we make an ultimatum…..
Offered 5k off of the asking price in July. Was accepted. In early August they came back asking for more claiming another offer at asking price had come in despite it being off the market. We offered a little over the asking price to secure but did tell them no more so if the other party came back with more then we were out as there was a limit to what we were prepared to pay above asking price. They accepted our offer, we do wander if there was another offer….
We were told they wanted to move in October half term 2024, suited us, we powered on with conveyancing as between august and October with a small chain it would be squeaky but if everyone cracked on doable. We were also told initially they were very motivated to move. The truth couldn’t be further from that given we are still trundling….
Their solicitor failed to reply to ours for weeks. We then found out they had offered on a property with a chain with probate at the top. No issues but it stretched the timelines which we said we understood and kept with it based on the probate application had already been b submitted and was underway.
We then find out the top of the chain has collapsed and our vendors agree to break the chain. Confirmed in writing to our solicitor by theirs and also in writing to us by the agent.
4-5 weeks later after a lack of progress on their part we are then told we are now back in a chain as they have found somewhere. Discovered by what was written on legal forms, so our solicitor took it up with theirs as we had not been updated by anyone. we said understood them wanting to not do rented but again we wanted to keep moving and asked for reassurance the chain was closed to allow all to proceed.
We then had them refuse to make any effort to try complete before Christmas and were told by their estate agent in October to not push and tell our solicitor to go slow and not put any pressure on theirs as they didn’t want to complete before Christmas as it was too “distressing” for them. Realistically I think we could have done and our solicitor said a pre Christmas completion was perfectly doable.
We have since been dealing with them dragging their heels, withholding forms, forms filled in incorrectly, refusing a viewing (I wanted to see it again when the fixtures form came through as they asked for money for stuff and I couldn’t remember July tbh!) delaying again by coming back post fixtures and fittings agreement asking for more money for stuff like a bog standard ding dong doorbell and if we don’t pay for it or buy them a new one to take with them they’ll take it with them, give me strength (it’s not a ring doorbell before anyone asks 🤣).
Its now January, almost 7 months since our first offer was accepted - our solicitor has done everything she needs to on the sale of our flat and purchase of this house. We have not exchanged and no date set for exchange or completion and out solicitor is continuously pushing the rest of the chain for dates. At what point might we push to say exchange or we back out? I’m so utterly tired of being messed around, I feel like we have been patient and accommodating but I worry timings may just drag on and I can see a world where we lose our buyer too.