Stressed out - exchange late

[Oldrivet]

I am selling my property and a completion date was agreed ages ago fro this Friday 6th. The buyers had wanted a much earlier date tha I had anticipated ( around 3 months). We accepted offer in September and they wanted in at the end of October. I agreed reluctantly and got my skates on. Booked time off work and tried really hard to find somewhere to rent.
I plan to move into rented accommodation but can't confirm until exchange so basically that property could ho any time. If it does, we'll be homeless.
So last Friday didn't happen as buyers solicitor not ready with deposit. Assured it would be today and nothing again. Not a word from the EA ( who assured me it was all ok on Friday). My solicitor saying their deposit still not ready.
I have 3 children ( teenagers albeit) and 2 dogs and am really stressed. I can't even book removals.

What should I do?

You should wait until your solicitor tells you they are ready to exchange, and make sure you have somewhere to move to before agreeing to a completion date . Hopefully the place you want to rent will still be available.

Sorry, my stressed out post is not very clear but essentially they are leaving me with 3 days to set up my rental, book removals and sort it all out. That's even if it happens tomorrow.
They knew I was trying to get a rental ages ago and it depended on exchange ( my salary doesn't quite cover the rent so need the property funds to top it up). My solicitor won't confirm funds until exchange.

You may not be able to arrange sll that in 3 days and if not completion will have to be delayed. It's not your fault.

Everyone has to agree to a date for exchange and for completion.

If you need more time between exchange and completion because exchange has dragged on, you need to tell your solicitor you need at least a week between the two things, which means you now won't move out (complete) until next week.

I would be sending the message down the line (via your solicitor) that as long as exchange happens very soon, you will agree to completion on Friday 13th instead of the 6th.

I will be writing an email tonight. I do need a week before completion really.

The other thing is I took 2 days annual leave and can't take any more before December 1st. I have to give 2 weeks notuce as well.

So they wanted to complete by the end of October but - in November - still haven't got their deposit sorted yet? Do not make yourself homeless for these jokers.
Put your DCs' welfare above the buyers' demands.

Yes. Their solicitor sent mine an email demanding to know why I wouldn't be ready by end of October!
It's usually taken at least 3 months for me to buy/sell so that is what I'd planned for but compromised for 6th November.

I wouldn't worry about it, don't get stressed.

That is completely reasonable. You sound very reasonable.

Re the annual leave, you may have to take a tactical "sickie" - not something you want to do I'm sure or should have to do but it may be the only way.

Possibly. I do WFH but have a lot of meetings booked in so difficult to work around.
I'm still on probation too. :(

You won't fail your probation for being sick for a couple of days. It's a last resort but it is an option if it comes to it.

Your buyers are being unreasonable by pushing for a completion date, and then not exchanging on time. Exchange is the legally binding aspect, and we exchanged on our last property 4 weeks before the agreed completion date, because our buyer's buyer couldn't move until then. We really pushed for early exchange regardless, so that we knew where we stood.
I think you'd perfectly within your rights to say you need a week between exchange & completion - it's entirely their/their solicitor's fault for the delay.

I have sent the email and said if we don't exchange tomorrow, then I won't be ready by the proposed completion date and I need at least a week between exchange and completion. I have also added I have no more holiday until December.

Nobody has got back to me yet today.
Does this sound fishy?

I sent the email to my solicitor and the EA.

Not unreasonable to specify a minimum period between exchange and completion to allow for things like booking movers and sorting rentals. If the exchange date slips too close, the completion date needs to move.

How long is the chain? One party shouldn't be unilaterally dictating the completion date, it's a negotiation.

Short chain. I'm moving into rented and they are FTB.

Not fishy no.

Your solicitor may not ever reply though they should note it.

The EA will be passing it on to the buyers and waiting to get a response from them. It may take a while depending on how often everyone checks their email messages.

I just called EA and what a surprise. Nobody available.

It's honestly so normal for things to get tense in the lead up to Exchange, especially if it doesn't go ahead on the expected date.

Just hold your nerve and believe that it will happen but you can't be pushed into agreeing a Completion date that is going to be too soon for you to sort out removals, etc.

The delay isn't your fault and you have to do what works for you as everyone else is just thinking about themselves, including the EA who wants their commission asap.

I am trying to stay calm. Thanks for hand holding. Just don't think it will happen now as getting late.

Leave a message for everyone

stating what your minimum is - exchange within 24 hrs, completion at least a week after that or it’s back on the market please

unless the explanation and apologies are fantastic

I'll try and wait it out until 3pm then I'm going to have to seriously think about what to do next. I just have a bad feeling today as solicitor has not made contact and he's usually pretty good.

Friday and yesterday, he asked my authorisation to exchange in the morning. There's been no request today.