Advice please - house moving disaster!

[Stilts]

So we are meant to be moving today...it's 4.15 on Friday and no missives concluded..there has been a problem with transfer of funds for one of the houses further down the chain. No mortgage issues or anything as far as I can see - it looks like one of the solicitors has messed up the transaction and then left the office for the weekend.

So everyone else in the chain has moving vans sitting outside properties and now can't move. I have been told it'll cost an extra £1500 for our removal company to redeliver on Monday.

Anyone had this crazy situation before??? My solicitor says it's very rare. In Scotland missives used to conclude weeks before sale. Nowadays it seems very common to leave it until moving day. However this seems like an obviously terrible plan for exactly this reason - it only takes one fuckup and everyone is out of pocket.

Now my question is - surely I am not liable for these costs when someone else has messed up? What I hear from my solicitor is that because it's down the chain that the problem is and we haven't actually concluded final missives yet, nobody but us is liable for our costs.

What a stupid system!! What the hell is happening?! Any advice most appreciated

Sorry, no advice, just sympathy! What a mess!

Did your solicitor give any indication in the run up that you would not be concluding missives until the actual day?

We had this. We got the keys at the very last minute. It was one of the bank transfers wasn’t paid properly by the solicitor. I would hold those people in the chain fully liable for costs.

Thanks all - really appreciate it. Our solicitor was pushing for conclusion all week but there was another issue with title deeds which held it up. That issue was related to a separate purchase so this money issue is a different one.

I can't believe that professional incompetence of this level can happen and I don't have recourse to reclaim costs. Surely there have to be consequences? If I did something at work which had such a bad impact on so many people I'd be beside myself. Had enough of solicitors forever I think.

We're so fortunate we have family nearby or we'd be out the cost of a hotel for four people plus all the additional moving costs.

We are now in my mum's house drinking wine, having been to tesco to buy toothbrushes and pants because everything's in storage in Tillicoultry. Anyone got a spare deodorant I can borrow? 😂

I can't believe what I've read- that is awful. I'm not quite sure of how it can have gone wrong- solicitors should be on it.

Do you now have to wait until Monday?

Not in Scotland but this exact thing happened to us exactly a year ago! We were told that as no one was actually negligent there was nothing to claim so we just had to suck it up

Yep waiting till Monday now. My wee three year old is so confused, he was already worried about the move 😞

Lots of hugs and chocolate this weekend for my boys and trying not to think about Monday

I feel for you and it sucks but unless missives are signed there is no liability. Good luck on monday

So a missive is like an exchange?

How many are in the chain? (You don't need to answer, apologies as I'm just being nosey, it is stressful just reading about it so I have no idea how you are feeling)

Hugs, Chocolate (and Christmas movies sounds) like a good plan. It must be hard to be three and moving.

Yes convulsion of missives is the final exchange of signed contracts.

There are seven people in the chain, we are second from top. It's the top four who have been shafted by the situation (as far as I'm aware bottom two have moved successfully). However, the very top is a lady going into care so they were likely less bound to dates and the fourth will be able to reclaim damages from the fifth in the chain (whose solicitor caused all this). So it's really me and my buyer who are losing out.

I have had a big crash with all the stress and am in bed while my lovely partner takes the boys out for a walk. 💛

Thanks everyone for your support it helps!

Oh dear goodness, that is awful. Good luck on Monday.

So sorry 😢 that’s awful. We went right up to the wire with similar, delayed a few days and had to change removal companies losing large deposit, then on the new moving day finally getting keys a minute before 5pm. I was absolutely astonished that the biggest purchase of most people’s lives can be so out of control even with all the money being paid to solicitors to do it properly. It’s horrendous.

And like you said when we bought our previous house in the 00s missives were concluded weeks before moving day.

I’m so sorry you got no resolution on Friday. It’s outrageous that someone just went home leaving you all in a pickle!

Good luck for Monday. I hope your new home is everything you were hoping when you get there!

Hope it got sorted. This idea that missives can be concluded day before or on moving day ridiculous, especially when there is a chain.

I hope you are busy moving in to your lovely new house.

Hope you have eaten fish and chips and your three year old is all settled in his new room.

Just a wee update and a big thanks to everyone who commented. We did get keys today, at 4.45, which was too late for the removals company who were squeezing us in between other jobs, so we are now actually moving in tomorrow.

There has been no explanation or apology from solicitors for the holdup on Friday, or for why only three remaining transactions took the whole of the business day today.

Back at my mum's with the boys tonight but we will move in at lunchtime tomorrow.

In the end it cost us an additional £1700 all in - for us this is almost okay, we'll have to tighten belts over Christmas this year but it is not the end of the world. I can't stop thinking about families whose finances are tighter who would be in a much worse position in our circumstances. The system clearly needs to change, and I'll keep exploring possible claims for damages. It's the stress more than anything.

Anyway, onwards! Chippy tea tomorrow and a proper settle in.

Loooonnggggg time since I did any conveyancing but it seemed a lot less susceptible to fuck ups when transactions settled by cheque! A colleague IIRC once fucked up concluding missives and although there was no binding contract I am pretty sure our firm had to pay the costs the chain incurred as she’d fucked up

Missives are regularly concluded on the day and this can lead to transactions not settling
The system needs an overhaul
You have no legal claim in these circumstances
Did your solicitor advise you of the position before the date of entry
If not I suggest asking them for compensation/ fee reduction