At lunchtime, Richard phoned our solicitor in the UK, to find out what was happening about the exchange of contracts on our house.
Our solicitor said he didn't know it was happening today, although the buyer's solicitor had told him it 'might'. Nor did he know that completion was scheduled for next week, although again he had been informed that it was possible.
At seven o'clock our time (five o'clock UK time) Richard phoned our solicitor again.
Apparently the exchange couldn't happen today because the deposit money wasn't available, but may happen on Monday.
So Richard phoned the guarantor, who's paying the deposit. He had no idea there had been a further delay. He said that the deposit money was with his solicitor on Wednesday, should have been transferred to the buyer's solicitor on Thursday, and should therefore have been ready to pay to ours today. He got in contact with his solicitor, who said that he had not received a request from the buyer's solicitor to pass on the money, so he still had it.
Unbelievable...
So the buyer's solicitor is waiting for it to arrive, and the solicitor who's holding it is waiting for a request to pass it on. Don't they communicate??
4 comments:
I know you folks are so frustrated! It sounds like the rules way back when I was in the army - 'hurry up and wait'. ec
Selling property here in the states was such a nightmare back in late 1999 when we last sold a house we had, we have not been brave enough to buy again...and may never. The number of illegal things done during our transaction was incredible!!
Have you considered telling the solicitor that you are planning to come and see what to do about things...and will be staying with them in their own house till things are done? Wonder if that might help them finish up? Seems they might want their money out of it!
We can only speak to our solicitor - we have no contact with the buyer's, or the guarantor's. Indeed, in most circumstances the seller wouldn't have a way of contacting the buyer at this stage. If that happened, I should think it would take even longer!
How frustrating, may it all be over soon.
Post a Comment