It's been a frustrating two weeks. We're still working towards moving house and it still feels like we are never going to actually move! Since my last personal update, we have actually paid the solicitors and completed all the legal work but we have still not exchanged contracts, let alone set a completion date. On Thursday I phoned the solicitors and got a verbal confirmation that everything was done, and that we were definitely going to exchange contracts on Friday.
But no! I spent all Friday in stressful anticipation with nothing actually happening. Eventually, after many phone calls, I was told something hadn't been done properly (some paperwork to do with the mortgage). It's apparently easily fixed, but don't tell me everything is done and I can exchange contracts if that isn't true! Naturally, this was all happening at about a quarter to five after we had spent the entire day trying to find out what exactly was going on. My solicitors are so incompetent that I'm going to name and shame them: if you're in the UK, never go with Countrywide Property Lawyers.
The result of them not doing their job properly is that we are now going to be temporarily homeless. We have to be out of our rental house on Thursday; even if we exchange contracts tomorrow (we had better!), it's unlikely we'll be able to complete by Thursday. And then it's the Easter bank holiday weekend, so we're looking at Tuesday week at the earliest. Which means all our stuff/furniture will have to go into storage and we'll have to try to convince a relative to look after our cat. Tom and I will be staying with my parents.
It's just so stressful and frustrating. We kept being told that everything is done, only for some other small thing to pop up and derail the process yet again. After losing the last house and now this, I'm pretty sure that I won't be moving again for at least ten years! On the stressful life event scale, this has been much more stressful than planning a wedding.
In other news, this is the last week of school before the two week Easter break. I'd normally be more excited, but I've been a bit mentally preoccupied. Hopefully we can get into the new house at some point during the break and all the stress will be forgotten.
How has your week been?
I'm sorry to hear that. I was very glad when I saw on Twitter you were exchaging contracts. Hope everything eventually works out.
ReplyDeleteThis week I just got over the fact I was fired for asking for social security - what a luxury, eh? - and I'm slowly easing back into a reading and studying routine. I've been also doing some spring cleaning which felt great by the way, and enjoying some shopping. Love this springs' colours! I'm super happy about a yellow Zara dress I bought for only 40€.
Okay that sounds like a proper nightmare. I'd get very emotionally drained in such situation :/ I can understand how this situation overshadows most other emotions.
ReplyDeleteI had another week of "why isn't this b....y spring coming already!" Living in Scandinavia can be tough in the end of winter, if it has been cold and snowy for long months, it makes you feel like a used lemon. I just try to somehow function through this period and wait for warmer and sunnier days.
I've heard people say that moving stress is comparable to divorce and death. I believe it!!! Hang in there!!!
ReplyDeleteI remember it took ages for me to exchange and complete when I was buying my flat...nearly 6 months on total! Part of that was waiting for person I was buying from to find their own place but it still felt like ages! Luckily I was living with my parents at the time so didn't have the hassle of trying to time two properties move...
ReplyDeleteMy week wasn't so stressful as you but I did have to present to my biggest client for 5 hours which nearly killed my voice!
Ugh - sounds horrendous. I hope you guys did get to exchange contracts fairly soon. And I'm sure it'll all be worth it once you're settled in =]
ReplyDeleteOof, what a nightmare. Good luck and I hope the process of putting things in/getting them out of storage isn't too traumatic in the end.
ReplyDeleteI hope everything goes properly now without any delay. My husband and I went through a similar torture just before our house closing. I'll just say what many others told me when I shared my anguish - when you finally move into the new house, all this trouble will be in the past and it won't matter anymore. And trust me - I found that to be true for me. So.. hang in there!!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about all of your moving stress! It sounds horrid. I am thinking about buying a house later on in the year and will mentally prepare myself for the ordeal :-) Good luck this week.
ReplyDeleteI had a good week until I got in a car accident last night and the person who hit me left the scene. Thank goodness myself and my car are not too badly damaged!
Oh yucko :( So sorry to hear about all of this. I really hope that once all is said and done you'll be able to look back and chuckle at this situation. It might take a while and be hard to imagine now though! You'll get to a better place though, I promise! :D
ReplyDeleteUgh I'm so sorry to hear that it's such a battle for you :( House buying should be fun! (mind you, I had enough bad luck of my own and interaction with a-holes when I was buying my apartment)
ReplyDeleteI really hope it all works out well in the end (and may that end come soon!) Happy Easter!
I'm so sorry it's still not working out properly with the house! And you should name and shame them if they're not competent! Buying a house is a huge deal and you should be able to work with people you can trust! Hang in there, I'm sure everything will work out in the end, even if it really sucks now!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this sounds terrible. I'm so sorry that you are having such a stressful time. Fingers crossed that you have wonderful news soon!
ReplyDeleteI am soooooo sorry to hear this Sam. I wish things were better for you. Hope there will be light at the end of the tunnel soon.
ReplyDeleteBeen running around city in this cold, bitter, windy weather due to my family having visitors from overseas during the weekend. Not pleasant I hope we get more sunshine soon!
I really sympathise with you and hope that you exchange contracts soon and are able to complete. When we moved two years ago it turned into a nightmare at the end, we had sold our house and then were told by our solicitor near the last minute that there was an outstanding charge on the house we were buying which potentially ruined everything. We didn't want to pull out of selling our house and let our buyers down as that made all sorts of new problems, so we were facing moving into a hotel or something or getting some sort of temporary accomodation and leaving all our worldy goods in the removal van for who knew how long. Then my Dad died and I pretty much completely lost it. We did get the house in the end just in time, and then when we moved in it was left in an awful, filthy state. But two years on I love it here and things are better! I hope it works out for you.
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