House probably falling through

So! We got an offer on our house end of September from someone with nothing to sell (start of chain). We were gazumped quickly on a house in early/mid October. Then offer accepted end of October on a different house.

The sellers of that house then found a house in December and proceeded - this is the top of our chain.

All paperwork for our sale completed in January (end). All paperwork done for our purchase two/ three weeks ago. The seller above us has been pushing us for dates since January...

We find out last week that their purchase (house at top of the three house chain) has ‘charges’ placed on it by creditors but they expect to hear something any day.

Today, we find out that it’s a HUGE mess. Their isn’t enough equity to clear the charges and the (4) creditors are not really negotiating with the seller. Btw, looks like these charges didn’t come to light until a couple of weeks ago - despite the fact the seller would have know about them for years and years!!!! And tried to hide them and did naff all about them until everyone is ready to exchange....

So it looks like we won’t hear anything else until April, maybe May.

Meanwhile, I’m 37 weeks pregnant and surrounded by boxes with the other half of my stuff in storage in a house too small for toddler, newborn and two adults. Literally I am living in a nesting woman’s absolute nightmare and am completely stressed out by living with such uncertainty right now.

Options: sit tight until the deal falls apart in 6ish weeks (I’ve been told 50/50 chance of negotiations working).

Pull out and stay in our house which I now HATE and which is entirely unsuitable.

Sell our house to our very patient buyer (I mean, it’s been six sodding months!!!) and move to rental (much more expensive than mortgage).

Sell our house and move in with in-laws for probably a year (we have a great relationship, but they’re still my in laws).

Try to convince the house one above is to continue with sale and they move to rental... unlikely as they told us they were trying to take advantage of stamp duty holiday.

What the hell do I do??? The hormones don’t help me think straight!! Any options I haven’t thought of???


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Girl!  You don’t do things by halves, do you?

I’d sell to your buyers and rent for a year. Not ideal. But I couldn’t live with anyone else (in-laws, my parents, etc).  I couldn’t even do it for a few weeks. 

I’m sorry that your sellers suck. But I’d sell and figure it out from there.

Apparently not...

Honestly didn’t think (naively hopes?) it wouldn’t take over 6 months to buy a new house!! I find this whole thing completely unworkable. I don’t know how people move houses here!!

I’m definitely panicking more than anyone else involved because of the whole ‘37 weeks pregnant’ thing.

With my daughter, nursery and everything was sorted by 25 weeks.

This time, the Oran’s been in storage for over 6 months and I have no idea if it’s covered in mould. His cot doesn’t fit in our room and I don’t even know if we have the steriliser any more... all because we thought we’d be moved and sorted by now.

I just want to nest and I can’t!!! Seriously, waterboarding isn’t nearly as effective a method of torture as this.

Oh and only one house available to rent - from April.

I’m so furious with this shithead I don’t know where to start!! How can you sell a house you know can’t be sold!!!


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If there was any chance at all of feeling like you have autonomy, I'd go for the inlaws... I don't know what their house is like, or what they are like, but it sounds like the most economical and peaceful option.  Plus, help with the new little one in the first few months, so you can maybe get some sleep.

Sell yours and have that out of the way.

Then stay with in-laws while looking. With the extended stamp duty holiday and spring on its way, houses will be put on the market. Contact ALL the agents and try to view before houses are listed.

And yes, if you can have a bit of help with baby and toddler, GET IT!!!  I don’t want to add stress but going from one kid to two is no joke.  The guilt towards #1 is real.

You are a strong woman Kate!  You can do this!!!

Moving was sort of the point to get more help! My MIL would have been able to stay over. And my mum was going to fly over and stay with us for at least 6 weeks. Now there’s nowhere for her to stay!

It’s just a mess. I’m so angry I’ve been put in this position.

Have to unpack just to pack again. Have to comb through storage when I just want to be settled!! Can’t nest, can’t try and move the furniture to somehow make him able to sleep in our room.

Don’t know where anything is. Like which box did I pack those sodding water wipes in??? Stupid and trivial stuff, I ‘get it’ but I’m too hormonal to give a shot how trivial this is.

Just feel vulnerable, lied to, mislead and jerked around.

I know I’m strong, but struggling... can’t sleep. Can’t eat. Can’t think, at least, can’t think smart. Feel lost in the forest without a way out.


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I think, if it was me, I'd commit to a plan.  Complete the sale of your house, move in with the inlaws if you can tolerate it, and then buy the little things you need to keep going in the short term so you don't have to unpack half the boxes and shuffle through them to find the things you need.  Once you've committed to a course of action, try to let everything else go.  I imagine a lot of your feelings right now are probably related to not knowing what you're going to do.  Don't put pressure on the decision.  It doesn't have to be the perfect plan.  It just needs to be decisive, so you have removed uncertainty from your life.

It seems selling and moving in with the in-laws is the best option, but I've never gone through the process of buying/selling before so don't feel particularly qualified to comment.  But from your list, that sounds like the best option.  I hope you can get things sorted; this is definitely not something you needed right now.  *huge virtual hugs*  You've got this!!

Still trying to regroup. But eating and sleeping some.

We’ve decided to stay in our house until baby is born and then consider the options.

Trying to make our house more lovable by trawling through storage/ boxes for the stuff we need and then buying (again) the stuff we can’t find. Not getting things specifically to set up this house though.

I think I’m still struggling with my mum not coming over to help us out as we won’t have anywhere for her after quarantine... (she’s now had both doses of vaccine so we were all ok with her travelling and she’s not particularly vulnerable, her biggest risk factor is age). The lack of support is (to a certain extent) something we’ve all become used to because of covid!

I’m trying to let others (husband and in laws) worry about what happens with housing and I’m trying to focus on getting ready for baby. Otherwise, it’s just too overwhelming right now not knowing where we’re going to live or where we’re going to move and when.

I’m writing lists of stuff we need and ordering like mad. Jeff Bezos is seriously lining his pockets!!!


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Hugs to you, that sounds like a nightmare! Well, hopefully you can focus on somewhere new after baby is born and maybe the new home will be even better than the one you're losing out with.

Scotland has a much different system so property chains are very rare. My head spins on the property chain nightmare in other parts of the UK! 

Good luck to you!!!

Oh Kate, the lack of support is real. You are seen! 

A friend of mine was not pregnant when they found their house and they exchanged/completed while she was having an emergency csection. She left one house pregnant and went to the new house after baby.  Not all bad, she didn’t have to mess with moving!  But the process too long enough for her to create a 10 pound human!

I think I’ll tackle changing how houses are sold and bought (the process, if you will) once this nightmare is over...


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Update: so turns out those charges should never have held things up as they were only in one seller’s name!!!

So now the rest of the chain wants to complete April 1st - the day after my due date!!!

So I’ve got removals coming today to give us a quote to take all our stuff away next Monday and store it until Thursday (completion date). My daughter and I are moving to the in-laws house this weekend (about an hour and a half away from the hospital I’m due to give birth at).

Does this mean I’m breaking covid rules? I can’t keep track... MIL is going to help clean the house too after all our stuff is gone. We probably are breaking the law, but there is no way we can do this without help and without anywhere else to stay!!

Just hoping I go overdue again!!!!

I do know that if we’d postponed and he still wasn’t here by the first, I’d really regret it!! Just have to make sure I can transfer the money to solicitor!!!

When things move, they sprint. Ridiculous system. We don’t even know when exchange is, so can’t sort home insurance...


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WONDERFUL UPDATE!

No, you aren't breaking rules.  You aren't off on a holiday.  You are forming a household!  IT IS ALLOWED.

Just promise you'll go to the hospital at the first sign of labor.  Don't be brave and wait it out at home.  Second deliveries are very different from first deliveries.  I was already in the hospital when I went into labor with #2 which was handy.   

Well. We exchanged Wednesday (because dickhead at top of the chain turned in his signed contract 530pm Tuesday). Completed and moved in Thursday. Oh and Friday, last night, we had a baby boy!!


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