We were instructed by a client who was going through a separation and selling a jointly owned home. At the same time, he was purchasing a new property for himself.

The sale of the jointly owned home progressed well, but the purchase faced delays from the outset. The draft contract paperwork was slow to arrive and the client’s mortgage offer was also delayed. As a result, meaningful progress on the purchase could only begin on 4 March.

By this point, contracts had already been exchanged on the sale, with completion fixed for 14 March. The client had originally planned to break the chain and move into rented accommodation temporarily, but he was keen to tie the purchase in with the sale if possible. This left just 10 days to bring the purchase up to speed.

Time was critical, so we took immediate steps to move things forward.

We contacted our search provider and asked them to expedite the search results. We then called the mortgage lender directly and requested that the offer be sent to us immediately, rather than waiting for it to arrive by post.

Once we had the necessary information, we raised enquiries with the seller’s solicitors and prepared full reports on the title for our client. We requested the mortgage advance from the lender and stayed in close contact to ensure the funds would be released in time.

We were able to exchange and complete the purchase on 14 March, the same day as the sale of the client’s former home.

This meant the client could move directly into his new property without the need for short-term rental accommodation or storage. It also avoided the additional cost and stress that would have come with breaking the chain.

When deadlines are tight, it’s important to instruct a conveyancing team who will take proactive steps to keep things moving. In this case, quick decisions and direct communication made the difference between a smooth move and a far more complicated outcome.