Frequently asked questions I get as a Conveyancer

One of the most frequently asked questions I receive is ‘when can I book my removals’ or even ‘I have booked my removals!’

This is one of many million dollar questions I am asked throughout the Conveyancing process.

I would be delighted to confirm a specific date to my clients ASAP, however unfortunately until exchange of contracts (which then becomes a legally binding document) dates cannot be confirmed.

In this day and age, it can become even more complicated, for instance, if there is a chain involved all parties have to agree on a date, and then all solicitors in the chain have to be in a position to progress the case and be ready to simultaneously exchange on that given day.

Also adding to complications nowadays is the fact that exchange and completion can happen on the same day which is becoming more and more common and can be very frustrating to me and my client.

In an ideal world, I and indeed any other Conveyancer would like the exchange to take place a week or two before completion, however, due to factors beyond our control and also our client's control, this is becoming increasingly tight due to the fast-paced world we now live in.

My simple advice would be to liaise with your legal representative and try to gauge a mutual date that you can work towards which is achievable. You also need to factor, that if there is a chain it might be possible that someone is not at the same stage as you, and this is where the dates can quite often change.

Whilst, I wouldn’t say a ‘point blank no’ to making contact with local removal companies to gauge their workload and prices, I would never suggest you book removals until a date is confirmed!