We're hoping to leave the UK for Canada on 19th November but to date we still haven't exchanged on our house so have not booked the shippers, have not booked any flights (we hope to get to Vancouver via Bangkok/Krabi/Tokyo) and do not have any temporary accommodation arranged (not through a lack of trying might I add). Should I be worried yet?

We have got somewhere to stay when we initially arrive in Vancouver as we've got friends there but as for the rest if it... My husband is happy to just turn up but I'm a bit more apprehensive about that. What can I do? (Other than shooting the solicitor who is dragging her heels!).

Zoe M. xx

I'd go with shooting the solicitor if there's no kids involved go for it

good old fashioned torture is probably more effective!

Cant you do something horrible to the estate agent too?

Don't mention the swear word :curse:

Sounds like our scenario;
goods going with shipping on Tuesday;
contracts not exchanged on house in UK,
house in Ontario only half finished, externally, still nothing inside...:curse:
Don't know about you but the stress levels in our house are off the scale.
If we are really lucky we wont have discuss divorce before we actually the UK leave..
Good luck, hope things fall into place for you... thats what we are praying for.

PS.
I harass estate agent, solicitor, realtor, lawyer and builder daily to no avail -just big big phone bill.

Badger and badger - I'm sure our solicitors cringed each time we called (mulitiple times daily). Push for what you want and keep pushing until you get it is my advice. Also involve the agent as much as poss too - pushing from all directions really seemed to help.

Go for it.
It can be done!

Us:
Oct 9th - booked flights for Oct 25th
Oct 12th - exchanged on house
Oct 12th - booked shippers
Oct 17th - my last day at work
Oct 19th - OH last day at work
Oct 22/23 - shippers cleared house
Oct 24th - completed on house
Oct 24th - overnight at Sofitel Gatwick
Oct 25th - flight to Halifax - JUST ARRIVED

All with a 2 yr old in tow.

So, no house, no jobs, in a hotel room, totally exhausted - IT FEELS GREAT!

Congrats: we hope to be following soon!
Kids love the adventure, our little ones are 3 & 5 they are really excited.
Teenagers are moaning about the lack of absolutes.
Enjoy your adventure and keep us posted!

Ooh - I just know I am not the kind of person who could wing it like that. You're either very brave or very mad

To the OP, yes I would be panicking!! But we're all different, with amazingly different levels of what we can hack and what we definitely can't.

However, it must be said, that when push comes to shove, it's incredible how quickly you can sort out quite major things at the last minute. Flights can presumably be sorted out fairly quickly - you might get a good deal, you might not - bite the bullet and book it now if you can take the time now to shop around. If you have chosen a shipping company, and they know roughly when you might be ringing them, ie, a two to four week window for example, then again, that all slots into place pretty quickly. They know their stuff and you have to have a little faith sometimes. And temp accomm can be sorted out on arrival if necessary - book 10 nights in a hotel/motel and take it from there .... do you have to be be here by a certain date for work? Do you have to leave by mid November? Does your solicitor have power to act if it all (heaven forbid, but not unlikely) drags on for another 6 weeks? Double check that eveyone in the chain is working towards a similar goal, ie, in before Xmas. We had this last year, and eventually it all came out that one person had no intention of being in before Xmas because of mortgage payments (understandable but why the hell didn't they just say so first, rather than 6 other people going grey throughout November!!).

Accept that the last two weeks will generally be pretty chaotic and you're half way there ! And be prepared to be more knackered than you've ever been - and hey presto, you're in Canada, with 10 nights in a hotel to re-energise your batteries. Notwithstanding the small matter of that other huge list to work through when you get here

What can you do? Nag, cajole, shout, and yes, if necessary, shoot. It'll all come right in the end - honest

Thanks very much for all your replies.

I've been off sick with a heavy cold the last couple of days so whilst sitting here watching daytime telly I've managed to sort out some stuff.

I've now got some paperwork from the solicitors to sign and I even went in to the estate agents today to hassle them (and cough profusely) and it seems that has helped as it could be that we exchange next week. I will keep on top of it to make sure that happens and then I'm sure everything will all fall into place, in fact I'd prefer to exchange and then wait to complete as it means staying with in-laws for less time!

As for temporary accommodation I've sat here and emailed a few people in Canada and am waiting to hear back - fingers crossed.

Zoe M. xx

what about www.suitedeals.com in North Vancouver. (Ask for the condos on St Patricks) you can book a month and scout out all the areas from there?

Clare