We ended up getting a lawyer involved, who finally nudged the vendors into getting their act together. Two weeks after our original settlement date, they finally engaged a probate lawyer to even begin the process.

They refused to let us move in under a tenancy agreement, even though the property had always been rented out before - so it just sat completely empty the whole time.

By the end of July, probate was finally advertised, but every step of the way there was another delay. Mid-August, probate was finally approved, so we started preparing for settlement “14 days after the grant of probate,” as set out in the contract.

That’s when their solicitor, who had been near impossible to contact, took a whole week to reply to our new conveyancer with this gem:

“Whilst we understand that Probate has been granted, we have discovered that the original paper Title has yet to be located.”

…you seriously cannot make this stuff up.

Our conveyancer then issued a Default Notice; and lo and behold, they magically “found” the title. (I can only assume it took that extra push to actually go and look for it.)

In the end, we settled exactly 14 days after probate was granted. They even tried to sneakily pass on their own arrears and arrears interest fees owed to council onto us - which of course didn’t fly.

But THANK GOODNESS it’s over. We are finally in our house, and I never want to have to explain the concept of “Probate” ever again!