HSBC MORTGAGE NIGHTMARE

I am in a chain of 4: the bottom is a cash buyer and the top has moved into rented accommodation. I sold my house in mid January and found another one to buy two weeks later. Simple? At least I thought it was. Unfortunately, my mortgage is with HSBC and so is my buyer's. Countrywide finally approved my mortgage after 3 weeks but not without several complaints by me to the mortgage department. I was told that Countrywide are supposed to turn the job around within 5 working days but my solicitor contacted them after 10 and they had not even opened the file. Having breathed a sigh of relief, the same thing is now happening with my buyer. His solicitor is making daily phone calls to Countrywide and was promised last Thursday and Friday that he could expect a decision. Needless to say we are still waiting. We set a notional completion date for Friday 18 May (which at the time was way off in the future) and if we exchange on Monday 14 May this should be achievable unless you factor in Countrywide. My solicitor is urging me to move the completion date just in case the monies fail to come through. I am still remarkably calm, at least I was until I read all these reviews!