Oh no
My mother's house sale and purchase were meant to complete this morning, but her solicitor couldn't get the confirmation that the money from her buyer had arrived. So I've been hovering all morning, waiting to see whether I needed to go and help unpack, or whether I should expect her to arrive here in a state of distress. Now we find out (probably) why: the BBC website says that the Bank of England's CHAPS transfer system woke up dead this morning after being updated over the weekend, and among other things, ALL of today's house completions are on hold. That's umpteen thousand people waiting, often in strange towns, and having to arrange emergency accommodation. Presumably Britain's roads are swarming with cross removal crews who are returning to base. In my mother's case, her stuff is in two vans and they need one of the vans for a different removal tomorrow so, assuming that the money does eventually come through, she'll only get half of her possessions tomorrow and the rest to follow. What a cock-up.