When we purchased our current home, the vendors requested that we release the deposit. Our conveyancer did lodge a caveat against the property to protect our interests and also confirmed that the balance of the purchase was enough to discharge the mortgage held on the property. On the day of settlement, there was a mix up with the paperwork (by the vendors conveyancer) and settlement was delayed by 3 days (Friday settlement now Monday).We had removalist at our old property at 7am for settlement at 1 pm and supposed settlement of the new property at 2 pm. We were not told of the delay until 2.15pm when the mistake with the paperwork was discovered. Our belongings were all on a truck to be delivered to the new property - 20 minutes down the road - but we were now left with no where to go. We had 3 kids, including a newborn, and truck full of stuff. We had nothing to get us through the weekend in a hotel, no clothes, toiletries... everything packed in the truck! The vendors, despite their own conveyancer's advice to the contrary (and our conveyancer's absolute surprise!), allowed us to move into our new home as planned on Friday afternoon and settlement went ahead on the Monday. On speaking to the vendors, they made it clear that our willingness to accommodate their needs by releasing the deposit had a strong influence on their decision to allow us to move in as planned. Sometimes, doing the right thing by someone else - whilst doing all you can to protect your own interests - pays off in the end. I think they call it karma!