can I change solicitor at this point?

ClaudiaC_3

I am dealing with an extremely unhelpful solicitors.
I have vented my frustration on here before.
We are 9 weeks into the sale and there have been many inaccuracies, reports of lost cheques (which they had cashed in), delay of replies, virtually non existent communication, being kept in the dark with regards to everything, poor quality of copies of documents, letters sent to us all dated on the same date as our phonecalls to them, phone-call never returned or returned 2 days later, I could go on and on.

Most recently, last week, I had an update which was identical to the update 3 weeks earlier and when I queried why, she told me it was because there hadn't been any further developments. She also said at that stage it was "far too early" to think of a completion date.
I then spoke to my Estate Agent who told me that our buyers (FTB) and our vendor (moving in with his partner so no a huge chain)'s solicitors had contracts ready and that both parties were signing contracts this week: buyer signed on Monday and vendor signs tomorrow. Yet according to my solictor it was still far too early.

I sent an email to my solicitor on 2nd July, telling her the info received by my EA, and to give me another update, and she hasn't yet replied. My EA tried to call her but she is not returning his calls.

I have decided to complain and written to Senior Partner detailing reason for dissatisfaction, and requesting he looked into our file and transferred the case to another member of staff. I gave them 48 hrs to get back to me, before referring to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
I sent the email yesterday and heard nothing yet.

What shouhld I do?! If I decide to stop using them, can they transfer things to another solictor of my choice or would a new solictor have to start from scratch???

She told me on 30th June that she has sent contract to buyers' sol. and raised queries with vendors' contract, and had put in the hand searches.
She had told me the same on 12th June. I know she has received reply to enquiries from the vendor's solicitor by email on 1st July.
Everybody is sitting waiting for her, and teh other solicitors even thought of completing on 10th July.
Yet mine thinks it is 'far too early'.

what to do??
any advice?

I will report them to the SRA, but they say I should give them 28 days to reply, but I am complaining about them having caused many unnecessary delays, so not prepared to wait that long. I am really frustrated and don't really want to deal with this woman any longer.

cheers!
Claudia

devon_guy

I can't offer any advice but I sympathise entirely! I am hoping to complete next Thursday but it's looking increasingly unlikely seeing as contracts haven't even been exchanged yet. My solicitor is always "busy" when the receptionist asks who's calling. She never phones back and when I chase and chase I'm promised a reply by the end of that day, which I do usually get but by email! So then I have to email back as she won't answer my calls and so it drags on. Absolutely ridiculous.

It annoys me as we are paying them a lot of money to act for us and they can at least have the common decency to answer our queries and keep us up to date, surely that's part of the deal, no?!

lincroft1710

One thing I would say to both of you is providing the respective solicitors are not partners in the firms, speak to senior partners about their lack of professionalism.

Fire_Fox

I;d be inclined to go down to the offices and request to see the entire file, pay what you think you owe for the work done so far and take the file elsewhere. I lost one property and almost lost a second due to delaying tactics of the other side's solicitors, one of whom had 'family problems' the other had lost the long lease!!