House Buying Nightmare - Useless Solicitors

Metermaid

Countrywide - ummmm, what can you say! - we thought we would be speeding up the process going with them too - I've been told by my EA that they actually have a machine which opens the post, scans it, and puts it in the relevent pigeon hole - well that explains how so much stuff goes astray - also the people that answer the phones appear to have no legal knowledge at all. However, some way down the process the Property Lawyer on our case gave us her direct dial number - see was actually very helpful and efficient - things improved radically once I had this info. Good Luck, hope things improve soon.

Bossyboots

clockley wrote:

What annoys me most is that I was mislead that the vendor was using Countrywide and that's why we should use them. I specifically stated I wanted to use the same solicitor as the vendor, being assured that this would speed up the process (though have been told since that this is illegal) and after signing up with Countrywide, was told that they were "confused" and thought the vendor was with Countrywide as well.

In answer to Bossyboots, many thanks for the advise. I was planning to complain after completion and you have given some good advice.

As for the Notice to Complete, it is likely that we are to complete by Monday (one working day later than planned)..is this charge likely to be made for such?
Thankfully we have no chain - the original vendor was evicted so the house is empty, and our current flat is empty and we are not giving notice until we have completed.

As for whether the partners are qualified or not, I don't know for sure. When we call (and throughout the process this has been many times as we continually have to chase them) we get customer services. We are assigned a solicitor, which we know by name (and have never been able to speak to directly until completion was imminent) but all we know of his qualifications is by the title they have told us.

Also, as for the letter, should we list all our complaints initially or wait for some response first?

Thanks again,

Craig

There are circumstances where the same firm of solicitors can act for vendor and buyer but they are strict rules about it and I am not sure in your circumstances the criteria is met so it could well be illegal. That is by Law Society rules though. If this company are a bunch of conveyancing practitioners and not qualified solicitors, they will get round that one. I would have thought they would need at least two partners who are qualified though to receive mortgage monies from most banks these days. They also call themselves "Property Lawyers", so they have to have qualified solicitors on board as otherwise their name is misleading.

It may be because of the circumstances of your chain, that you won't be served with a notice to complete and therefore may escape a penalty there. Ordinarily, everyone in a chain will be affected by one non-completion and incur costs which they are entitled to recover from their buyer. You may just be lucky here and that won't happen.

clockley_2

On the headed paper from Countrywide, the footnote reads as follows

Regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers to provide Conveyancing Services
Director Steve Jallands
Director and Licensed Conveyancer: Alison Roberts
Countrywide Property Lawyers Limited trading as Countrywide Property Lawyers

I also notice that letters from our "solicitor" has no mention of his title, just his name followed by Countrywide Property Lawyers.

Bossyboots

clockley wrote:

On the headed paper from Countrywide, the footnote reads as follows

Regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers to provide Conveyancing Services
Director Steve Jallands
Director and Licensed Conveyancer: Alison Roberts
Countrywide Property Lawyers Limited trading as Countrywide Property Lawyers

I also notice that letters from our "solicitor" has no mention of his title, just his name followed by Countrywide Property Lawyers.

This sounds like they are not trading as solicitors but then I would have to question the use of the word "Lawyers" and I think it could be argued that any layman would assume they are solicitors. This may be an issue for argument later on. See how your initial complaint to them is handled first.

If they were solicitors, they would have to have regulated by the Law Society.

Edit: The Council for Licensed Conveyancers has a complaints procedure http://www.conveyancer.org.uk/visitors.asp?TypeId=1&CategoryId=3&DocId=7 This will be your next line of attack if you are not happy with the reponse from Countrywide.

clockley_2

Thanks for that BB.

Well, finally some good news - the completion is done, and we have the keys! I knew there'd be light at the end of the tunnel.

I plan to send my letter of complaint tomorrow.

Craig

aloiseb

I suggest you tell BBC Radio 4 "you and yours" or BBC1 "Watchdog" about this - it all sounds absolutely awful, and people need to be warned. also it probably wouldn't hurt your chances of full compensation, as Bairstow Eves would hate such bad publicity.

clockley_2

Well, the nonsense finally came to an end. Myself and my OH are now settled in our new home and are slogging through the ton of work that needs to be done on the place. We are just happy it's all over.

Talking to neighbours, things have become clearer - the former owner was an alcoholic, possibly a drug abuser. He did not have cancer - it was a ruse to secure a quick sale. Every night there were police and ambulances at the house. He had up to twelve tenants at a time staying here (in a two bedroom house!)

The neighbours now think we are saints - they put up for fourteen years with the neighbour from hell....to them we are a breath of fresh air, so everyone has a happy ending....

As for the complaint, we wrote to countrywide and just had a response fobbing us off, saying that though the money went to the wrong solicitor, they recovered it on the same day. It was Nationwide that did not acknowledge reciept and therefore would not release the keys, and we should take it up with them. Should we accept this and shut up, or take this further.

david29dpo

i know is the last thing on your mind at the moment, but, people need to be warned.

Bossyboots

clockley wrote:

As for the complaint, we wrote to countrywide and just had a response fobbing us off, saying that though the money went to the wrong solicitor, they recovered it on the same day. It was Nationwide that did not acknowledge reciept and therefore would not release the keys, and we should take it up with them. Should we accept this and shut up, or take this further.

My own feeling is that if you can be bothered with this, take it further. You need to know why Nationwide would not acknowledge receipt. I would take an educated guess that it was because the completion money arrived too later for them to accept completion on that day. This would not have happened had they not made the mistake of sending the money to the wrong solicitor.

lilyann1

Oh dear they are known as B++tard thieves here to.
We asked to get the welcome pack from Countrywide lawyers and when it didn't turn up after I had waited 3 weeks and then we chased again twice before it did actually arrive, something there told me not to use them.
I have also heard reports on the nationwide too so wouldn't not like to say if I would use them or not.I would definitely take it further .Good luck