My options with poor Solicitor service?

wilma_3

long story - cut short

the solicitor that is handling the purchace of my sisters house is offering a very poor service. for example no written correspondance, incorrect information, not doing things as said.

what are the options for either
moving solicitor so late in the sale?
Not paying full solicitor fee's on grounds they havent done their job?
is there a solicitor complaints group?

or any other options for gee-ing them on / seeking compensation for poor service?

thanks in advance

dunstonh

complain now and see what happens. You would have a less strong case for holding back solicitors fees if you havent commented or complained during the process. Without a compliant during the process it would look like you are just trying to get out of paying.

Compensation is unlikely and to be honest not required because you have not lost out financially.

What is it that the solicitor hasnt done? Some will hold all paperwork to the point you visit them so they can explain all the bits face to face.

Ian_W

When your sister instructed the sloicitor she should have received a letter from them outling their terms of business - used to be called a "client care letter" whether it still is, I don't know. Within that letter should be a reference point, usually a senior partner though with a sole practioner it may be an official of the local Law Society, to whom she can complain if she is not satisfied with the service she is receiving.
In the first instance she should complain to this person. If she doesn't do so she has little hope of redress if she does suffer loss as a result of poor service. In any case, as dunstonh says, there is little prospect of compensation unless she can show financial loss. As for witholding fees, again check the letter as most [possibly all] solicitors require their fees to be paid prior to the transaction being completed.
Moving solicitors should be last resort - you'll probably end up paying their fees to date for them to release the paperwork to the new one and delaying the purchase even further.
HTH.

mrcow

Isn't is a bit difficult to retain solicitor's fees? Mine took their fees diectly out of the sale proceeds of my house before they passed the remainder of the money back to me!

silvercar

One solicitor in my chain (not mine!) was so useless they didn't have a mortgage redemption figure on the day we were meant to exchange. With people thretening to pull out, it could have collapsed the chain. I don't know how you could quantify the loss in this case.

I did make the comment, to the EA, that you pay peanuts and get monkeys; he said monkeys would have done the job better.

Its a bit annoying when I've paid for a decent solicitor that someone else causes problems just because they are trying to save money.

hazeyj

I changed sols after 4 months of non-cummunication amongst other things and exchanged and completed two weeks of being with my new sols. I complained formally to the rubbish sols and asked them to confirm that if I dis-instructed them I would not be liable for any costs. (I wasnt liable for any costs as sale hadnt completed). I did complain to the law society and was given £350 in compensation but it took months.

hazeyj

If your on a no sale or purchase no fee then you wont have to pay the fees..I meant to add above....but complain first and see what they say. mention that you have spoken to the law society (or give the law society a call).