Countrywide Conveyancing/HSBC - avoid like the plague if you want to complete

chargrill

Countrywide should be taken to task by the law society. My families dealings with them are just to upsetting to go into. All the complaints on this blog alone should surely tell the professional bodies overseeing solicitors that this company is NOT working to high enough standards for their clients. It is a HUGH DISGRACE to this profession. DO NOT use this company.

annaj464

It is now 11 weeks since we accepted our buyers offer. He was at that point recommended to go with Countrywide Conveyancing by his estate agent Bairstow Eves, and knowing nothing adverse about them went ahead.

We are completely stuck in in a chain of four properties. All are cash buyers, it is the simplest chain there could be and I am told it is a seller and buyers dream. At the moment it is a nightmare and we are in danger of losing the property we are trying to complete on.

Property 1) Our buyer's cash purchaser has completed their sale several weeks ago and is now lodging with relations waiting for completion with him. This money to purchase his property is lodged with their solictors waiting to complete, contracts were signed weeks ago.

Property 2) Our buyer initially on Bairstow Eves recomendation went with Countrywide Conveyancing. After 3 1/2 weeks of no contact from them he sacked them and went with Fraser Brown Solictors. After initial contact he has had no communication from Fraser Brown about his purchase of our property. He can get no response from anyone.

Property 3) The property we are selling. Neither our solcitor nor our estate agents have been able to get any communication about progress from Fraser Brown, no replies to emails, texts, answer phones etc in 4 to 5 weeks. The only thing they have heard is that Fraser Brown have farmed out to - Countrywide Conveyancing!

Property 4) The property we are buying. Our solcitors have reached the stage where contracts are signed and everything is waiting for completion. Of course they can't complete as we are stuck with Fraser Brown and Countrywide.

The only other thing we have heard is that after 11 weeks they are still waiting the return of one part of the searches - this was said 4 weeks ago - they are still waiting.

The people who we are buying from are getting to the point of losing the plot. The property is empty and has been all along - all just waiting for us to complete and move in.

I know we are classed as third party as far as Countrywide and Fraser Brown are concerned as we are the sellers and it is our buyer who is using them. Is there no way we can complain?? Does anyone know of a connection between Fraser Brown Solicitors and Countrywide Conveyancing??

kingstreet

Bairstow Eves is a Countrywide agent, so an "introduction" to Countrywide Conveyancing isn't based on service quality, or cost, it's based on the agent's need to reach targets and generate revenue.

Why did he choose Fraser Brown? Was the recommendation from a friend, relative, Bairstow Eves?

Has he received the usual client pack? Has he returned the signed instruction form? Has he told Bairstow Eves? Has Bairstow Eves issued a new sales memorandum?

The purchaser needs to be more proactive in ensuring things are happening within a reasonable timescale.

Without us knowing the full picture, it's difficult to suggest anything worthwhile.

annaj464

Yes - Fraser Brown was recommended to our buyer by Bairstow Eves.

Yes - he received the client pack and returned it completed. As Bairstow Eves recommended Fraser Brown and he has been back to them several time to try and get their help with finding our where Fraser Brown are up to in the procedure they know he is using Fraser Brown and that there is some real hold-up somewhere. Bairstow Eves say they are trying to unlock the problem but they have been saying this for four weeks and never do anything.

The purchaser is doing all he can, he like everyone else concerned is finding it impossible to get any repies.

Thank you for your help.

kingstreet

When he received the client pack from them, did it indicate a relationship existed between FB and Countrywide? For example, is there any mention of a fee payable to Countrywide for the introduction?

FB appears to be in Nottinghamshire. Is the property/agent located nearby?

Has your solicitor called the contract back from Countrywide Conveyancing and issued it to FB?

annaj464

Hi - No it didn't indicate a realtionship between FB & Countrywide.

Yes FB are in Nottingham, the agent used is in Essex and recommended firstly Countrywide and then when my buyer sacked them they recommended FB.

My solicitor called back the completed initial questions ans other paperwork from Countrywide and issued them to FB. This was about 13th Sept. They received a note saying they had received this paperwork, then nothing since then. They have been unable to contact the conveyancing person at FB - in other words no phones calls/ answerphone messages etc have been answered. Also my buyer has been unable to get contact with anyone at FB. Queries asking for an update have been unanswered.

kingstreet

I think it's time your buyer spoke to a few local solicitors, perhaps recommendations of friends and family and looked to distance himself from the Countrywide group and whoever it might choose to recommend.

If the current firm has done little in the best part of six weeks, it sounds like there's little to lose. He should write a strongly worded letter of complaint to the senior partner of FB telling them what he is doing and why.

Richard_Webster

When he received the client pack from them, did it indicate a relationship existed between FB and Countrywide? For example, is there any mention of a fee payable to Countrywide for the introduction?

FB appears to be in Nottinghamshire. Is the property/agent located nearby?

Don't know about this specific firm but Countrywide have often subcontracted cases to "panel" firms (where they, CW, were already involved acting for a buyer or seller, or at one time if the case was leasehold). They seemed to be remote from the clients/properties, so a large firm local to me seemed to deal with cases in the North. This situation applied before the HSBC business erupted.

I had a case where someone else in the chain was local to me in Southampton and represented by Countrywide, but these clients were disabled, and couldn't easily make phone calls etc and get out. Eventually the case got transferred to the local firm so they could go and see the clients. It seemed quite unusual for that part of that firm to be dealing with a local case!

andygb

How do Countrywide get away with being so incompetent?
Friends of ours are completing on Wednesday, and have been going through absolute hell with Countrywide, having been recommended to use them by their estate agent.
Their calculations seem to change by the day, and it is impossible to speak to the same person twice. Bearing in mind that the people are supposed to be completing on Wednesday, the best that Countrywide can say, is that they "hope" it will go ahead, which leaves the poor people wondering what to tell the removal firm (they have had to rebook twice already!!!).
Conveyancing really is not rocket science.

annaj464

We are still waiting - having lost the house we wer buying - and also having serious 'kicked !!!' last week - at last things seem to be moving. I am told only one query is waiting for an answer and then they can arrange a date and completion.


Of course now our stuff has to go in store and we have to stay with relatives. Luckily we very quickly found a new property and have just started the buying process again - so will be lodging with relatives after this completed waiting for the new property to complete - probably the end of January


That will make the whole process 6 months long!!