My solicitor is ignoring me!

renegadesofjunk

This is a rant really. I'm buying a house, and last week I sent my signed copy of the contract and mortgage deed to my solicitor. I emailed her the next day to ask if she'd received them and if she had any idea of timescales as I need to be out of my house by 30th June, so I need to work out whether or not I will be putting my stuff in storage (and what to do with my cats). She responded to say she'd not received my contract yet and asked when I sent it, I said perhaps she'd not received it yet due to the bank holiday holding up the post, but reiterated that I wanted to know if I was likely to have the keys by 30th June or not. This was on Thursday, I have sent three emails since, and left a voicemail, and spoken to her colleague to check if she is even in the office (she is).

Am I just being impatient? Only it seems a bit weird since she's usually quick to respond to my queries, so the more she ignores me, the more I feel like something fishy is going on...

drummer_666

If she hasn't replied to your email, give her a ring. This gets their full attention.

Keeping ringing until you get to speak to her and then find out the answers you need to know and what they are waiting on, as it may well be the other side.

if it's the other side then ring the sellers or their estate agent and pester them to chase the sellers solicitor

renegadesofjunk

I did ring and leave a voicemail. She has now emailed me and it sounds like they've 'misplaced' something I sent about three weeks ago. It's just really frustrating, it's been about 8 weeks now, which I know isn't that long but I'm moving from rented into an empty house so really there should be a quick turnaround. I was feeling pretty optimisitic about being able to move straight in from my current house and now it looks like I'll be putting everything in storage and sending the cats on holiday.

I just feel like she's not entirely answering my questions, I would have thought after this long, and given that I think I've signed everything I should have, it's not unreasonable to start asking about dates so I don't understand why she can't just answer my questions or even say she doesn't know but give me an idea of what more needs to be done.

HB58

Then I think you need to tell her that!

renegadesofjunk

I have, about 5 times now! She's either ignored my email, or told me about paperwork she has/hasn't received without actually addressing my questions.

I guess it serves me right, I was having quite an easy ride of the whole buying a hosue malarky so it makes sense that I'd get stressed out at the end...

drummer_666

With house buying tho, it's not just down to whether you have signed everything. A lot of it is down to the other side. They can be painfully slow.

Hence you need to keep chasing the sellers/estate agent, to prompt them to chase their solicitor.

And leaving an answer phone message isn't the same. Ok leave a message, but if she doesn't get back to you later that day then ring and there's no point leaving another msg, keep rining until you actually speak to her

Then when she's on the phone, you make her answer you questions, keep probing and don't end the phonecall until you have discussed al the points you need to address.

If it's dates, then she more than likely can't answer these, but ask her what she is waiting on, and for specifics rather than 'enquiries from the other side' - you can then chase up the specifics with the seller/EA

I'm completing Friday. I'm living in rented, the house I'm buying is empty. It will have been 12 and a half weeks from getting my offer accepted. It was delayed by 2 and half weeks with negotiating price after survey, due to slow seller/EA. We did have 4 bank holidays over that period too.

renegadesofjunk

I guess I need to be more assertive but I'm scared! And also aware I am being quite impatient, though I do think she's being slightly impolite given that it's obvious I'm anxious about the whole thing.

DVardysShadow

renegadesofjunk wrote: »

I guess I need to be more assertive but I'm scared!

Solicitors are a cross between a scorpion and a bird - they sting you with their bill. But no reason to be scared.

motherofstudents

Agree with Drummer, this is when estate agents can be quite useful. Get on the phone to them and explain you don't know what is going on and ask them to contact the sellers/EA. Do this in addition to phoning your solicitor. You will get there in the end but it is terribly frustrating. To you this is a big thing. To your solicitor it is something they do all the time, hence no urgency.

renegadesofjunk

I know, I know she's busy. I wish I'd known that buying a house on my own would be so stressful! I think it's just a case of 'so near, yet so far', and it's driving me nuts!

drummer_666

well good luck with it all and ask any more questions you have

trust me, it will seem even longer when you send your money over to the solicitor and are waiting to exchange and then complete!

I sent money mon, exchanged tues first thing, com and this week is going SO slowly lol