HSBC/Grindeys hassle

dpt12

I have a mortgage with HSBC for a flat which is shared ownership. I own 75%. I am trying to buy the other 25% and add my wifes name on the mortgage. HSBC tried to pressure me into using their own solicitor. I didn't want to do this, as i dont trust the banks let alone the banks trusted legal teams.
I was told that i would have to pay £160+vat if i used my own solicitor. I reluctantly agreed to this and instructed my solicitor to proceed.
Grindeys (HSBC's Solicitor) are now demanding £528 before they will proceed with anything. Their reasons, and while slightly paraphrasing due to not recording the phone call, where as follows "We are going to charge you the same amount whether we handle everything or just the banks side. It doesn't matter if we do all the work or half the work, we're still going to charge you as if we did it all".

This is not quite the £160 quoted by HSBC. It seems they are trying to blackmail me into not using my own solicitor. I just want to use a local solicitor that i trust. I believe in keeping money in the local economy and i don't want to give it to one of these national crooks.

Is this the norm? is it even legal? I hope someone can shed a bit of light on this or offer any advice.

Thanks in advance

Thrugelmir

Refer the matter to HSBC.

dpt12

I have. They couldn't comment and have referred it to the complaints department who may take a couple of weeks to respond.
Was hoping someone had some independent advice/experience that i could use if and when i finally get to speak to the complaints department.

Thrugelmir

Choose another panel solicitor.

Simon_gloster

If you dont like the way they do things, remortgage to another lender. No-one is forcing you phsically to stay with them. Straightforward enough. You seem to hate lenders therefore the rate or ERC's are making you stay with them.

bigadaj

Would they have charged you the same sum if you had gone through them, ie is this the same sum as quoted or is it something new and additional. If it's the latter then its very poor practice, if you had to pay anyway and they have simply not reduced the sum for not doing your part of the work then it is arguable, in which case you probably won't get very far.