Clydesdale / Optima nightmare

TucOriginal

We had a mortgage approved by Clydesdale, but they use their own solicitors (Optima), who are a nightmare:

• Took 2 weeks for them to give their list of requirements to our solicitor;
• Not answering calls or emails from our solicitor;
• Replying eventually to emails by fax;
• Requesting information that has already been provided.

It's all very unprofessional; they have already delayed our exchange by three weeks, and there is a danger that the sellers will pull out.

It has caused huge problems for both sides, and is still dragging on with no communication.

Has anyone had this problem, and if so how did you solve it?

Thanks in advance.

harvey115

I am also with the same lender and they have instructed Optima Legal. I have also seen same level of incompetence from Optima Legal.

Luckily I am going through a broker. My broker complained Clydesdale as well as she has complained the management at Optima Legal. This has definitely helped and now Optima Legal are replying in time if not quickly enough. They did actually asked me to provide certified copies of ID and address from solicitors other then the ones I am conveyancing through, they do not seem to trust other solicitors. So I have already provided them with these and they seem to be happy for now.

I am completing next Friday (end of August), I hope they do not mess up.

PS - Clydesdale is very god, you should complain to Clydesdale directly and mention the issues.

TucOriginal

Thanks Harvey,

that's interesting. We have had our broker pushing/escalating at both Clydesdale and Optima, and I think it did help a little, but we are still stuck.

Thrugelmir

TucOriginal wrote: »

Thanks Harvey,

that's interesting. We have had our broker pushing/escalating at both Clydesdale and Optima, and I think it did help a little, but we are still stuck.

Are your sellers playing ball? The solicitors require them to be co-operative as well. Stalling the process is not an unusual tactic.

harvey115

The problem over here is that Optima is almost sleeping and coming up with a list of requirements just when you are expecting to exchange or require them to say they are satisfied. So this delays the process a bit.

Seller's solicitors are quick in my chain as well as my solicitors. However Optima would usually delay their response. I would imagine this is because the money they are being paid £195+VAT as being selected by the lender. However if they are not happy with the price, they should ask the bank to increase the charges to work better. I would be happy to pay a couple of hundred pounds rather then getting exited every time near the deadlines.

My broker has been great so far, since we have found out Optima is messing around my broker is directly connecting our queries to the bank contacts to be answered quickly. Optima is just their to cover the legals as before they ask the bank for anything the bank is already made aware of it and has a response to their queries. Thus speeding up the process in a good way.

Keep asking your broker if you are waiting for replies from Optima on queries, your broker may be able to forward the queries directly to the contacts at Clydesdale. Also check with your solicitor if they are waiting for anything further from Optima to proceed. In the beginning my solicitor did not tell me about the 'no replies from Optima' situation until the last couple of days for exchange.

Best of luck.

TucOriginal

The sellers are no problem at all, the delay is all from Optima

Thrugelmir

TucOriginal wrote: »

The sellers are no problem at all,

How do know how quickly they are responding to their own solicitors.

harvey115

Well from my purchase, since I am buying New Build. I get a response from Vendor's solicitors as soon as request something from the Vendor Sales Advisers, they are very prompt in communication.

This may not be the same with everyone though as some developers would mess around far too often.

harvey115

I am also seeing there (Optima Legal) incompetence again. I am completing tomorrow and the lender has confirmed they are happy witht he whole thing today and have also confirmed they have approved the re-inspection report as it was there as a condition on the mortgage.

Now Optima Legal has faxed my solicitors with a list of missing documents, these documents has already been sent to Optima couple of weeks ago. They are so incompetent that they cannot even locate documents from the files in their hands???

We are dealing with the solicitor called David Lawes at Optima Legal, I am not sure how these guys are working at all.

Hopefully my good solicitor and broker be able to kick them again to complete on time.

mickn

TucOriginal wrote: »

The sellers are no problem at all, the delay is all from Optima

We are selling a good house in a good part of Birmingham, a deceased estate. Our end is no problem at all, but the buyers solicitors aren't given the green light by Clydesdale so they have called in Optima to oversee these solicitors.

We had hoped to have the whole thing done and dusted by the 3rd week of July. However, the delays and level of incompetence from Optima means we are still waiting to exchange.

It seems delay after delay, with stupid questions and searches, and our estate agent said her heart sank when she realised that Optima was on the buyers side. She has had dealings with them before and the term she used is 'a nightmare.'

We are fortunate that this is a straightforward transaction as if there was a chain it would have collapsed by now.

Currently, we expected to complete 2 weeks ago, which was a month after expected.

It, through no fault of our own, has stopped us getting away with our family this summer.

Being slightly removed from it all we are finding it harder to get answers, but a good dialogue with our buyers means we have faith in them.

The toll has taken its effect on them greatly and also on us.

Please heed our advice and if you hear anything with these characters run a mile.

The lesson is, as with all things in life, you get what you pay for. Conveyancing is no different.

harvey115

Luckily I completed on Friday, Optima was the biggest hurdle to cross in the whole process.

I think Clydesdale should look elsewhere for Legal Representation in their Conveyancing because Optima is no way competent enough to work properyl.

In my case Optima Legal had the Mortgage money, Stamp Duty and their legal fees paid on Thursday to allow them to move the fund to seller on Friday morning. However they called around 2pm on Friday to tell my solicitor that the money is with their accounts department and it will be transfered in some time. It did but around 4pm.

I got my broker and solicitor chasing Optima the whole time to avoid any delays. My broker even complained directly to Clydesdale and the management at Optima. Although this at least woken them up, they are still very very slow indeed. I would say if you are going with Clydesdale appoint your own solicitor from their approved panel and avoid Optima.