Conveyancing Solicitor In Administration

msmyth18

Hello,

We purchased a house in February, all went through fine and we got the keys. We were then notified that our solicitor is in administration and they failed to register our interest and the mortgage companies interest with the land registry. It now transpires that they also have not paid the stamp duty.

We are now looking at a bill of thousands for stuff we have already paid, and have proof that we paid it.

My question is, how can I go about getting my money back? As you can imagine it is very stressful, and as a first time buyer this has put us in a difficult financial position. Can we sue the solicitor (or their insurance company) for negligence and failure to carry out a professional service which has now caused us a financial loss?

Is this something we would need another solicitor for? Or is it something we can do ourselves?

G_M

Yes you ned another solicitor.

Any money you paid the original solicitor (eg stamp duty) should have been held by them in a 'Client account' which will be protected from the administrators - so will come back to you in due course.

I believe when a firm goes bankrupt, the law society appoints another firm to take over their client list.

edit: See

A firm has closed down

Solicitors Regulation Authority

reformedEffortmaker

G_M wrote: »

I believe when a firm goes bankrupt, the law society appoints another firm to take over their client list.
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I thought that to be the case too

OP, have you googled the firm to see if anyone else who was a client had been caught out?

Yorkie1

Yes, the SRA appoints another firm to 'intervene' in the affairs of the firm.

You will be entitled to claim for compensation for any losses, I believe.

Follow the links in the SRA webpage G_M provided.