BPL Solicitors

sarah8586 · 5 August 2013 at 1:53PM

Hello

My buyer is using BPL Solicitors for their conveyancer. We accepted the offer at the end of April, and subsequently found a house to buy at the beginning of May.

We completed all our searches/enquiries/contracts for our purchase on the 19 June and signed the contract ready for exchange.

The buyer is still not ready to exchange. Her solicitor did not reply to my solicitor's initial letter for 2 months, and then came back with a load of enquiries. We are now 6 weeks on from when we signed our contract ready for exchange and they still can't commit to a date or even a rough idea of when they might be ready. Their communication has been appalling.

I have tried chasing our buyer who in turn has chased them but the BPL appear non-responsive to this. My solicitor has also tried chasing directly.

Has anyone had experience with this firm before and does anyone know of any hints or tips to speed things up!? I have asked the buyer to complain but she will not.

There is no estate agent involved as we are selling a shared ownership property through the housing association, and we are purchasing privately without an estate agent.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks
Sarah

dumpallhere · 5 August 2013 at 2:04PM

Some experiences posted in this topic.

sarah8586 · 5 August 2013 at 7:17PM

Thanks I had seen that thread. I've ready many horror stories but nowhere does it say if there is a good way to deal with them or to get a case prioritised or escalated.

Im so frustrated with them! I can't believe they run a business in this way. Tricky situation as I can't complain to them as Im not their customer.

baribar · 5 August 2013 at 8:34PM

We recently pulled out from a purchase, and our solicitor was BPL. I am afraid I cannot recommend them at all, although the main reason we had to pull out was the seller.
Our experience with BPL was frankly dreadful, they were not replying to emails, never avaiable at the phone, and the EA was continuously complaining with us for not being able to get hold of them.:mad: We managed to get replies only when we complained via email and copied the managing directors in the email ( you can find their names on their website and their email will have the same format of your solicitor email

). We are now buying somewhere else and using another firm.
Good luck

m0bov · 5 August 2013 at 8:36PM

My Sol (who I sacked cos they did'nt do anything) tried to use BPL as they were on the panel for Nationwide and my then sol was'nt. They were disinterested. I then went with PPL who were much better.

MitraK · 3 December 2014 at 12:57AM

I had terrible experience with BPL Solicitors, buying property for cash took me 4 months which was absolutely ridiculous! The seller almost pulled out from sale. i should say choosing BPL cost me more than their fee as I went to their office which located in Dorchester (we are in London) with my husband to push them to complete the exchange. I even transferred the whole amount to BPL's account and expected to complete exchange but nobody gave me proper answer. Mark Stimpson kept telling me I understand your situation but we are busy now, or we will call you back tomorrow. This company were always using these words rather than solving their customer's problem .they don't care about clients at all .I am really sorry for choosing BPL solicitors and will never recommend to anybody ever! The people who working in this company are absolutely useless and have no understanding of clients priorities. Like others have said they never answer the phone and it's takes an age to get an email response. My conveyancer was Tracey Townsend. I lost my time, money and energy. This situation was the most stressful experience I have ever had. Do not use them I beg you. Use a local solicitor and pay more. You will save in the long run.

System · 3 December 2014 at 2:04PM

BPL are awful, they do not respond to phone calls or emails and at the very last minute decide they need loads of extra information. Avoid at all costs if possible

Marktheshark · 3 December 2014 at 2:10PM

Go see the vendor and if it does not add up sack the solicitors but make sure you make it clear it is for non performance and failure to duty and then start a complaint with the SRA, they can make them scrap the fees.