PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

Hello Forumites! In order to help keep the Forum a useful, safe and friendly place for our users, discussions around non-MoneySaving matters are not permitted per the Forum rules. While we understand that mentioning house prices may sometimes be relevant to a user's specific MoneySaving situation, we ask that you please avoid veering into broad, general debates about the market, the economy and politics, as these can unfortunately lead to abusive or hateful behaviour. Threads that are found to have derailed into wider discussions may be removed. Users who repeatedly disregard this may have their Forum account banned. Please also avoid posting personally identifiable information, including links to your own online property listing which may reveal your address. Thank you for your understanding.

We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum. This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are - or become - political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.

Problem with my conveyancing solicitor

Hello,

I know it is bit strange to look at the title of this post. But its true.
I have problem with my solicitor. He doesn't work on my case and deliberately delaying.

The vendors, agent and me are frustrated with the delay as he doesn't give the completion dates.
He says the reasons are : search results are awaiting or awaiting solicitors reply (but vendor solicitor says its been sent already)

I really don't know what exactly happening in the process and my solicitor doesn't tell me if ask anything in details.

I realized that he deliberately delaying because he got many clients and lack of staff to followup the cases.

All I want is to speed up my case and don't want vendors to pull back the offer with this delay.

Please, advise me, anything can be done in this?

Many Thanks,

Comments

  • nidO
    nidO Posts: 847 Forumite
    Are you using an actual solicitor at a law firm, or a battery-hen outfit that'll have dozens of conveyancers and maybe one solicitor overseeing things if you're lucky?

    Assuming you're using a proper law firm if you genuinely feel your solicitor is taking longer than reasonable and is not adequately responding to you (and I don't mean to be rude here but do consider whether from his point of view you might be needlessly badgering him far more often than is needed when he's already told you what the current state of things is/what he's waiting on, and can do nothing else until that step happens) then your best thing to do is to follow the law firm's official complaints procedure, that should at least get their complaints handler to review your file and hopefully put a bee up your conveyancer's backside to get things moving.
  • mgtr
    mgtr Posts: 59 Forumite
    You are not bound to that solicitor.

    Put a complaint in writing to the firm they work for, and copy in the SRA.

    Instruct a different solicitor and ask for the file to be transferred. Or, at the very least ask for a different solicitor within the same firm.

    Simple ; and yet many people don't realise they can do this.
    I work in the 'moving industry'. My frame of reference is around 20 years and circa 27,000 domestic moves.
  • You are not bound to that solicitor.

    Put a complaint in writing to the firm they work for, and copy in the SRA.

    Instruct a different solicitor and ask for the file to be transferred. Or, at the very least ask for a different solicitor within the same firm.

    Simple ; and yet many people don't realise they can do this.

    This a very last resort thing to do because the time wasted in the transfer and the new firm getting up to speed will generally add to the time it all takes.

    Far better to threaten an official complaint (ask for details of their complaints procedure) if you do not get a written explanation of the present position.

    Make sure your point is made in writing, not by phone. Ask for an explanation of what is still awaited and what has still to be done. Sometimes timescales cm be given but frequently no guarantees can be given in this way because others will be involved whose timescales cannot be predicted with accuracy.

    The key is put your concerns in writing.
    RICHARD WEBSTER

    As a retired conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful assuming any properties concerned are in England/Wales but I accept no liability for it.
  • I didn't know that I can switch solicitors.
    Thanks to mgtr and Richard Webster your replies.
  • TBagpuss
    TBagpuss Posts: 11,226 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    This a very last resort thing to do because the time wasted in the transfer and the new firm getting up to speed will generally add to the time it all takes.

    Far better to threaten an official complaint (ask for details of their complaints procedure) if you do not get a written explanation of the present position.

    Make sure your point is made in writing, not by phone. Ask for an explanation of what is still awaited and what has still to be done. Sometimes timescales cm be given but frequently no guarantees can be given in this way because others will be involved whose timescales cannot be predicted with accuracy.

    The key is put your concerns in writing.

    I agree with Richard. Also, there is no point in copying in the SRA at such an early stage. You are expected to use the solicitor's own complaints process and only go to the Ombudsman or SRA if that is ineffective.

    When you write with your complaint, specify what information you've been given and what you are asking for.

    Also be aware that just because the vendor/vendors solicitor says something doesn't necessarily mean it is true or that it shows the full picture.

    [example - agents chased my solicitor (on my sale) saying that my solicitor was causing delay and that they were waiting to replies to queries. Actually - they had been sent paperwork, which they sat in for nearly three weeks before raising their queries which were sent by snail-mail. The chasing was the same day that the queries arrived (i.e. the day after they had been sent, and the earliest possible day my solicitor could have received them) So it was literally true that they were 'waiting' for replies but wholly untrue that the delay was down to me or my solicitor (we sent the full replies back the same day they were received)

    obviously your case may be very different and your solicitor should make sure you know what is going on, but don't overlook the possibility that someone else is passing the buck.
    All posts are my personal opinion, not formal advice Always get proper, professional advice (particularly about anything legal!)
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 346.6K Banking & Borrowing
  • 251.3K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 451.4K Spending & Discounts
  • 238.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 614.2K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 174.8K Life & Family
  • 252K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.