Transfer of title in Mess

sahilsaid

I need a desperate help here.

My transfer of title process began over three months ago and has not been completed yet.

I had a numerous problems with my solicitor who couldn't bother replying to my email and pick up their phone. So, I lodged a complaint with legal ombudsman about them and also did a charge back claim on my credit card and immediately I received their email telling me that they will complete my process very soon.

Today, It has been over 10 days since that last email but haven't been contacted by them with any update. I sent them an email this morning but seems like it won't be answered.

I received a letter from my credit card company today that my charge-back claim was successful and they have credit my account.

Now, I contacted my bank (Natwest) and they are telling me that all they are waiting is a transfer of title certificate from my solicitor. The process is stuck at this stage for almost two months now. Natwest says this is the final document they need from my solicitor.

My plan is to change the solicitor now. But before doing that, I would like to take some advice from this forum. If it is possible then does the new solicitor have to start the work from beginning or can they reduce some of the work as deeds is already transferred in land registry (and I know that for sure).

Any help will be appreciated.

loubel

What is it you are actually doing and where in the transaction are you? From what you say it sounds like you're right at the end of things, in which case there is little point changing solicitors. If not, you would have to pay both solicitors so it depends on how much you want to change. Did you follow your solicitors' complaints procedure before approaching the ombudsman?

sahilsaid

loubel wrote: »

What is it you are actually doing and where in the transaction are you? From what you say it sounds like you're right at the end of things, in which case there is little point changing solicitors. If not, you would have to pay both solicitors so it depends on how much you want to change. Did you follow your solicitors' complaints procedure before approaching the ombudsman?

I have no idea where exactly things have stopped proceeding but yes you are right, it seems like one final thing is left now. The solicitor ignored my emails and phone calls before I complained to ombudsman so it wouldn't have mattered if I followed their complaint procedure or not.

They started ignoring my emails after I made a payment to them and that's the reason I also made a chargeback claims.

Land_Registry

sahilsaid wrote: »

If it is possible then does the new solicitor have to start the work from beginning or can they reduce some of the work as deeds is already transferred in land registry (and I know that for sure).

Any help will be appreciated.

Do you mean that the application to register the transfer has been completed? And in essence you are simply waiting for the solicitor to complete the process by notifying your lender and others officially?

sahilsaid

Land_Registry_representative wrote: »

Do you mean that the application to register the transfer has been completed? And in essence you are simply waiting for the solicitor to complete the process by notifying your lender and others officially?

According to my understanding, yes.

The process was on hold around six/seven weeks ago when the land registry was waiting for something from my solictor but after a day or two I received a call from Land registry telling me that the transfer of title is complete now and they have sent my solicitor the new deeds. Since then no progress has been made from my solicitors in seven weeks.

I also received a call from my solicitor same day when I received a call from Land registry and he told me that all he is left to do now is issue the certificate to my bank but before he can do that he needs my bank to send confirmation of "old mortgage release statement".

However, my bank says they need to see a completion certificate and then they will release the old mortgage.

Land_Registry

Thanks for confirming
When we complete a registration the applicant receives a Title Information Document (TID) from us plus an official copy of the new register details. There are no deeds issued.

By the sound of it the solicitor then confirms or certifies (hence reference to a certificate) to the the bank that the registration has been completed.

As such I'm not too sure what employing a new solicitor would achieve here as you are at the very end of the process. If your solicitor is not communicating then it might be easier to reaffirm with the bank as to exactly what it is they now need - if there is a way round that so that they can release the old mortgage then that may be easier to achieve?

sahilsaid

Land_Registry_representative wrote: »

Thanks for confirming
When we complete a registration the applicant receives a Title Information Document (TID) from us plus an official copy of the new register details. There are no deeds issued.

By the sound of it the solicitor then confirms or certifies (hence reference to a certificate) to the the bank that the registration has been completed.

As such I'm not too sure what employing a new solicitor would achieve here as you are at the very end of the process. If your solicitor is not communicating then it might be easier to reaffirm with the bank as to exactly what it is they now need - if there is a way round that so that they can release the old mortgage then that may be easier to achieve?

I have just managed to speak to someone in the solicitor team over the phone and now they are telling me that they have not received anything from Land registry. This seems like a complete lie to me.