Solicitors slow progress.

harz99

Apologies as this a vent more than anything else!


I am in the process of buying a house in Co. Durham, and am really frustrated at the slow progress being made.


There are only me and wife (the buyers) and the other party (the vendors) involved. No banks/building societies/guarantors/chain etc.


I have been used to dealing with a really efficient English solicitor, sadly now retired, or the Scottish system. Now I seem to be at the mercy of two lots of solicitors stuck in the dark ages.


I mean, who uses Royal snail Mail to make general enquiries by letter these days?


It means that simple questions outwith contract, like agreeing exchange/completion dates take a week or more to resolve. All it takes is emailed letters and/or a phone call to resolve such matters in a day.


Grrrr.


Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting shortcircuiting legal safeguards, just using the tools available.

kayfaz

Perhaps name and shame the firm?

eddddy

I don't know the Scottish system - so I can't comment on that aspect, but...

... I think the solicitor is sometimes used as the scape-goat in slow property transactions. I've frequently heard buyers and sellers blaming solicitors for delays, when the real problem is inaction/'second thoughts'/incompetence by the buyer/seller.

harz99

kayfaz wrote: »

Perhaps name and shame the firm?

It's firms, as they are both as bad as each other. Maybe, when the deal has completed I may post a warning.

PurplePow

harz99 wrote: »

It's firms, as they are both as bad as each other. Maybe, when the deal has completed I may post a warning.

Could you possibly PM me with the names? I'm in the north-east putting my property up for sale so want to avoid any solicitors like this...

harz99

eddddy wrote: »

I don't know the Scottish system - so I can't comment on that aspect, but...

... I think the solicitor is sometimes used as the scape-goat in slow property transactions. I've frequently heard buyers and sellers blaming solicitors for delays, when the real problem is inaction/'second thoughts'/incompetence by the buyer/seller.

No, defo the solictors.


Timeline:


Thursday face to face meet with solicitor. Outcome searches all back and okay, couple of minor questions for the vendor to be sent, contracts signed and ready, vendor to be asked to agree our requested completion date, solicitor specifically instructed not to delay matters waiting for minor question answers and to exchange asap.


Tuesday following, after no contact from my solicitor I call them to ask where we are. They have posted(!) a letter to vendor solicitors and no reply yet. Vendor solicitor claims not to have received letter. Mine agrees to send a further one by email(!)


Wednesday, I get an email from my solicitor with attachments for their bank details and their completion statement to say how much more I need to transfer to complete - no other info.


Thursday, now a week after my F2F with my solicitor. As no update from my solicitor, I ring them. They tell me no reply received from the other solicitor, I point out that a week has elapsed and we are no further forward, they agree to follow up with other solicitor. I also speak to the Estate Agents, who in turn speak to both solicitors and the vendor and agree to keep chasing all parties for some progress tomorrow.


Today - I'm still waiting and will be calling my solicitor yet again at midday. Of course today is the worst day of all to be following up outstanding matters due to all the exchanges/completions traditionally being done on a Friday. So if nothing happens today we wait another 3 days to Monday.

harz99

PurplePow wrote: »

Could you possibly PM me with the names? I'm in the north-east putting my property up for sale so want to avoid any solicitors like this...

Done. I would specifically ask how they communicate with the other involved parties - too late for me now.

harz99

Well 1200 came and went; after follow up by both my solicitor and the estate agent, the vendors solicitor pleaded to have been busy all week with completions and agreed to check over the paperwork this afternoon after they had dealt with all the completions.


Whether they did or not neither I, the vendor, nor my solicitor nor the estate agent actually know as the solicitor and the whole office had gone home by 1600 without contacting any of us.


So the phone in their office will be hot on Monday morning!


If this level of non performance is par, anyone in the north east selling through Robinsons may be sensible to avoid their packaged solicitor and chose one of their own. Even if it costs a little more.

nidO

harz99 wrote: »

If this level of non performance is par, anyone in the north east selling through Robinsons may be sensible to avoid their packaged solicitor and chose one of their own. Even if it costs a little more.

I think that advice largely applies for most estate agents anywhere, the "solicitors" they refer to tend to be the cheapest battery-farm firms of conveyancers (who might, maybe be overseen by a solicitor) who'll do the work the cheapest and with the biggest kickback for the estate agent and so tend to have the most overworked and underpaid staff.