Solicitor didn't send forms

Fliss1122

Just looking for some advice really. I had an email from my solicitor today asking for money for searches and implying that I should have paid them already.

I had read on here that they are usually requested in advance, but queried with them the fact that I hadn't recieved any paperwork from them regarding this early payment and it's not mentioned in their T&Cs.

They replied with an attached letter, which was supposedly sent to us at the start of September, with all the search info, amount needed upfront, information about extra searches we could request. As well as saying they needed NI numbers from us regarind the Land Tax Paperwork (which we haven't seen) and various other bits of information that we either didn't know were needed as well as requesting that we sign and return the letter with the search payment.

The only letter we had recieved from them prior to this being emailed through today was the instruction letter with a request for £12.00 for office copies + the fixtures and fittings forms etc.

I am now worried that we've not given them various vital pieces of information, which isn't helped by the fact that my husband is in the army and away on exercise so can't sign anything - they are aware of this and kept saying that it would be fine...I'm now really concerned it won't be!

Does anyone have any advice/similar experiences or anything that could help me with this situation? Many thanks

TBagpuss

Don't panic.

The SDLT (tax) form goes off after completion so you've time to get the NI mumbers to them.
They will need signed term of business - can you e-mail a copy to your hsuabnd to sign and send back? How long is he away for?

Fliss1122

Hi, thanks so much for the reply.

I'm not entirely sure how long he's away for. I have been able to speak to him occasionally and the plan seems to be constantly changing. He may be able to get back in the country next weekend, which was the original return date, but there's also the possibility they won't be heading back until early December.

He was trying to find a fax number for me to contact him on if absolutly necessary, but they're on a ship so phone availibility and contact is sporadic. Either way, he'd need to post the signed documents back to our solicitor which isn't really possible on a ship...

Our Solicitor just phoned me and was basically implying that it was all my fault. The letter + forms got lost in the post apparently - although if it was my job and someone hadn't returned some paperwork that was needed in over a month I'd have chased it, he didn't seem to think it was important.

Also my husband being away is also my fault for some reason, even though we've been completely up front with everyone - EA, buyers, Solicitors about it all.

I think I've just about reached the end of my teather with all of this, I've been dealing with it all on my own and just want to give it all up!

Shahni

I'd be looking for a different solicitor personally.

These ones have already shown they don't keep track of their files (because they didn't notice for a month that you hadn't returned the forms) and they also appear to be rude and unhelpful.

You're paying them a lot of money to carry out a service for you and they should be guiding you through the process, not causing you more stress and worry.

Check what you have signed so far and see what it says about payment of fees (though you could probably argue that you shouldn't need to pay anyway because of the poor service they have provided).

Then get on the phone and phone some local solicitors. Explain the situation with your husband and that you need to instruct someone else asap so the seller doesn't pull out, and go with whichever one you are most confident in based on what they say.