buying a property with no signature or witness

[Deleted User]

G_M wrote: »

Ah! Post 8 but never mind. When inserting replies into a quote it's usual to use a different colour to differentiate and highlight. I missed them as I just read the comment below the quote.

Apologies. As I said - eyesight.

If you hadn't seen the lease you could not be sure it was 'the same as yours' (whatever that means). The lease is what you are buying, so buying without seeing it is balmy.

If you ought off a friend you trust, the contract could be skipped. It is the TR1 that transfers ownership in return for the cash - the contract simply commits each side to that transfer.

However your 'well known' solicitor really should have insisted on your friend (or his solicitor) preparing a contract, which you should have checked and signed. A complaint could be considered if you wish, though if all has turned out well you may decide not to bother.

Provided a TR1 was signed by the buyer (your friend), and your solicitor now registers the TR1 with the Land registry, all will be well.

Thanks GM for the advice. Is a complaint likely to achieve anything apart from a bit of a rollicking from my end?

G_M

Deleted_User wrote: »

Thanks GM for the advice. Is a complaint likely to achieve anything apart from a bit of a rollicking from my end?

Well provided the Completion has taken place and the property gets registered in your name, then you have suffered no loss. So you cannot claim for a loss.

A formal complaint might

* result in the senior partners at the firm checking what your solicitor did/did not do, and then perhaps a) reprimanding him b) re-training him c) firing him or whatever, to ensure future clients get dealt with properly

* result in you getting a) an apology and/or b) a goodwill gesture of some kind

Or of course they may ignore you, and you'd then have to decide whether to escalate to the Legal Ombudsman

Or of course they may investigate, and find that procedures were followed correctly, but the critical letter was lost in the post, or you received it but failed to read it properly, or something else happened.

G_M

See also:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5415338