How to chivvy things along solicitor wise?

laneycakes

Hi all.

We are in the process of buying. We're in rental so no chain, and vendors are buying an empty property so no chain there. Offer was accepted end of Jan.

We were hoping for end of March exchange/completion (that date was requested by the vendors) but seemingly thanks to their solicitor being rubbish that's not happened.

I've done everything I can to keep the process moving, pestering mortgage advisor and bank, chasing my solicitor and the estate agent -so much so they now recognise my voice! But we are still waiting on responses to enquiries sent at the start of Feb, and can't proceed until we have those.

It seems to be their solicitor causing the problem...the EA has chased but he doesn't respond, only ever gets the secretary. My solicitor has emailed, written and called him chasing, still nothing. The EA has spoken to the vendor who says they e heard nowt either (and it's a local firm-not a phone/email only one).

So any suggestions of anything else we can do to try and chivvy the vendors solicitor along? My other half has had to book leave which is now going to be wasted (booked for mid April on the expectation we'd be getting keys by end of this coming week at the latest which is impossible now), and frankly we just want to get in there! We've already invested £3000 plus solicitor fees so don't want to pull out but it's starting to get very wearing just sitting waiting for this man to pull his finger out!

davidmcn

Do you have a mortgage offer? Does your vendor have theirs? Or maybe something else holding up their purchase?

tinkerbellkirst

laneycakes wrote: »

Hi all.

We are in the process of buying. We're in rental so no chain, and vendors are buying an empty property so no chain there. Offer was accepted end of Jan.

We were hoping for end of March exchange/completion (that date was requested by the vendors) but seemingly thanks to their solicitor being rubbish that's not happened.

I've done everything I can to keep the process moving, pestering mortgage advisor and bank, chasing my solicitor and the estate agent -so much so they now recognise my voice! But we are still waiting on responses to enquiries sent at the start of Feb, and can't proceed until we have those.

It seems to be their solicitor causing the problem...the EA has chased but he doesn't respond, only ever gets the secretary. My solicitor has emailed, written and called him chasing, still nothing. The EA has spoken to the vendor who says they e heard nowt either (and it's a local firm-not a phone/email only one).

So any suggestions of anything else we can do to try and chivvy the vendors solicitor along? My other half has had to book leave which is now going to be wasted (booked for mid April on the expectation we'd be getting keys by end of this coming week at the latest which is impossible now), and frankly we just want to get in there! We've already invested £3000 plus solicitor fees so don't want to pull out but it's starting to get very wearing just sitting waiting for this man to pull his finger out!

We are in a very similar position and have also been waiting what feels like forever. And I've asked the same question on here.

So far no magic solutions. But would be interested to see what solicitors your vendors are using to see if they are the same slow ones as ours!

ThePants999

The vendors need to put pressure on their own solicitor, as they're the ones paying him.

joeistheone

I've found there is usually something happening that you don't know about e.g. the solicitor could be waiting for something from a third party to respond to the enquiries, the vendors may have an issue with something on their purchase and be slowing down their sale for that reason etc. The only way you'll know for sure is if the communication is better i.e. the solicitor tells you what's up. Very annoying and I can totally relate to your frustration.

laneycakes

We know both mortgage offers are in so that's not an issue. Our solicitor has chased them repeatedly for the outstanding enquiries and has had nothing back. The estate agent can't get a response either. We were told a few weeks ago their sale was progressing but now can't even get an update on that. If we hadn't spent so much already I'd be looking at pulling out. Is there anything else we can do to add pressure other than pester the heck out of the EA and our own solicitor? Is there any other leverage at our disposal other than threatening to pull out?

marksoton

Cut out the c@rp and speak to the vendor directly and let them know your displeasure at their legal reps lack of response.

Cakeguts

Just because a property is empty doesn't mean that the conveyancing is going to be any more straight forward.

laneycakes

Sadly unless we go and knock on the door we don't have a direct contact for the vendor... Although I am getting close to going round there! As for the property they are buying-the estate agent they are using to sell is the same one they are buying through and they've given me the impression that was all going through fine...I shall chase, again, tomorrow and see what, if anything I get. But in the meantime I'll check rightmove-just in case.

AlanCD

I'm living like a squatter in my own house as was proposed a time to complete so moved things out, gave stuff away and then they came up with something else that halted everything.. Takes an age, many hurdles, sometimes I wish I never bothered, I am just waiting for the buyer to pull out to put the cherry on it all !

bobobski

This is a bit unusual as a suggestion but... sellers' solicitors aren't allowed to speak to the buyer directly where the buyer has a solicitor, so pester him directly. As he's not allowed to speak to you, perhaps making him break his legal duties will hurry him along. After all, the obligation is not on you not to have direct communication, it's on him.

Obviously if you do this, don't tell his secretary who you are when you call...

I'm probably going to be told off by the solicitors on here now! But when my clients have been non-responsive to their counterparts and the counterpart called me direct, it certainly prompted me to chase my client to get these people I'm not supposed to talk to off the phone!