How to Get Solicitor to Hurry Up

jimmylad007

Hi

I'm currently in the middle of a house purchase, but things seem to have ground to a halt and I can't get an answer out of my solicitor. Despite me having done everything I need to do, I don't even have a date for exchange or completion.

I'm looking for advice on how to get the solicitor to hurry up, or at least give me some information (ideally without being "nasty" with them, which is what I have been advised to do by others).

The situation is as follows:

The offer was accepted over two months ago.
The house has been purchased with cash, no mortgage involved.
The seller has had their offer accepted on the house they are moving to, and their new property is currently unoccupied.
I am not selling the property I am currently living in.
The cash price has been paid in full to the solicitor.
The solicitors fee and stamp duty have been paid in full to the solicitor.
I signed the contract two weeks ago.

We do not yet have a date for exchange or completion. I keep getting in touch with my solicitor every few days asking for an update, and I always get something along the lines of "I am currently awaiting an update from the seller's solicitor".

I appreciate the seller's solicitor might be the one holding things up, but how do I get MY solicitor to try and get things moving, considering I have paid them all the money already?

Thanks

Floxxie

Are you buying through an estate agent? If so, get the estate agent to find out what the hold up is with your seller's solicitor. It sounds as if your solicitor is ready, but the property that your sellers are buying is not at that stage.

G_M

jimmylad007 wrote: »

....... "I am currently awaiting an update from the seller's solicitor".

I appreciate the seller's solicitor might be the one holding things up, but how do I get MY solicitor to try and get things moving, considering I have paid them all the money already?

Thanks

The fact you've paid is irrelevant. Why did you not wait till you knew yu were ready to Exchange?

" awaiting an update from the seller's solicitor" is a standard, and vary plausible, response, but you should be asking "Update on what?" It may be something vital or it may be something insignificant that you could proceed without if you so decided.

Cakeguts

You will have to try to find out what is holding it up. There may be something in the legal paperwork for one of these houses that is holding everything up. Just because you are a cash purchaser and your sellers purchase is vacant doesn't mean that buying this house will be any quicker.

kinger101

Floxxie suggestion is good. The seller's agent is motivated to get the sale completed as well so they get their commission. They have much better social skills than the average solicitor as well in my experience.

Thrugelmir

jimmylad007 wrote: »

The seller has had their offer accepted on the house they are moving to, and their new property is currently unoccupied.

So they'll be behind you in terms of process. More so if they required a mortgage.

jimmylad007

The estate agents were no help at all, but my solicitor has put her foot down with the seller's solicitor and has been told that the seller is deliberately delaying signing their paperwork (2 weeks plus so far) for some unknown reason...

marksoton

jimmylad007 wrote: »

The estate agents were no help at all, but my solicitor has put her foot down with the seller's solicitor and has been told that the seller is deliberately delaying signing their paperwork (2 weeks plus so far) for some unknown reason...

Holiday? ......

Floxxie

That's a shame you are dealing with poor estate agents. Even if they have not been very helpful, ask them to contact the estate agent further up the chain and find out what is going on. When someone is holding off signing a contract, it could be something as simple as they are on holiday or not understanding the process to something more complicated - divorce or probate issues for example (I shall also add that it might be they are not at the stage of being in a position to sign contracts).

As has been mentioned above, just because you are a cash buyer and the property you are buying is empty, it does not make the buying process any quicker. What would help you would be knowing what is the apparent hold up and you solicitor is unlikely to get the full story - estate agents should if they are doing their job properly!

jimmylad007

Almost 2 weeks on there's been no movement still. All I've found out is the sellers solicitor has been off ill. Surely someone could stand in, but it appears that they're not willing to do that. I'm at a loss on what to do.

Bonfire_Bride

jimmylad007 wrote: »

Almost 2 weeks on there's been no movement still. All I've found out is the sellers solicitor has been off ill. Surely someone could stand in, but it appears that they're not willing to do that. I'm at a loss on what to do.

I am sure it will all be okay and some house purchases can take much longer. Is it definitely the solicitor that is holding up the process?


Our solicitor has been away on holiday but we were provided with the name of the solcitor handling the work while she was away.


If you want to put a little pressure on, then speak with the EA.