Solicitor trouble

nmjams

Is this normal?
Had offer accepted 20/10/16 passed sols details onto EA.
Friday 28/10/16 had letter from solicitor asking me to go in and pay for search fees, i paid that day and had to be paid in cash for some reason.
Monday 31/10/16 rang solicitor to ask a question and was told he was on holiday until the following week, and nobody was covering his work, nothing was said about this when i paid for the searches.
I called in to see the vendors at the weekend who asked if i had received the list of whats being taken and what they were leaving, they gave it their solicitor the previous Monday, i explained that my solicitor had been off the previous week and i should get it early this week.

Contacted solicitor on Tuesday to get an answer to some queries i had, he said they were waiting on the vendors solicitors, i didn't believe him but i left it there.
Is it normal that it's been 3 weeks since offer accepted and it seems that nothing has been done?

oh, there is no chain and the vendors were hoping to be in they're new place by Xmas....not at this rate!

lewishardwick

It's very early days. Don't expect to move before Christmas!

I had an offer accepted at the start of August, I've not yet exchanged.

Best chill and focus more on enjoying Christmas

marksoton

nmjams wrote: »

oh, there is no chain and the vendors were hoping to be in they're new place by Xmas....not at this rate!

Then they're foolish.

And your solicitor is probably catching up on workload.

jojo9239

I'm on week 8 and no end in sight so I wouldn't expect to move before Xmas x

SuzieSue

I'd be worried that you had to pay for the searches in cash. Did they say why? I have never heard of a solicitors asking for any payments in cash.

Someone should be covering his work if he is on holiday. I would change solicitors. Our solicitor was extremely proactive.

Thrugelmir

nmjams wrote: »

the vendors were hoping to be in they're new place by Xmas....not at this rate!

Do they require a mortgage?

mije1983

The cash only request does sound a bit strange. Did they say why?

As to the timeline, it's still very early days. You say nothing has been done but I assume they have at least got the searches underway as you paid a couple of weeks ago.

I had an offer accepted in July and I'm completing tomorrow so being moved for Christmas is optimistic. As said, just relax and plan to have Christmas in your current home.

nmjams

SuzieSue wrote: »

I'd be worried that you had to pay for the searches in cash. Did they say why? I have never heard of a solicitors asking for any payments in cash.

Someone should be covering his work if he is on holiday. I would change solicitors. Our solicitor was extremely proactive.

They just said the searches needed to paid for with cash. I didn't question them, being in a bit of a rush, I just ran over to the bank.
Changing now would mean losing the search fee and maybe other fee's on top.

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Do they require a mortgage?

No, they are moving in with their daughter

Kynthia

Are you getting a mortgage as usually your solicitor doesn't start searches until your offer is in unless you instruct them otherwise? If you've told them to act quickly and not wait perhaps the request for cash was to speed things up and allow them to start searches before waiting for funds to clear? Buying a property takes time, I'm not sure what you think the solicitor should have done already compared to what they actually have done?

nmjams

Kynthia wrote: »

Are you getting a mortgage as usually your solicitor doesn't start searches until your offer is in unless you instruct them otherwise? If you've told them to act quickly and not wait perhaps the request for cash was to speed things up and allow them to start searches before waiting for funds to clear? Buying a property takes time, I'm not sure what you think the solicitor should have done already compared to what they actually have done?

Yes, had a mortgage offer over a fortnight ago. I didn't ask that they work quickly, they just specifically asked that i pay in cash.
tbh after reading a bit more i think i'm being impatient
Friends of mine who were in a short chain back in March were in their house in around 6 weeks. I just thought that as i was in no chain it would be about the same.