S0licitor Initial Timeslines Question

Somerset

Sort of consumer ??


I visited a solicitor via the free first half hour, to discuss their drawing up of a will. Not quite a simple will but not far off. Discussion done, what I wanted clear, price agreed, so I gave them a 'yes' to proceed as per our discussion.


Two weeks later, I realised I had received nothing from them, no letter of engagement, client care information pack, nothing. So I phoned them to query this, spoke to the individual, and was told he'd attend to everything as a matter of urgency. One week later, nothing.


So my questions are two-fold :
- Is three plus weeks normal ? Am I being unreasonable thinking three plus weeks to get 'client' information/confirmation is unusual or unacceptable? Not the will itself - just correspondence to say, you are our client, this is the subject matter, fees, complaint process etc ?
- I'd like to 'bin' them and go elsewhere. If they are this bad at the beginning ........... How do I know what I'm liable for, if anything, given I've received no information about anything ?


Edit : this is a local firm not a boiler house.


Cheers

steampowered

3 weeks is a bit of a long time.

I personally would send the solicitor an email or call them saying that you wish to get things moving, and would like to know when you will be receiving the draft will.

You are free to move your business elsewhere, but you risk receiving a bill if the solicitor has already done work on drawing up your will. If you wish to bin them I would give them a call to find out if they already have any 'work in progress' on your file.

agrinnall

3 weeks sounds too long, I have just had a new will drawn up and the first draft was with me 4 days after I met the solicitor, and following several revision it was signed and witnessed earlier this week 2 weeks to the day after the first meeting.

bris

It depends how busy they are, did you make a "time is of the essence" clause in the contract? If not how long is a piece of string.


If, as I suspect you didn't, you should do so now to push it along so you can look elsewhere.