Poor legal service

Becles

I'm in the process of remortgaging to Halifax. Before I applied, I told my broker that my deeds are still in my maiden name at the Land Registry as I never got round to changing it He said this wasn't a problem and it would be picked up during the legal process and they would get it changed for me.

Halifax appointed Optima Legal as the solicitors and it's all been completed online.

The case was opened on the 24th January and I filled all their documents in, including highlighting that the name needed changing on the Land Registry and that the property is freehold.

They said they had to investigate the Land Registry. On the 5th Feb, they rang and said I was leasehold only and they needed evidence that I had changed my name. I gave them the title number for the freehold and submitted the documents they required to prove my name change.

On the 15th Feb, they emailed me to remind me that I'd not sent my name change documents in. I rang them up and said that I had. She looked in the portal and found the documents. She said she was satisfied I had changed my name but this wasn't sufficient for the Land Registry.

I was told I needed a Statement of Truth document. I could either obtain this from a local solicitor and send it off to the Land Registry myself but this process would take around eight weeks to complete. Or I could ask them to draft the Statement of Truth and they would get the job completed within a week. There would be a £90 charge for doing this. I told them to go ahead. The document was forwarded to me, which were duly signed and returned straight away. They should have received it back on Monday 19th.

It had not been acknowledged on the portal, so I rang on Friday and was told it was probably in their post pile waiting to be opened and they'd be in touch when they got around to it.

I've been looking on the Land Registry this morning and I think I've been told a load of crap! I don't need a Statement of Truth as I have a marriage certificate and they aim to change the title deeds within 8 days for free. If I'd known that last week, I would have just gone ahead and done it myself.

I'm annoyed at paying £90 for a supposed expedited service when there appears to be no need for this to happen. Have I got ground to ask for the £90 to be refunded?

My redemption figure for the current mortgage expires on the 28th Feb, so their inefficiency will also cause a delay there as a new figure will need to be obtained.

I've since looked on Google and there are loads of 1* reviews slating Optima Legal. Stay away from them if you can.

Lemonsqueezer78

I've dealt with Optima before... they are call-centre conveyancers so everyone's mileage will vary. But I didn't have any problems.

But if you are unhappy about what you were told and what you have paid in this case - just make a complaint to them and they may respond favourably. They are an organisation offering a service just like any other. if they do something you don't like, you can complain to them and ask for that money back - there is no special kind of advice needed from any of us, really. Write to them, tell them why you are unhappy and they will either agree that was rubbish advice, or they won't and then you can push it further if you want to....

Mortgage_Adviser

You may as well have to complain to Halifax. The free legals solicitors are acting on behalf of the lender whether you have no legal representation.