Acceptable to chase solicitors?

virginblue4

Hi everyone,

I’m just after a little bit of advice in terms of solicitors timeframes and if I should be chasing them.

We viewed a property on the 19th September and loved it. We were told the vendor is ready to move straight away (no chain) and as we are first time buyers, we thought this meant things would move quite quickly. We made an offer and had it accepted on the 20th September and instructed solicitors the next day. Since then, we have had a building survey undertaken (due to us by the end of the week), a valuation undertaken and have received a mortgage offer.

However in terms of solicitors, ours are waiting to begin the searches which they have said that they can’t do until the vendors solicitors return the draft contract documentation. Our solicitors have been sending us emails to advise us that they are chasing and they have received an email back to say they are working on it, but as of this morning they still haven’t received the documentation.

The councils website claims that searches will take 20 working days but these haven’t even been applied for yet. We have done everything we can and are now stuck waiting on the vendors solicitors to get moving.

Would it be acceptable for us to give the estate agent a call and get them to chase or am I being inpatient?

Thanks!

SmashedAvacado

The thing about searches is a lie.

They can do the searches if they have the property address unless the property is so unusual that particular areas outside of the title need to be searched.

Even if the property is a bit unusual, then you an get a copy of the land registry title plan which is what is searched against for £3 if you know the address.

That is all you need to get the ball rolling on searches.

newbieFTB

From what I recall the draft contracts relating to my purchase took ages to be sent, I was worried that this meant the sellers were having cold feet but think it was just due to slow and inefficient solicitors!


I would guess that your solicitors usually wait for the draft contracts before applying for searches as if they didn't people would be quick to complain that the solicitors applied for the searches too soon, meaning if the sale doesn't proceed then they've lost the money paid.


If I were in your shoes I'd just instruct them to do the searches now, you don't need to hassle them to chase up the contracts - just say you are happy for the searches to be applied for prior to receiving the draft contracts.


The estate agent was dealing with both my purchase and the seller's new purchase so he turned out to be invaluable towards the end, I found out more info from him than I did from the solicitors and the info he provided helped me understand why things were slowing up and stopped me panicking that the chain was about to collapse - it wasn't me paying him as I was the buyer but he earned his money that's for sure!


In my (limited) experience... save the 'hassling' for when it's really needed!

bertiewhite

Yes, keep phoning them on a regular basis for updates.

Every time I phoned the solicitor handling the sale of my last house they were always "just about to phone" me with an update and the one I'm using for my current purchase needed reminding that he was handling the conveyancing for me on his return from holiday.

PassingOutInTheParade

This is where estate agents are worth their weight in gold.

Ask them to do the chasing, don't threaten to pull out, just ask politely if they will help.
If they think their commission might be disappearing, then they will get to work on bringing everything together.

Lokolo

You cannot chase the vendor's solicitors. And your solicitors don't want to carry out searches until draft contract has been sent to them.

You should be chasing the estate agents to get the vendor's solicitors on track.

Personally, if it's been a month and the vendor's solicitors haven't even sent a draft contract I would be telling the EA that you are going to start looking elsewhere unless the draft contract is sent within the next 5 working days or something.

SmashedAvacado

Lokolo wrote: »

You cannot chase the vendor's solicitors. And your solicitors don't want to carry out searches until draft contract has been sent to them.

.

There is absolutely no reason why you can't send an all parties email to your solicitors and the seller's solicitors and the agents indicating that a continuing delay in moving the transaction will not be tolerated.

There are rules about contact, but they are rules that apply to the solicitors and not the public. The vendors solicitor cannot correspond with you directly, but its only the sensibilities of poor quality solicitors in the UK that try to hide behind the idea that anything happening on the deal should be kept hidden from the clients so they can be casual about progress.

Pressure can be applied to all parts - but as i said above, you don't actually need a contract to start the ball rolling on searches. If you have asked the solicitor to get on with them, and put them in funds, they are not acting in accordance with your instructions by not getting on with them.

virginblue4

Thanks for the answers. I’ve spoken with my solicitors today and the searches have now been ordered (with the environmental search already returned). The estate agent seems pretty good as he calls every time something important takes place, so I’ll give him a call over the next day or two to ask him to chase.

bigstevex

I'm onto 2 estate agents and 2 solicitors daily now, so don't be afraid of asking/chasing people who are being paid to work for you

Thrugelmir

bigstevex wrote: »

I'm onto 2 estate agents and 2 solicitors daily now, so don't be afraid of asking/chasing people who are being paid to work for you

Might give you satisfaction. Doesn't mean that matters will progress any quicker. Your solicitor also works for your lender. Everyone has their own agenda.