Rattled the buyers solicitors feathers?

Andyjp1

So we’re currently in the painstaking process of selling our house, my buyers solicitors don’t appear to be lifting their feet off the ground at a faster pace than we’d like which is delaying the process waiting for the usual “search enquiries” is which I’ve now learnt is the biggest delay.

ive been in small talk with the buyer for measurements in the house and she’s been checking in on where she is her end with selling her house. (Email only)

The buyers solicitors have requested documents from my current house from the council eg planning permission etc.
These were sent two weeks ago, but they’re stating they’ve yet to have them!
Obviously this puts a delay on things so I’ve emailed these documents (easily requested from the council) over to the buyer so that she can email the person she is directly dealing with. 

(Bit of leg work)

her solicitors have now contacted mine requesting that I do not contact the buyer or themselves!

Have I done something wrong here?
All we are trying to do is speed up the process, it’s not like I’ve sent her searches / deeds etc

I know yopa allow you to message your seller / buyer on their web based app.

Doozergirl

It is best to send everything via your own solicitor, so that everyone actually dealing with the sale knows what is going through whose hands.  

You can talk to the buyer if you want to, I'd just say that all the official dealings should be directed through the right channels, after all, the PP would have been requested from you via your solicitor, not from your buyer.  

Thrugelmir

Andyjp1 said:

Have I done something wrong here?

Perhaps the other parties are finding you irratating. Is the vendor onward purchasing?

davidmcn

Solicitors aren't allowed to communicate directly with another solicitor's clients, so yes it's not necessarily helpful to copy them in. Nothing preventing you from talking directly to the other party, but bear in mind it can cause confusion if there's parallel discussions going on between your solicitors.

TBagpuss

As Davemcn says, solicitors are not allowed to contact another solicitor's clients directly, so they have done the right thing in asking your solicitors to tell you not to do it.

In terms of contacting the buyer directly, there is nothing wrong in you and your buyer communicating directly if you are both happy with that, but anything official (e.g. sending papers) should always go via your own solicitor, not least because leaving them out of the loop is a very bad idea. 
In this case, since you have been told not to contact the buyer direct, don't do it. (if she wants to do things such as measure up she can go via the agents) 

(PS, generally, you ruffle feathers, rather than rattling them....!)

m0bov

You should not be speaking to their sol, ideally not to the buyer as well. Direct it all via your Sol. If there is a delay, speak you your agent....that's what you pay them for. It sounds like you've had your feathers ruffled.

prowla

Of course, you could CC the other party on the email, so that they know you've sent them...

ssparks2003

The solicitors require the information from the council, not you. You may "forget" to include vital information that should if know prevent a sale going through. So stop trying to push and be extra helpful, as you are not.

AlexMac

Conveyancers; doncha' luvvem?

How surprising that a solicitor should get 4r5ey when a third party helpfully points out to their client that they are idle, or tardy, or incompetent or being "economical with the actualite".  I wouldn't worry about it.  Nor would I believe it's only the searches which are holding everything up.  That can be lawyer-speak for;

--- "stop bothering me for step-by-step updates. I've got lots of clients, and I'm managing my workload. I will report on title to MY client- the buyer, not to YOU- the seller, harrumph ) when I've got all the stuff together rather than flitting from case to case.  And in any case, I'm only getting £700 for this job, whereas the EA can earn several grand for s0d all work!  So meanwhile, talk to your solicitor;  that's you told!" 

We have tended to try to choose good Estate Agents and Solicitors, and let them get on with their jobs, which in the case of Estate Agents, includes chivvying both sides' solicitors.  Often necessary, as the usual communication chain; "seller- seller's solicitor - buyer's solicitor - buyer, and back again" can get glacial, especially if they only use snail mail.

 On our last sale the very young EA was fantastic; like a persistent bull -terrier (albeit a cuddly one; he knew all the local solicitors by first names); he probably carved weeks off the process, and even if he didn't, he kept us really well informed throughout. 

We also try to engage solicitors who have heard of email;  generally with success, especially as I've usually got all the documentation they need in electronic form. Even when selling "shared leasehold" flats I can turn round the LPE (Leasehold Property Enquiiries forms) in a day or two wearing my freeholder hat ( I tend to offer my services as  volunteer Treasurer or Company Secretary for just that reason).

It doesn't always work- we sold a holiday flat, told everyone to use email.  The EA did.  A week later, I chased MY solicitor (which is the usual way) to find they hadn't even opened the EA's email as they were waiting for him to POST a paper version of the Memorandum of Sale; from about 200 yards down the road!

Anyway- none of this helps you; so in brief, an as regards your original Q; are they rattled?  Yes.  Are you bovvered? No,

But maybe next time, consider engaging a real EA and a real solicitor?

csgohan4

I would trust documents sent by sellers with a pinch of salt if solicitors requested items from the council. There is no come back if there are 'omissions' or errors on them

My completion got delayed a bit despite sending them redemption statements myself to the lender's solicitors. It had to come from my previous lender, and I can understand why. 

steampowered

I don't think you've done anything wrong. A lot of conveyancing firms seem to live in the 18th century - alongside truly appalling customer service.

You shouldn't be contacting the buyer's solicitors directly, but you are perfectly entitled to contact the buyer directly.