Conveyancer Update

davisaj22

Dear all

Apologies if this has been asked before.

So, I have been trying to get an update from my solicitor.

Following instruction, I completed their 'initial documents' which were sent to me by a secretary at this high street firm. I completed the initial documents over the weekend and also paid the initial £300. This was completed on Sunday 15th November. Since then, I haven't heard a thing. I've had no contact with the actual conveyancer working on the case, and not even an acknowledgement I have returned the required documents.

I emailed early on Monday morning this week, very politely asking if they received the documents, that they have all they need and asked them to confirm if work has started. No reply. Yesterday afternoon I gave them a call. Again, very politely asking the same thing. No response.

What do I do? I don't want to be labelled as someone asking for an update every 2 minutes and being very annoying - as i'm sure others would say I would much rather them being working on the case than talking to me. I also realise things are tricky at the moment. However, I can't help feeling no acknoledgement at all by now and no contact with a conveyancer or their assistant (I've emailed both), is a little unacceptable?

I would go elsewhere........but they have my ££

davisaj22

And if thats the case - awesome. I have a funny feeling it isn't!!

tigerlily74

I actually sent my solicitor an email politely asking if she was working on this, and if she was too busy to work on my case to let me know and I would find a new conveyancer and expect a full refund. I also had some quotes from other conveyancer. She rang me back straight away(!) and said she has sent me an email a few days earlier that was ‘stuck’ and she was still waiting for the contract pack from the vendor. It took 5 1/2 weeks for this to get to her and it still didn’t have all the information needed to request searches but at least I now know what is going on. I have left her alone since and she has kept me well updated. HTH.

allIcouldwishfor

I'm sure there will be stuff going on in the background and they'll be in touch with you when they need anything or have any updates for you.

We’re in the process of buying/selling right now and our solicitor uses an online case-management service called “eWay” - it’s blummin’ fantastic. I can see everything that’s been done already, everything that’s pending, I can download/upload documents - it’s all very transparent. It sends me a text message every time I’m allocated a new task and reminds me each day how many tasks I have outstanding. We last moved house 18 years ago, and I have spent the last 18 years joking I’d never move again because I found the whole process so awful...this time around having the eWay portal has made my life so much easier and less stressful. 

If I were to ever move house again, my first question to a potential solicitor would be whether they have an online case-management software that's visible to clients. 

Thrugelmir

What's the position with your chain? Is your EA keeping you updated? At this early stage what's happening above you is far more important. 

Is your mortgage approved?

A basic guide of what needs to be done. 

Conveyancing process for selling a property

1. Seller’s Conveyancer instructed.
2. Seller’s Conveyancer confirms instructions by letter setting out the terms of business and fixed fee costs.
3. Seller’s Conveyancer carries out proof of identity checks and sends out a fittings and contents form and property information form(s) for completion. If the property is leasehold, additional information will be required.
4. Seller to complete fittings and contents form and property information form(s).
5. Seller’s Conveyancer obtains title deeds from deeds holder or official copies of the title register and any other documents required by The Land Registry and details of the amount outstanding on any existing mortgage.
6. Seller’s Conveyancer prepares the draft contract and supporting contract documentation and sends to the buyer’s Conveyancer.
7. Buyer’s Conveyancer checks the contract and supporting contract documentation and raises pre-contract enquiries with the seller’s Conveyancer.
8. Seller’s Conveyancer and seller answer pre-contract enquiries.
9. Buyer’s Conveyancer confirms they have acceptable results from their searches, are happy with the answers to pre-contract enquiries and are in receipt of a mortgage offer (if any).
10. Seller and buyer agree on a completion date and contracts are formally “exchanged” - meaning both parties are legally committed to the transaction. Seller’s Conveyancer will obtain a settlement figure to repay the outstanding amount on any existing mortgage, if applicable. Buyer’s Conveyancer drafts a transfer deed and sends to the Seller’s Conveyancer.
11. Seller’s Conveyancer checks the transfer deed and sends to the seller for signature in readiness for completion.
12. On completion the seller must vacate the property at a time to be agreed and make arrangements to hand over the keys, usually through the estate agent. Buyer’s Conveyancer will send the proceeds of sale to the seller’s Conveyancer and the seller’s Conveyancer will arrange for the keys to be released to the buyer. The seller’s Conveyancer sends the title deeds and transfer deed to the buyer’s Conveyancer together with an undertaking to use the proceeds of sale to discharge any existing mortgage. The seller’s Conveyancer then pays the estate agent (if one was used), repays the amount owing to the existing mortgage lender (if applicable) and takes payment for their Conveyancing service costs.
13. Once all the payments have been made all the remaining money from the sale will be transferred to the seller, usually by bank transfer on the day of completion.

Conveyancing process for buying a property

1. Buyer makes an offer on the property, which is accepted by the seller.
2. Buyer’s Conveyancer instructed on acceptance of the offer.
3. Buyer arranges a survey on the property, and makes an application for a mortgage (if required).
4. Buyer’s Conveyancer confirms instructions by letter setting out the terms of business and fixed fee costs.
5. Buyer’s Conveyancer contacts the seller’s Conveyancer to obtain the contract pack.
6. Buyers Conveyancer checks the contract pack, raises pre-contract enquiries, carries out the necessary searches and obtains a copy of the mortgage offer.
7. Sellers’s Conveyancer and seller answer pre-contract enquiries and return these to buyer’s Conveyancer.
8. Buyer’s Conveyancer reviews and reports to the buyer on the contents of the contract pack, pre-contract enquiries, the result of the searches and mortgage offer. The buyer then considers this report and raises questions on anything that is unclear.
9. When the buyer is happy to proceed, arrangements are made for the deposit to be paid to the buyer’s Conveyancer in readiness for exchange of contracts.
10. Seller and buyer agree on a completion date and contracts are formally “exchanged” - meaning both parties are legally committed to the transaction.
11. Buyer’s Conveyancer prepares a draft transfer deed and completion information form and sends these to the seller’s Conveyancer for completion.
12. Seller’s solicitor approves the draft transfer deed and a final copy is made. This may need to be signed by the buyer before being sent to the seller’s solicitor for signature by the seller in readiness for completion.
13. Buyer’s Conveyancer prepares a completion statement, carries out pre-completion searches and applies to the buyer’s mortgage lender for the mortgage loan.
14. On completion, the buyer vacates the property by the agreed time and buyer’s Conveyancer sends the proceeds of sale to the seller’s Conveyancer.
15. Seller’s Conveyancer releases the keys to the estate agent (if one was used) and sends the title deeds and transfer deed to the buyer’s Conveyancer together with an undertaking to repay any existing mortgage.
16. Buyer’s Conveyancer sends the stamp duty payable to HMRC, receives the title deeds, transfer deed and proof that the seller has paid the outstanding mortgage on the property.
17. Buyer’s Conveyancer registers the property in the name of the buyer at The Land Registry.
18. The buyer receives a copy of the registered title from The Land Registry. Any documents required by the mortgage lender to be retained by them are sent on by the Buyer’s solicitor. 

v_rouge

We instructed our solicitors about 7 weeks ago, had some initial paperwork then heard nothing for a month so this week we just checked in to make sure everything was going smoothly and they came back to confirm it was. We hadn't even asked for them to confirm they'd received our initial paperwork but we did follow everything up with an email saying we'd sent it as we knew they'd be in touch with us if there was anything outstanding. They're all so overworked so just let them get on with it. If you don't feel comfortable with using them then find someone else but pretty much all conveyancers are in the same boat at the moment. 
So long as your conveyancer isn't holding up any chain then that's fine. It will take 2-3 months at a minimum at the moment anyway (searches in our area took minimum 6 weeks to come back). 

davisaj22

thanks guys, yes we have had our mortgage offer for a week now, and also we are going to a newbuild so no chain above. Our agent is keeping us up to date. A first time buyer is buying ours - their solicitor has actually complained they havent heard from ours this afternoon!

camden_kid

Thrugelmir said:

What's the position with your chain? Is your EA keeping you updated? At this early stage what's happening above you is far more important. 

Is your mortgage approved?

A basic guide of what needs to be done. 

Conveyancing process for selling a property

1. Seller’s Conveyancer instructed.
2. Seller’s Conveyancer confirms instructions by letter setting out the terms of business and fixed fee costs.
3. Seller’s Conveyancer carries out proof of identity checks and sends out a fittings and contents form and property information form(s) for completion. If the property is leasehold, additional information will be required.
4. Seller to complete fittings and contents form and property information form(s).
5. Seller’s Conveyancer obtains title deeds from deeds holder or official copies of the title register and any other documents required by The Land Registry and details of the amount outstanding on any existing mortgage.
6. Seller’s Conveyancer prepares the draft contract and supporting contract documentation and sends to the buyer’s Conveyancer.
7. Buyer’s Conveyancer checks the contract and supporting contract documentation and raises pre-contract enquiries with the seller’s Conveyancer.
8. Seller’s Conveyancer and seller answer pre-contract enquiries.
9. Buyer’s Conveyancer confirms they have acceptable results from their searches, are happy with the answers to pre-contract enquiries and are in receipt of a mortgage offer (if any).
10. Seller and buyer agree on a completion date and contracts are formally “exchanged” - meaning both parties are legally committed to the transaction. Seller’s Conveyancer will obtain a settlement figure to repay the outstanding amount on any existing mortgage, if applicable. Buyer’s Conveyancer drafts a transfer deed and sends to the Seller’s Conveyancer.
11. Seller’s Conveyancer checks the transfer deed and sends to the seller for signature in readiness for completion.
12. On completion the seller must vacate the property at a time to be agreed and make arrangements to hand over the keys, usually through the estate agent. Buyer’s Conveyancer will send the proceeds of sale to the seller’s Conveyancer and the seller’s Conveyancer will arrange for the keys to be released to the buyer. The seller’s Conveyancer sends the title deeds and transfer deed to the buyer’s Conveyancer together with an undertaking to use the proceeds of sale to discharge any existing mortgage. The seller’s Conveyancer then pays the estate agent (if one was used), repays the amount owing to the existing mortgage lender (if applicable) and takes payment for their Conveyancing service costs.
13. Once all the payments have been made all the remaining money from the sale will be transferred to the seller, usually by bank transfer on the day of completion.

Conveyancing process for buying a property

1. Buyer makes an offer on the property, which is accepted by the seller.
2. Buyer’s Conveyancer instructed on acceptance of the offer.
3. Buyer arranges a survey on the property, and makes an application for a mortgage (if required).
4. Buyer’s Conveyancer confirms instructions by letter setting out the terms of business and fixed fee costs.
5. Buyer’s Conveyancer contacts the seller’s Conveyancer to obtain the contract pack.
6. Buyers Conveyancer checks the contract pack, raises pre-contract enquiries, carries out the necessary searches and obtains a copy of the mortgage offer.
7. Sellers’s Conveyancer and seller answer pre-contract enquiries and return these to buyer’s Conveyancer.
8. Buyer’s Conveyancer reviews and reports to the buyer on the contents of the contract pack, pre-contract enquiries, the result of the searches and mortgage offer. The buyer then considers this report and raises questions on anything that is unclear.
9. When the buyer is happy to proceed, arrangements are made for the deposit to be paid to the buyer’s Conveyancer in readiness for exchange of contracts.
10. Seller and buyer agree on a completion date and contracts are formally “exchanged” - meaning both parties are legally committed to the transaction.
11. Buyer’s Conveyancer prepares a draft transfer deed and completion information form and sends these to the seller’s Conveyancer for completion.
12. Seller’s solicitor approves the draft transfer deed and a final copy is made. This may need to be signed by the buyer before being sent to the seller’s solicitor for signature by the seller in readiness for completion.
13. Buyer’s Conveyancer prepares a completion statement, carries out pre-completion searches and applies to the buyer’s mortgage lender for the mortgage loan.
14. On completion, the buyer vacates the property by the agreed time and buyer’s Conveyancer sends the proceeds of sale to the seller’s Conveyancer.
15. Seller’s Conveyancer releases the keys to the estate agent (if one was used) and sends the title deeds and transfer deed to the buyer’s Conveyancer together with an undertaking to repay any existing mortgage.
16. Buyer’s Conveyancer sends the stamp duty payable to HMRC, receives the title deeds, transfer deed and proof that the seller has paid the outstanding mortgage on the property.
17. Buyer’s Conveyancer registers the property in the name of the buyer at The Land Registry.
18. The buyer receives a copy of the registered title from The Land Registry. Any documents required by the mortgage lender to be retained by them are sent on by the Buyer’s solicitor. 

Awesome info there. Thank you.

Thrugelmir

New builds are reserved on 28 day exchange terms. As a consequence the developer wishes to know that you are proceeding.  Ignore the noise, as more often or not exhange happens a lot later than 28 days.  

davisaj22

I'm not worried about the 28 day thing. In my profession if we ignored clients for two weeks I would be dismissed. All i'm asking is that they have everything they need and started to work on it

amandacat

I haven’t heard much recently. I’m selling and sent back the property info and fixtures form about 3 weeks ago and my solicitor sent the draft contract to their solicitor just after. 
In the last 3 weeks the buyers have had a mortgage valuation survey but I’m yet to hear anything from their solicitor raising any queries or questions. 
I’m nervous there has been no contact from their solicitor in three weeks but I'm assuming they must just be busy and I have to wait but it’s a tense time when it feels like things aren’t progressing!