Should I complain about solicitor before or after completion?

first78

I posted a few weeks ago to get some advice on whether to complain about my solicitor or not. I am going to complain regarding the total !!!!!! up they have made of their merger with another firm, not updating the lender of the change in their name, address, phone number, fax number and bank details. They merged on October 1st and mid November they still had not provided the lender with the correct details...this has dragged on for weeks now holding up the entire chain, I'm constantly being called by the estate agent we are purchasing through, I'm constantly chasing up the solicitor who is seemingly doing sweet FA.

We received this quote for selling our property:
Thank you for requesting a quotation for conveyancing. The Legal fees for the sale of your freehold property valued at £86,950 Description: Net: Vat: Total: Legal Fees £ 599.00 £ 119.80 £ 718.80 In addition you will be charged for the following: Telegraphic transfer fee (1) £ 35.00 £ 7.00 £ 42.00 ID Verification (2) £ 10.00 £ 2.00 £ 12.00 Lender Fees £ 50.00 £ 10.00 £ 60.00 Disbursements: Case software fee (3) £ 25.00 £ 5.00 £ 30.00 Office Copy Entries (5) £ 16.00 £ 0.00 £ 16.00 Sub Total £ 735.00 VAT £ 143.80 TOTAL £ 878.80 

And this for our onward purchase:

Thank you for requesting a quotation for conveyancing. The Legal fees for the purchase of your freehold property valued at £220,000 Description: Net: Vat: Total: Legal Fees £ 799.00 £ 159.80 £ 958.80 In addition you will be charged for the following: Telegraphic transfer fee (1) £ 35.00 £ 7.00 £ 42.00 ID Verification (2) £ 10.00 £ 2.00 £ 12.00 SDLT Return (4) £ 75.00 £ 15.00 £ 90.00 Lender Fees £ 50.00 £ 10.00 £ 60.00 Disbursements: Case software fee (3) £ 25.00 £ 5.00 £ 30.00 Land Registry Fee (6) £ 135.00 £ 0.00 £ 135.00 Search Fee (7) £ 300.00 £ 0.00 £ 300.00 Sub Total £ 1,429.00 VAT £ 198.80 TOTAL Excluding Stamp Duty £ 1,627.80 

I intend to complain about the time taken to update their details with the lender, as this delayed the solicitor getting the mortgage offer by over 3 weeks. Then, as the incorrect bank details for the solicitor were on this there has so far been a further delay of 2 weeks so far for the solicitor to update their details with the lender. Should I make my complaint now while this is all still going on, or should I wait until after completion? The last thing I want to do is delay our move any further, but I do feel the solicitor should reduce their fee given the delays they have caused.

I'd also like to ask anyone here about the quotes the solicitors have given; our house was on the market at £86.950 as stated in the quote, however during the process it was valued at £80,000 by the surveyor...would that affect the price quoted for the solicitors fees?

Many thanks and sorry for the long post.

Polly05

I've just sold my place and the lawyer was more expensive than yours. And that was the cheaper of the quotes. I didn't get any quotes for under £1k. 
I think it does depend on sale value as they usually asked that. I sold for a similar amount to you, although a bit less.. 

Thrugelmir

If the solicitors don't have the money to cover their fees and the disbursements incurred then you won't exchange , let alone complete. 

MovingForwards

The sale is still under stamp duty, so no they wouldn't have done it cheaper. They have fixed tiers for their fees.