Remortgage - Optima Legal

davidmcn

K_S said:

loonywitch said:

I don’t believe Platform are the issue at all. They’ve sent the other redemption statements so I can’t see why this would be an issue. 

Unless you mean with the new lender? Which would be Halifax. I will definitely be doing this. I’m waiting to see if the agent I got cut off from calls me back...she was phoning Platform after gaining permission to do so

@loonywitch Only because it's free lender legals, and so Optima is instructed and paid by Platform.

Platform are the existing lender, it's the Halifax who have instructed Optima.

K_S

davidmcn said:

K_S said:

loonywitch said:

I don’t believe Platform are the issue at all. They’ve sent the other redemption statements so I can’t see why this would be an issue. 

Unless you mean with the new lender? Which would be Halifax. I will definitely be doing this. I’m waiting to see if the agent I got cut off from calls me back...she was phoning Platform after gaining permission to do so

@loonywitch Only because it's free lender legals, and so Optima is instructed and paid by Platform.

Platform are the existing lender, it's the Halifax who have instructed Optima.

Apologies, brain-fart.

pearsforlife

I thought Optima were really good, the portal was slick, sometimes slow to get a response and the portal messaging thing was a bit robotic - but other than that they were fine. And ours was a complicated H2B like for like remo involving Deeds of Postponement etc. Target however.... 

loonywitch

I think this should be reasonably straight forward tbh, which why it is hard to believe that it’s taking so long. They don’t even seem to be working in a logical order. Responses on the portal are non existent and timescales quoted differ from agent to agent. Going to ring Halifax in the morning and hope Id won’t be on hold too long! After all, they’re suffering a loss because of them too...not that it will cause them any hardship 

loonywitch

Update:

Multiple calls made and still no further forward! Spoke to Platform last Thursday and the agent resent the fax whilst I was on the phone and got confirmation it had successfully sent at 16:59:45. Optima (of course) were not able to contact their admin team to check and get it uploaded. Advised to wait 48hours. Just rang and same advice regurgitated. I refuse to believe that they are not receiving these statements having requested and received 2 unnecessarily previously. 

Also contacted Halifax last Thursday and logged a complaint with them. Unsure how much they can actually help with the situation but worth a shot.

Any other suggestions?

RelievedSheff

pearsforlife said:

I thought Optima were really good, the portal was slick, sometimes slow to get a response and the portal messaging thing was a bit robotic - but other than that they were fine. And ours was a complicated H2B like for like remo involving Deeds of Postponement etc. Target however.... 

At the risk of jinxing this, we have found Optima to be quite quick and efficient up until now and have found the portal to work really well.

They have all of the documents that they require from us and we are now just waiting for the ERC to expire on the 2nd May. They have requested a redemption statement from our current lender Kensington which was processed and added to the online portal on the day it was received, but of course this will expire before we are ready to complete so they will have to request another redemption statement nearer the time.

loonywitch

RelievedSheff said:

pearsforlife said:

I thought Optima were really good, the portal was slick, sometimes slow to get a response and the portal messaging thing was a bit robotic - but other than that they were fine. And ours was a complicated H2B like for like remo involving Deeds of Postponement etc. Target however.... 

At the risk of jinxing this, we have found Optima to be quite quick and efficient up until now and have found the portal to work really well.

They have all of the documents that they require from us and we are now just waiting for the ERC to expire on the 2nd May. They have requested a redemption statement from our current lender Kensington which was processed and added to the online portal on the day it was received, but of course this will expire before we are ready to complete so they will have to request another redemption statement nearer the time.

Fingers crossed for you! You have an advantage that you started months in advance

The only issue we had initially was the redemption statement being requested too early. They didn’t check the actual file until the last working day before we wanted to complete and it went downhill from there. 

mailtodevender

My Complaint email copy to Optima Legal:

Hi,

PLEASE TREAT THIS URGENTLY

My application reference is xxxx. 

Complaint: 

Delay in setting completion date by Optima Legal, no processing since last 15 days

Details:

My application is waiting since 25/10/2021 for set completion date. I have followed up 12 times now with Optima Legal customer support on progress but no action:

1. Since 26/10 I have sent multiple communication messages via Portal but no response. 
2. I have been calling every 2 day since 26/10 to check on status and every time customer support representative says a case worker will get back with no ETA given. Your portal says that within 2 days (i.e. 48 hours) someone will respond. It has been more than 15 days now that I am calling everyday and reaching out to your customer service takes 1 hour of waiting time on an average. Every time I speak to customer service I am told someone will look into it and get in touch with my Solicitor. 
3. On talking to Natwest Bank I was told they are waiting for Optima Legal to communicate the completion date.
4. My Solicitor have emailed all the details to RBSG@optimalegal.co.uk since last week - but no response.
5. My Mortgage advisor have tried to reach via RBSG@optimalegal.co.uk since last week - but no response.

I feel this is unfair that you are causing so much stress to me for re-mortgaging where Natwest Bank has approved everything, your portal says only completion date need to be set and then why are you keeping me blocked where as I have communicated that remortgaging is tied up with my new mortgage. 

My solicitor is unable to exchange contract for new house because remortgaging status in unknown. Due to your lack of communication I can be sued or made to pay for losses I have incured due to all this delay which is not my fault but delay from your team. I have requested multiple times to agents begging if my case can be progressed. 

Can someone progress my application and reach to my solicitor for final completion date which has not been happening since last 15 days.

Thanks,

Devender

user1977

mailtodevender said:

My solicitor is unable to exchange contract for new house because remortgaging status in unknown. Due to your lack of communication I can be sued or made to pay for losses I have incured due to all this delay 

On what basis, if you haven't exchanged?

csgohan4

Barclays used Optima, they are clearly a cheap online service, had to do alot of chasing for them to contact my previous lenders for the redemption statements.