Six weeks waiting for contract documents from Seller's Solicitor

teachfast

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Tiglet2 said:

teachfast said:

Standard solicitor incompetence and fobbing off strategy. Ring them every day and keep a list of the excuses- they will start repeating themselves. 

If the client takes 5 weeks to provide all the required information, how is that solicitor incompetence?  Since OP doesn't know who/what has caused the delay, you are jumping to conclusions here.  

Because it usually is. Odds are good it's another solicitor treating their client with disdain. They wouldn't survive in other fields of work. Not sure how they do in property law. 

Just because you've a huge chip on your shoulder doesn't mean that the whole industry is bad. In this instance the delays appear to be with the vendors themselves. 

You're absolutely right. The decent ones don't go anywhere near conveyancy. 

Slithery

teachfast said:

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Tiglet2 said:

teachfast said:

Standard solicitor incompetence and fobbing off strategy. Ring them every day and keep a list of the excuses- they will start repeating themselves. 

If the client takes 5 weeks to provide all the required information, how is that solicitor incompetence?  Since OP doesn't know who/what has caused the delay, you are jumping to conclusions here.  

Because it usually is. Odds are good it's another solicitor treating their client with disdain. They wouldn't survive in other fields of work. Not sure how they do in property law. 

Just because you've a huge chip on your shoulder doesn't mean that the whole industry is bad. In this instance the delays appear to be with the vendors themselves. 

You're absolutely right. The decent ones don't go anywhere near conveyancy. 

Absolute rubbish. My usual solicitor has always been fantastic and none of the people I've recommended her too have ever had any problems either.

teachfast

Slithery said:

teachfast said:

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Tiglet2 said:

teachfast said:

Standard solicitor incompetence and fobbing off strategy. Ring them every day and keep a list of the excuses- they will start repeating themselves. 

If the client takes 5 weeks to provide all the required information, how is that solicitor incompetence?  Since OP doesn't know who/what has caused the delay, you are jumping to conclusions here.  

Because it usually is. Odds are good it's another solicitor treating their client with disdain. They wouldn't survive in other fields of work. Not sure how they do in property law. 

Just because you've a huge chip on your shoulder doesn't mean that the whole industry is bad. In this instance the delays appear to be with the vendors themselves. 

You're absolutely right. The decent ones don't go anywhere near conveyancy. 

Absolute rubbish. My usual solicitor has always been fantastic and none of the people I've recommended her too have ever had any problems either.

One swallow does not a summer make.

Slithery

Indeed, but the only people that you see complaints from are the ones having problems. No one posts on the forums when nothing is going wrong. For every one person having issues I'd bet there are dozens where everything is fine.

Thrugelmir

teachfast said:

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Tiglet2 said:

teachfast said:

Standard solicitor incompetence and fobbing off strategy. Ring them every day and keep a list of the excuses- they will start repeating themselves. 

If the client takes 5 weeks to provide all the required information, how is that solicitor incompetence?  Since OP doesn't know who/what has caused the delay, you are jumping to conclusions here.  

Because it usually is. Odds are good it's another solicitor treating their client with disdain. They wouldn't survive in other fields of work. Not sure how they do in property law. 

Just because you've a huge chip on your shoulder doesn't mean that the whole industry is bad. In this instance the delays appear to be with the vendors themselves. 

You're absolutely right. The decent ones don't go anywhere near conveyancy. 

I'm sure that in your field of work there's many unproductive and inefficient individuals.  In mine it's those that send pointless emails. Which just wastes my day. 

teachfast

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Thrugelmir said:

teachfast said:

Tiglet2 said:

teachfast said:

Standard solicitor incompetence and fobbing off strategy. Ring them every day and keep a list of the excuses- they will start repeating themselves. 

If the client takes 5 weeks to provide all the required information, how is that solicitor incompetence?  Since OP doesn't know who/what has caused the delay, you are jumping to conclusions here.  

Because it usually is. Odds are good it's another solicitor treating their client with disdain. They wouldn't survive in other fields of work. Not sure how they do in property law. 

Just because you've a huge chip on your shoulder doesn't mean that the whole industry is bad. In this instance the delays appear to be with the vendors themselves. 

You're absolutely right. The decent ones don't go anywhere near conveyancy. 

I'm sure that in your field of work there's many unproductive and inefficient individuals.  In mine it's those that send pointless emails. Which just wastes my day. 

And that, right there, illustrates the distain with which you view your clients. 

GDB2222

Mildreds_Earrings said:

GDB2222 said:

Mildreds_Earrings said:

davidmcn said:

Has Probate been granted?

I managed to get hold of the deceased beneficiary, thanks to social media!  She confirmed that Probate has not been granted yet.  Problem solved!  Anyway, she reassured me that they have no intention of backing out of the sale and her Solicitor has told her that as soon as Probate has been granted, he will send the contract documents to my Solicitor.   I don't know why the Seller's Solicitor just didn't simply tell us that!   They applied for Probate in March 2020.  Anyone know how long it takes???
PS. Thanks for all your replies.  I'm new to this site and it has been very helpful.  Problem solved in one day because of your replies!

Probate takes a few weeks, provided that all the documents are submitted correctly. If the person died in March 2020, it's really unlikely that probate was applied for the same month. As is evidenced by the fact that it hasn't been granted. 

Keep looking, as they seem to have a problem with probate.

Hello, according to information online, probate can take 9-12 months in the UK. Add to that, delays due to Coronavirus. I'm just living in hope!
I got this quote from the Co-op Legal Services but I can't post the link here... 
On average, in England and Wales, it takes between 9 and 12 months to obtain the Grant of Probate and to complete the Estate administration process, regardless of whether or not there's a Will.

It can take a year to administer the estate and distribute it, but that includes selling the property, etc. The Probate Registry did have a long backlog, but they are catching up, and it's a few weeks now.  12 weeks is unusual, but your sellers are saying it's been nearly a year. Take a look here, for example.

https://www.timms-law.com/wills-and-probate-blog-probate-registry-delays-why-is-it-taking-longer-to-receive-a-grant-of-probate
https://www.hughjames.com/blog/probate-registry-delays-in-2020

There's something wrong, as they should pretty much have distributed the estate by now.  My advice is to keep looking, whilst keeping this on the back burner, and do not spend money on mortgage applications or lawyers until the sellers have a grant of probate. But, it's up to you what you do.

ChuggerChugger

Mildreds_Earrings said:

davidmcn said:

Has Probate been granted?

I managed to get hold of the deceased beneficiary, thanks to social media!  She confirmed that Probate has not been granted yet.  Problem solved!  Anyway, she reassured me that they have no intention of backing out of the sale and her Solicitor has told her that as soon as Probate has been granted, he will send the contract documents to my Solicitor.   I don't know why the Seller's Solicitor just didn't simply tell us that!   They applied for Probate in March 2020.  Anyone know how long it takes???
PS. Thanks for all your replies.  I'm new to this site and it has been very helpful.  Problem solved in one day because of your replies!

@Mildreds_Earrings Any luck with this yet? Regardless of whether or not probate has yet been granted, the Seller's solicitors may still be able to send over the Epitome of Title (unless the property is mortgaged and thus the deeds are being held by the bank). If your Solicitor can get the Epitome of Title they can at least get the due diligence under way and order the various searches. The Executors of the Estate should also have already completed the Property Information Form and the Fittings and Contents form which your Solicitor could be reviewing. Ultimately, unless the deeds are being held by a third party (such as a mortgagee) then I don't see why the due diligence could not be undertaken now, with everything ready to go once probate comes through.

Mildreds_Earrings

ChuggerChugger said:

Mildreds_Earrings said:

davidmcn said:

Has Probate been granted?

I managed to get hold of the deceased beneficiary, thanks to social media!  She confirmed that Probate has not been granted yet.  Problem solved!  Anyway, she reassured me that they have no intention of backing out of the sale and her Solicitor has told her that as soon as Probate has been granted, he will send the contract documents to my Solicitor.   I don't know why the Seller's Solicitor just didn't simply tell us that!   They applied for Probate in March 2020.  Anyone know how long it takes???
PS. Thanks for all your replies.  I'm new to this site and it has been very helpful.  Problem solved in one day because of your replies!

@Mildreds_Earrings Any luck with this yet? Regardless of whether or not probate has yet been granted, the Seller's solicitors may still be able to send over the Epitome of Title (unless the property is mortgaged and thus the deeds are being held by the bank). If your Solicitor can get the Epitome of Title they can at least get the due diligence under way and order the various searches. The Executors of the Estate should also have already completed the Property Information Form and the Fittings and Contents form which your Solicitor could be reviewing. Ultimately, unless the deeds are being held by a third party (such as a mortgagee) then I don't see why the due diligence could not be undertaken now, with everything ready to go once probate comes through.

Hello @ChuggerChugger Probate was granted at the end of February, hurrah! We are on the same wavelength on what could have been done whilst waiting for Probate but bizarrely and frustratingly, the Vendor's Solicitor did Jack diddly squat whilst waiting for Probate to come through, so although Probate has been granted, we are still going through conveyancing 🙄 The good news is that we should exchange and complete within the next fortnight, hopefully! 

Thrugelmir

Mildreds_Earrings said:

ChuggerChugger said:

Mildreds_Earrings said:

davidmcn said:

Has Probate been granted?

I managed to get hold of the deceased beneficiary, thanks to social media!  She confirmed that Probate has not been granted yet.  Problem solved!  Anyway, she reassured me that they have no intention of backing out of the sale and her Solicitor has told her that as soon as Probate has been granted, he will send the contract documents to my Solicitor.   I don't know why the Seller's Solicitor just didn't simply tell us that!   They applied for Probate in March 2020.  Anyone know how long it takes???
PS. Thanks for all your replies.  I'm new to this site and it has been very helpful.  Problem solved in one day because of your replies!

@Mildreds_Earrings Any luck with this yet? Regardless of whether or not probate has yet been granted, the Seller's solicitors may still be able to send over the Epitome of Title (unless the property is mortgaged and thus the deeds are being held by the bank). If your Solicitor can get the Epitome of Title they can at least get the due diligence under way and order the various searches. The Executors of the Estate should also have already completed the Property Information Form and the Fittings and Contents form which your Solicitor could be reviewing. Ultimately, unless the deeds are being held by a third party (such as a mortgagee) then I don't see why the due diligence could not be undertaken now, with everything ready to go once probate comes through.

the Vendor's Solicitor did Jack diddly squat whilst waiting for Probate to come through, so although Probate has been granted, we are still going through conveyancing 🙄 The good news is that we should exchange and complete within the next fortnight, hopefully! 

The executors most likely didn't want to start their solicitors fee clock ticking. Solicitors work only for their clients and on their instructions.