Slow solicitor or is this normal?

Thrugelmir

Until you've a mortgage offer and the purchase price is nailed down. The vendor isn't going to want their solicitor solicitor to incur any chargeable time. Nor should you. Many transactions simply don't get off the ground. Solicitors will therefore spend their time on productive matters first. Until the searches and enquiries are completed there'll be little to update you with. 

mortgage_noob

I was under the impression that given delays and timelines people often start have the mortgage and conveyancing process running concurrently?

Either way, it's been 5 weeks since the offer was accepted and our solicitor in her own words hasn't even looked at our file, let alone ordered any searches. I'll ask her again if she needs further info to get started, maybe's she's waiting for something from the vendors solictors.

We're in direct contact with the vendor and he told us over 2 weeks ago that he's all up to date with the paperwork for his solicitor so hopes it'll all go smoothly so I don't think he was waiting for the mortgage before starting anything.

Thrugelmir

mortgage_noob said:

We're in direct contact with the vendor and he told us over 2 weeks ago that he's all up to date with the paperwork for his solicitor so hopes it'll all go smoothly so I don't think he was waiting for the mortgage before starting anything.

Is your vendor purchasing another property? 

RachP87

@mortgage_noob they do tend to run concurrently, or mine did at least. My solicitors submitted the searches before I had my official mortgage offer apparently, although I am not 100% sure if that's true! 

I didn't hear from my solicitor for 3 weeks after instructing them to proceed, then I got a call asking me if I was still interested in their services as they hadn't heard from me.. Concerning when they had the money and initial documents returned! They said they never got the emailed documents, then the next day called to say that there was an error on their system and actually they do have my file and searches are due back in a months time. So I'm not sure if they actually blagged that and didn't do anything until then, but they supposedly started the searches before I had my official offer.

My offer was affected on the in house in March and I still don't have a date. I understand they are busy, but my job is busy - Even more so since COVID and I've had to work all through, including weekends as overtime due to the amount of work. People seem to defend solicitors because they are so busy, we obviously just have different work ethics as I would not get away with not answering or updating people after 3 or 4 weeks.

NameUnavailable

I've just been on the phone and exchaning emails with various parties as I'm having the same issue and a very similar timeline to your one OP!

The vendors solicitors haven't had any acknowledgment and are telling the vendor to put the property back on the market because they can't confirm that I'm proceeding!!!!

Thrugelmir

RachP87 said:

People seem to defend solicitors because they are so busy, we obviously just have different work ethics as I would not get away with not answering or updating people after 3 or 4 weeks.

Do you account for your working day in 5 minute time segments and charge it to a client?  That's the nature of the work. Time costs money.  If you want a personalised service there are solicitors who'll provide it.  You may baulk at the fee they quote though. Conveyancing is generally a volume driven conveyer belt process. Where little happens for extended periods. A good EA will offer a facilitator service where all parties in the chain are kept informed of developments. 

RachP87

Thrugelmir said:

RachP87 said:

People seem to defend solicitors because they are so busy, we obviously just have different work ethics as I would not get away with not answering or updating people after 3 or 4 weeks.

Do you account for your working day in 5 minute time segments and charge it to a client?  That's the nature of the work. Time costs money.  If you want a personalised service there are solicitors who'll provide it.  You may baulk at the fee they quote though. Conveyancing is generally a volume driven conveyer belt process. Where little happens for extended periods. A good EA will offer a facilitator service where all parties in the chain are kept informed of developments. 

Yes, I do. I am also one of a very few people in the UK that do the job I do, its specialist and requires me to work all across the UK because of this and why I have had to work evenings & weekends to keep on top of the work. I am very much able to not respond for weeks if I wanted to, as there aren't any other options for people. But I don't, because I personally think that's not acceptable when someone is paying for my services.

I understand what you are saying, but I can only go on my experiences and my family & Friends experiences and I just think SOME (not all) are very slow and only seem to do things when you chase/call them, like out of sight out of mind kind of attitude. I have no issue paying them more if they wish to charge me extra for their chasing, I'd rather pay that than have to wait weeks without hearing anything.

TBG01

RachP87 said:

My offer was affected on the in house in March and I still don't have a date. I understand they are busy, but my job is busy - Even more so since COVID and I've had to work all through, including weekends as overtime due to the amount of work. 

And? Are you implying Solicitors haven't worked throughout the pandemic and aren't doing extra hours?

mortgage_noob

Thrugelmir said:

mortgage_noob said:

We're in direct contact with the vendor and he told us over 2 weeks ago that he's all up to date with the paperwork for his solicitor so hopes it'll all go smoothly so I don't think he was waiting for the mortgage before starting anything.

Is your vendor purchasing another property? 

Nope, it's chain free as he's moving into rented. 

I called the EA to ask if the vendor's solicitor had sent over the draft contract as I thought that might be the blockage.She emailed the vendors solicitor and called me back 2 hours later to confirm that the draft contract was sent to my solicitor on the 1st of June, so that's 2 weeks of total inaction and lack of response to my emails when she had all the info she needed to start progressing things. 

Thrugelmir

mortgage_noob said:

Thrugelmir said:

mortgage_noob said:

We're in direct contact with the vendor and he told us over 2 weeks ago that he's all up to date with the paperwork for his solicitor so hopes it'll all go smoothly so I don't think he was waiting for the mortgage before starting anything.

Is your vendor purchasing another property? 

Nope, it's chain free as he's moving into rented. 

I called the EA to ask if the vendor's solicitor had sent over the draft contract as I thought that might be the blockage. She emailed the vendors solicitor and called me back 2 hours later to confirm that the draft contract was sent to my solicitor on the 1st of June, so over 2 weeks ago. 

Why would the draft contract cause a blockage?   Micro managing the process will cause more stress than benefit.