Buying and Selling - draft contracts / enquiries

TBG01

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

Spoke to a client yesterday wanting a quote for an auction purchase which they had already exchanged and paid the deposit on. 

They were told straight away we didn't have capacity for it so would not be taking it on.

What followed was 20 minutes of threats that she would never use the firm again for herself or her company if we didn't act for her in this purchase.

We can't "win" either way it seems.

[Deleted User]

TBG01 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

Spoke to a client yesterday wanting a quote for an auction purchase which they had already exchanged and paid the deposit on. 

They were told straight away we didn't have capacity for it so would not be taking it on.

What followed was 20 minutes of threats that she would never use the firm again for herself or her company if we didn't act for her in this purchase.

We can't "win" either way it seems.

I was literally just thinking this. Although it seems completely logical to advise of delays etc, I doubt there are many people who wouldn't argue their case or see themselves as an exception and the solicitors would probably spend half their time arguing why they can't deal with those cases immediately.

Realistically, as frustrating as it can be as a client when there are delays and you can see solicitors are stretched, I think in many cases there isn't really a better option. I also don't think there's any other situation where client's think that it's ok to behave as badly as they often do with conveyancing (often due to their own stress as well).

I have had an amazing experience with my most recent solicitor who we are using for our current sale & purchase after many bad experiences. I can only put it down to the fact they seem to have a different set up to many solicitors I've used in how they arrange that workload and deal with queries and it's been incredibly efficient. 

mortgage_noob

uklaura said:

mortgage_noob said:

Seems like solicitors can take as long as they want and they are prioritising those wanting to complete by 30 June. 

Ours has had the draft contract for the place we are purchasing since 1 June and has yet to look at them. She said she's busy. 

Hopefully by next week they will all start to speed up a bit then how often do you chase your solicitor? 

I sent her documents as requested, emails confirming payment of searches and tagged on 'let us know if you need anything else, have you heard anything from the vendors solicitor' etc she has never responded to emails apart from one which said 'brill' and didn't answer my question at all. 

So started call instead (approx once a week) but then the calls are so rushed (30 seconds) she clearly doesn't want to talk. 1st call she didn't know if we'd received the contract/info pack (when it had already been sent)  and she said twice over the phone that she'd be sending updates. We never heard anything so eventually I called the EA and found out our contract pack had been sent long ago. Called the solicitor again last week and she finally acknowledged receipt and said she would send an email to the vendors solicitor  with us cc'd with but that never happened and then the last time I called (4 days after said email was promised) she just straight out said she hasn't looked at anything and she has 8 completions due.

Ok fine, but he could have said that from the start instead of silence and I absolutely think she should have just told us she couldn't take on more work as we'd emailed her directly so it's not like her company just dropped our case on her desk.

None of our emails or calls have been angry or threatening in anyway but I have been frustrated by her lack of communication. I won't contact her again until July - I think that if she doesn't start actioning things soon perhaps we'll have to change/ complain. 

Tiglet2

Octothorpe said:

Tiglet2 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

I agree with you - solicitors shouldn't take on work when they are already swamped with other transactions.  However, many solicitors don't have that choice, if company policy is to secure as many instructions as possible.  The solicitors where I work don't choose how many files they manage - they are given them by the sales department who actively seek new instructions, as that is their job.  The solicitor is not involved at that stage. 

But that doesn't stop them clearly communicating to their clients about time frames,  does it?

Just say - nope, not gonna happen for at least a fortnight.  Not just radio silence.

As as example, we have communicated very clearly several times with one of our clients that it would be highly unlikely that her transaction will complete by 30th June (we were instructed on 10th June) and setting out average timescales.  That client has now sent in excess of 20 messages and phone calls insisting that we speed up in order to meet her deadline.  This is not an isolated case.  How is that not a clear communication?

I appreciate that many clients should have clear communication on a regular basis, but the above example (and it is not a one-off), is bordering on harrassment and it is clearly interrupting our work.  Far from speeding it up, it is slowing it down. 

So, we have said no, not going to happen.  Client doesn't accept this.  What do you suggest we do?

Irishpearce26

My friends are currently going through with conveyancing. Thy were told when they instructed that at a push it could be complete by mid July but likely end of July. They agreed but for some reason felt that they would be able to make things work faster and meet the deadline. They are at full capacity on their budget. 

Spoke to him last night and he is adamant that the solicitors will have to compensate him for missing the SDLT deadline, I told him that wont happen as they clearly said from the start they will complete mid to end July. His response was around not paying them and seeking compensation for not delivering fast enough service. This is the same friend who I advised not to chose the cheapest firm but he did. He calls them at least 3 times a day and isn't very nice.

Communication is key but only when its needed, the conveyancers will communicate when they need to otherwise they are just getting on with in. Managing your own expectations will avoid stress and frustration. We completed on 3rd March on a sale and purchase that was straightforward, cash buyer for our house and vacant house purchase. we still budgeted for SDLT in case we didn't make the end of March deadline. 

Chandler85

The whole setup doesn't work, in that one solicitor could charge more per transaction provide a better service from their end etc because they might be dealing with a conveyancing warehouse where the other party takes weeks to reply anyway.  So it encourages the whole mass up the clients approach.

Maybe solicitors should be required to tell clients that they will only work on their file once a week or something, I don't know.  It would highlight that a local solicitor might be better then a warehouse.

My suggestion with your client that doesn't accept that the work can't be completed as fast as they want and starts making threats, bin them off.  People who stomp and shout and threaten continually get what they want, despite most people being brought up being taught this doesn't work.

I don't have a proper solution if I did, I'd probably have a lot of money!

Octothorpe

Tiglet2 said:

Octothorpe said:

Tiglet2 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

I agree with you - solicitors shouldn't take on work when they are already swamped with other transactions.  However, many solicitors don't have that choice, if company policy is to secure as many instructions as possible.  The solicitors where I work don't choose how many files they manage - they are given them by the sales department who actively seek new instructions, as that is their job.  The solicitor is not involved at that stage. 

But that doesn't stop them clearly communicating to their clients about time frames,  does it?

Just say - nope, not gonna happen for at least a fortnight.  Not just radio silence.

As as example, we have communicated very clearly several times with one of our clients that it would be highly unlikely that her transaction will complete by 30th June (we were instructed on 10th June) and setting out average timescales.  That client has now sent in excess of 20 messages and phone calls insisting that we speed up in order to meet her deadline.  This is not an isolated case.  How is that not a clear communication?

I appreciate that many clients should have clear communication on a regular basis, but the above example (and it is not a one-off), is bordering on harrassment and it is clearly interrupting our work.  Far from speeding it up, it is slowing it down. 

So, we have said no, not going to happen.  Client doesn't accept this.  What do you suggest we do?

The person in that example is clearly unreasonable. 

However most people aren't unreasonable and it's frustration caused by being uninformed that causes their curt behaviour. 

I get it, I work in a front facing role and for every person shouting abuse, there's ten people who are lovely individuals. 

Honestly,  if their behaviour is that bad, resign them as a client. Don't penalise the rest of us, by saying 'Oh there's no point telling them I can't look at their file for the next week as they'll probably kick off.' Give us a chance to prove you wrong.

Scotbot

Tiglet2 said:

Octothorpe said:

Tiglet2 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

I agree with you - solicitors shouldn't take on work when they are already swamped with other transactions.  However, many solicitors don't have that choice, if company policy is to secure as many instructions as possible.  The solicitors where I work don't choose how many files they manage - they are given them by the sales department who actively seek new instructions, as that is their job.  The solicitor is not involved at that stage. 

But that doesn't stop them clearly communicating to their clients about time frames,  does it?

Just say - nope, not gonna happen for at least a fortnight.  Not just radio silence.

As as example, we have communicated very clearly several times with one of our clients that it would be highly unlikely that her transaction will complete by 30th June (we were instructed on 10th June) and setting out average timescales.  That client has now sent in excess of 20 messages and phone calls insisting that we speed up in order to meet her deadline.  This is not an isolated case.  How is that not a clear communication?

I appreciate that many clients should have clear communication on a regular basis, but the above example (and it is not a one-off), is bordering on harrassment and it is clearly interrupting our work.  Far from speeding it up, it is slowing it down. 

So, we have said no, not going to happen.  Client doesn't accept this.  What do you suggest we do?

Ignore them, this isn't a communication issue, they are hoping aggressive tactics will get your attention.  Like most bullies if you ignore them they will go away. Assuming you have given them a clear timescale  and told them when yhe next update will be don't take their calls and don't reply to their emails. 

GDB2222

Tiglet2 said:

Octothorpe said:

Tiglet2 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

I agree with you - solicitors shouldn't take on work when they are already swamped with other transactions.  However, many solicitors don't have that choice, if company policy is to secure as many instructions as possible.  The solicitors where I work don't choose how many files they manage - they are given them by the sales department who actively seek new instructions, as that is their job.  The solicitor is not involved at that stage. 

But that doesn't stop them clearly communicating to their clients about time frames,  does it?

Just say - nope, not gonna happen for at least a fortnight.  Not just radio silence.

As as example, we have communicated very clearly several times with one of our clients that it would be highly unlikely that her transaction will complete by 30th June (we were instructed on 10th June) and setting out average timescales.  That client has now sent in excess of 20 messages and phone calls insisting that we speed up in order to meet her deadline.  This is not an isolated case.  How is that not a clear communication?

I appreciate that many clients should have clear communication on a regular basis, but the above example (and it is not a one-off), is bordering on harrassment and it is clearly interrupting our work.  Far from speeding it up, it is slowing it down. 

So, we have said no, not going to happen.  Client doesn't accept this.  What do you suggest we do?

It's a shame that you  said 'highly unlikely', as that may have left some sort of hope that it could be made to work. 

Tiglet2

GDB2222 said:

Tiglet2 said:

Octothorpe said:

Tiglet2 said:

Chandler85 said:

As much as I sympathise with solicitors and how busy they are with the stamp duty holiday etc.  But no one forces them to take on more work, work piles up because they keep taking it on when they don't have the time.  That isn't the customer's fault, then this annoys the customer, they then start chasing the solicitor more and creates more delays.

Solicitors should be honest with people and just say when they are instructed, we are currently really busy and it will be a couple of weeks before they even start looking at the paperwork.

I'm not getting into the holiday issue, as there are plenty of people who haven't been able to take holiday and not because they are selling their own time multiple times over.

I agree with you - solicitors shouldn't take on work when they are already swamped with other transactions.  However, many solicitors don't have that choice, if company policy is to secure as many instructions as possible.  The solicitors where I work don't choose how many files they manage - they are given them by the sales department who actively seek new instructions, as that is their job.  The solicitor is not involved at that stage. 

But that doesn't stop them clearly communicating to their clients about time frames,  does it?

Just say - nope, not gonna happen for at least a fortnight.  Not just radio silence.

As as example, we have communicated very clearly several times with one of our clients that it would be highly unlikely that her transaction will complete by 30th June (we were instructed on 10th June) and setting out average timescales.  That client has now sent in excess of 20 messages and phone calls insisting that we speed up in order to meet her deadline.  This is not an isolated case.  How is that not a clear communication?

I appreciate that many clients should have clear communication on a regular basis, but the above example (and it is not a one-off), is bordering on harrassment and it is clearly interrupting our work.  Far from speeding it up, it is slowing it down. 

So, we have said no, not going to happen.  Client doesn't accept this.  What do you suggest we do?

It's a shame that you  said 'highly unlikely', as that may have left some sort of hope that it could be made to work. 

Yes I can see that "highly unlikely" may give a glimmer of hope.  We are following company policy in trying not to promise anything, but to "do the best we can".  

We have now advised the client "no, not going to happen" (last paragraph) but the client is not listening.  Two further emails today were received stating that she must complete by the 30th June and we are being paid to "support" her wishes.

We have answered the telephone and responded to her emails but we are going round in circles.  This client wants her case to be prioritised over our other clients and is doing all she can to make sure she shouts the loudest.  Sound familiar?

It may be possible to disinstruct her, but she is by no means in the minority, just slightly more unrealistic.  If I went through my list of clients, I would have to disinstruct quite a lot!!  Lots of our clients do not want to understand or refuse to listen.  When their transactions finally complete, these particular clients will be the ones writing awful reviews or making complaints.