How often do you want/expect solicitor updates?

HNHN

I am a first time buyer too, so I completely understand how you feel regarding updates from your solicitor. People keep saying that solicitors need time to work on your case and that you should not contact them too often just to ask for an update. However, I would go crazy if I did not get any update in 2 weeks or so. My solicitor (I use the best one on Trustpilot and they are the most expensive quote I got) has an online tracking system, which I really really like. Whenever something is done, the system will update and I get a notification. It also gives you all the steps that have to be done from start to finish and what have been completed - I can log into it any time to check. In 2 weeks time from when my offer got accepted, I got mortgage offer, survey done, searches ordered (my solicitor ordered searches on the same day they were instructed and I paid fee on the same day too) and all searches are back - everything is moving much faster than I expected.

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob

jazzyja said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

NameUnavailable said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

OP - When we got as far as we could with nothing else in sight I submitted an SAR to my solicitor. Funnily enough we exchanged and completed within 2 weeks from that date. I then got a call asking if i still wanted to proceed with the SAR, which I didn't. However, tying them up in an expensive process which is your legal right to do so, with no cost bearing on yourself, suddenly they seem keen to get rid of you. 

What's an SAR? I know it's a TLA but which one?

Its a subject access request. 

And what does this achieve exactly? 

read again. or for the first time.

jazzyja

HNHN said:

I am a first time buyer too, so I completely understand how you feel regarding updates from your solicitor. People keep saying that solicitors need time to work on your case and that you should not contact them too often just to ask for an update. However, I would go crazy if I did not get any update in 2 weeks or so. My solicitor (I use the best one on Trustpilot and they are the most expensive quote I got) has an online tracking system, which I really really like. Whenever something is done, the system will update and I get a notification. It also gives you all the steps that have to be done from start to finish and what have been completed - I can log into it any time to check. In 2 weeks time from when my offer got accepted, I got mortgage offer, survey done, searches ordered (my solicitor ordered searches on the same day they were instructed and I paid fee on the same day too) and all searches are back - everything is moving much faster than I expected.

That sounds really good! I wish mine did something similar. I'm going to ring in a few weeks and just ask her where we're up to. I dont think that's too much to ask. I want to know if I need to get packing etc....at the minute I feel abit in limbo. Everything abit up in the air. I'm glad it's happening fast for you! 

jazzyja

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

jazzyja said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

NameUnavailable said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

OP - When we got as far as we could with nothing else in sight I submitted an SAR to my solicitor. Funnily enough we exchanged and completed within 2 weeks from that date. I then got a call asking if i still wanted to proceed with the SAR, which I didn't. However, tying them up in an expensive process which is your legal right to do so, with no cost bearing on yourself, suddenly they seem keen to get rid of you. 

What's an SAR? I know it's a TLA but which one?

Its a subject access request. 

And what does this achieve exactly? 

read again. or for the first time.

I didnt mean in a literal sense....I mean why does this make them move quicker....is it a complaints procedure? 

macfan21

When we bought our house (although a few years ago), we wanted it all to go through quickly. We put our mortgage application in via our broker, we instructed the solicitors and got the searches going, and also instructed the surveyor at pretty much the same time. The sellers didn’t look for a new house until we made an offer, but found one quite quickly so there was a chain, and from viewing to completion only took 6 weeks. The only thing that seemed to be a hold up was the local searches from the council. We got in touch with the council, paid the fee for the searches and collected them the same day and dropped them off at the solicitors. 

I understand times are different with the market being insane at present, but if you make it clear to your solicitor that you want a quick completion, they may be able to do things in parallel. 

TBG01

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

If time is your priority, do things (mortgage, survey, legals) in parallel.

If time is looser, and cost in the event of a failed purchase is your priority, do the riskier things first.

I've done it in time priority, that is 100% my priority

Except you haven't, as you've waited weeks after the accepted offer to instruct the solicitor, until the mortgage offer and survey are done.

as right now the house I'm living in is in complete disrepair and I want to hang my landlord by his testicles from the highest peek.

I presume you haven't been so daft as to hand your notice in on your rental yet?

Because why would I instruct when I dont even know if il be accepted for a mortgage?? Plus do solicitors even commence without a mortgage offer letter from the lender?? I have taken all my advice from my broker. Maybe next time il learn from this process. 

And no i haven't handed my notice in yet

Why bid on a property if you don't know if you'd be accepted for a mortgage? 

jazzyja

TBG01 said:

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

If time is your priority, do things (mortgage, survey, legals) in parallel.

If time is looser, and cost in the event of a failed purchase is your priority, do the riskier things first.

I've done it in time priority, that is 100% my priority

Except you haven't, as you've waited weeks after the accepted offer to instruct the solicitor, until the mortgage offer and survey are done.

as right now the house I'm living in is in complete disrepair and I want to hang my landlord by his testicles from the highest peek.

I presume you haven't been so daft as to hand your notice in on your rental yet?

Because why would I instruct when I dont even know if il be accepted for a mortgage?? Plus do solicitors even commence without a mortgage offer letter from the lender?? I have taken all my advice from my broker. Maybe next time il learn from this process. 

And no i haven't handed my notice in yet

Why bid on a property if you don't know if you'd be accepted for a mortgage? 

Oh so you get a mortgage in place for a non existent property BEFORE bidding on it?! Never knew that.

I had a AIP if that's what you mean. Not an actual offer.

Jaybee_16

 My offer on a property was accepted in November and the first time I spoke to the conveyancing solicitor was mid-May when she phoned wanting to exchange and complete the same day. Pointed out that questions I asked in early January were still unanswered so no exchange. 
I phoned the office on four occasions but each time was told she was unavailable. Emails not answered.
They used an online portal but not updated properly.

I had already sold and moved into a rental and the vendor had already bought another property so I wasn't getting stressed by the non-contact, my only annoyance was paying rent and furniture storage.

user1977

jazzyja said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

jazzyja said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

NameUnavailable said:

The_Real_Cheddar_Bob said:

OP - When we got as far as we could with nothing else in sight I submitted an SAR to my solicitor. Funnily enough we exchanged and completed within 2 weeks from that date. I then got a call asking if i still wanted to proceed with the SAR, which I didn't. However, tying them up in an expensive process which is your legal right to do so, with no cost bearing on yourself, suddenly they seem keen to get rid of you. 

What's an SAR? I know it's a TLA but which one?

Its a subject access request. 

And what does this achieve exactly? 

read again. or for the first time.

I didnt mean in a literal sense....I mean why does this make them move quicker....is it a complaints procedure? 

No, it's just "please send me a copy of my file". Which isn't even a data protection thing really, the principle has always been that your solicitor's file is your file, so you're entitled to take it with you.

TBG01

jazzyja said:

TBG01 said:

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

jazzyja said:

AdrianC said:

If time is your priority, do things (mortgage, survey, legals) in parallel.

If time is looser, and cost in the event of a failed purchase is your priority, do the riskier things first.

I've done it in time priority, that is 100% my priority

Except you haven't, as you've waited weeks after the accepted offer to instruct the solicitor, until the mortgage offer and survey are done.

as right now the house I'm living in is in complete disrepair and I want to hang my landlord by his testicles from the highest peek.

I presume you haven't been so daft as to hand your notice in on your rental yet?

Because why would I instruct when I dont even know if il be accepted for a mortgage?? Plus do solicitors even commence without a mortgage offer letter from the lender?? I have taken all my advice from my broker. Maybe next time il learn from this process. 

And no i haven't handed my notice in yet

Why bid on a property if you don't know if you'd be accepted for a mortgage? 

Oh so you get a mortgage in place for a non existent property BEFORE bidding on it?! Never knew that.

I had a AIP if that's what you mean. Not an actual offer.

An AIP indicates you'd get a mortgage. So you knew you'd get one, yet you didn't instruct your solicitor for weeks and now you're upset that they haven't dropped everything during quote possibly the busiest time on conveyancing to say 'Yes searches have been applied for'.