How often should I be getting updates from conveyancing solicitors?

HarveyNichols99

England, FTB, had an offer accepted and instructed conveyancing solicitors.

How often should I be emailing them to get updates on general progress? As far as I know, they should be starting the first of the searches this week.

Is it true you're supposed to contact them several times a week for updates, to ensure they keep on top of your work? 

Alter_ego

Contacting them regularly will annoy them. Come to a sensible arrangement with them.

babyblade41

Depends how good your solicitor is. I don't contact mine as she does the chasing up & then contacts me every week or when there is some movement in-between time.

I have used the same solicitors for many , many years, which is why I won't ever change . They dealt with some complex purchases over the years and all in impeccable timing 

That being said you need excellent recommendations from people who you know have given good reviews .

Conveyance factory setups are not very proactive as you are a number on a file so you would spend a lot of time chasing them up every week , if it isn't a straight forward freehold then you need someone who is au fait if a lease hold is complicated 

penners324

My Estate agen uses a progressor that chases the solicitors on both sides once a week or so.

Been 4 months on a no chain sale so far....

Thrugelmir

Until the sreaches come back and the enquiries are raised and responded to, they'll be nothing to discuss. What's also important is the other parties in the chain. Transactions will only complete at the speed of the slowest party. However fast you deal with your own. 

propertyhunter

I'm just starting the process and know that I will have to suppress my lack of patience. I think we need to consider that there are more urgent cases or other priorities on their books at this stage of our respective purchases. Since you're at the searches stage (like me), you're quite early on - so expect few updates right now. The searches might take time?
Of course, use emails communicating updates on your side to ask about things on their side. For example, when you get the survey report back, when the mortgage application has been submitted, when you've got documents to share with them. 

Jaybee_16

Engaged a conveyancing solicitor in November 2020 and the first conversation I had with them was in March 2021 when they phoned me to ask if I agreed to exchange/completion. Politely pointed out that my questions from January 2021 remained unanswered and their online portal hadn't been updated for months. Also mentioned that the four occasions I phoned, they were not available and didn't return calls. Obviously not the best with hindsight. 

I was sitting in a rental property so wasn't overly stressed by it all but the vendor was not best pleased.