Solicitor Putting Me Off, Scotland

PoGee

user1977 said:

It's not really normal for clients to start dictating which individuals do the work. A solicitor with 20+ years experience may well have more appropriate things to do with their time than sub-£40k residential conveyancing transactions.

I understand but at least give the client an opportunity to either agree to go with this solicitor or say 'no'. I gave her a chance anyway but I don't have a good feeling. It may be less than £40k now but if I do die, it will be a whole lot more. This was a kind of practice run, with the new solicitor. I'm getting my kids registered with another firm.

PoGee

Kids are mid 20s

PoGee

Ath_Wat said:

PoGee said:

Ath_Wat said:

Did you say that to them?

Yes, in writing (email).

Did they reply?

No. No reply

steampowered

Solicitors are now legally required to insist on receiving proof of the source of funds before they proceed with an instruction.

Your solicitor is just doing their job by advising you on things which would normally be obtained for a conveyancing transaction such as asbestos reports or home reports. If you are purchasing the property without a mortgage, you (or rather the solicitor's client - is that your kids?) can instruct the solicitor that you are willing to accept the risk of proceeding without these things being in place.

These days with most conveyancers people get a factory shop service and can't even get anyone to respond to give basic updates, so if your solicitor is responding and dealing with the matter promptly I would stick with them!!!!

user1977

PoGee said:

Kids are mid 20s

As they're going to be the clients, aren't they big enough boys/girls to decide for themselves which solicitors to use?

PoGee

user1977 said:

PoGee said:

Kids are mid 20s

As they're going to be the clients, aren't they big enough boys/girls to decide for themselves which solicitors to use?

Old fashioned I suppose by considering going back to the 'family firm' + introducing kids to them. Just want my own estate to go through smoothly, when the time comes. 

Tiglet2

PoGee said:

I've been a client of my solicitor for 20 years - Will, POA, simple legal advice, inheritance/ estate advice. I asked last week if he could put an offer in on a house my kids want to buy jointly but I got a call from another solicitor instead. Old solicitor knows my kids - he said to make a cash gift to each of them when I got my inheritance. I don't keep in great health but if I can keep my bp under control, I shouldn't drop dead. It's something that runs in the family.
Price of property is less than £40k.Cash offer from gifts made to kids at advice of solicitor previously. New one (no mention by her of why old one not available) says - you'll need to pay ADS (no they won't, as it's less than£40k). Then - oh it might have asbestos, Home Report not informative (we accept that so offered less than asking price).
All I asked her to do was put offer in but she's sending emails about issues above and asking for proof of where kids funds came from before she puts offer in! That comes later, surely? She's put me right off from using that firm, so much so that I'm thinking of going with late parents' solicitor for kids future house offers. I don't think they'll get this one.
When are they meant to ask for proof of where funds come from? I haven't bought a property since the mid 1990s.

I'll take a guess and say that your 'old' trusted solicitor has many years of experience in private client law and if your new instruction had been in this area of law, you would most likely still be dealing with your old solicitor.

Conveyancing is a different area of law and your old solicitor may not have recent or much experience in conveyancing and has passed your file to someone in the firm who does have the required knowledge/experience.  

ID and AML checks are now very intensive.  It will be the same in any other law firm.  Don't let it put you off this firm.

sheramber

penners324 said:

Why use a solicitor to make an offer? Just approach the estate agent directly 

Because in Scotland you can only put in an offer through a solicitor.

sheramber

PoGee said:

I've been a client of my solicitWhen I was s elor for 20 years - Will, POA, simple legal advice, inheritance/ estate advice. I asked last week if he could put an offer in on a house my kids want to buy jointly but I got a call from another solicitor instead. Old solicitor knows my kids - he said to make a cash gift to each of them when I got my inheritance. I don't keep in great health but if I can keep my bp under control, I shouldn't drop dead. It's something that runs in the family.
Price of property is less than £40k.Cash offer from gifts made to kids at advice of solicitor previously. New one (no mention by her of why old one not available) says - you'll need to pay ADS (no they won't, as it's less than£40k). Then - oh it might have asbestos, Home Report not informative (we accept that so offered less than asking price).
All I asked her to do was put offer in but she's sending emails about issues above and asking for proof of where kids funds came from before she puts offer in! That comes later, surely? She's put me right off from using that firm, so much so that I'm thinking of going with late parents' solicitor for kids future house offers. I don't think they'll get this one.
When are they meant to ask for proof of where funds come from? I haven't bought a property since the mid 1990s.

When I was selling my house ( Scotland) the estate confirmed the funds before arranging viweing.

Ath_Wat

PoGee said:

user1977 said:

It's not really normal for clients to start dictating which individuals do the work. A solicitor with 20+ years experience may well have more appropriate things to do with their time than sub-£40k residential conveyancing transactions.

I understand but at least give the client an opportunity to either agree to go with this solicitor or say 'no'. I gave her a chance anyway but I don't have a good feeling. It may be less than £40k now but if I do die, it will be a whole lot more. This was a kind of practice run, with the new solicitor. I'm getting my kids registered with another firm.

You do have an opportunity to agree or say no.  They don't have to expressly offer you such opportunity.  At the point someone else contacted you you had the option of saying "Oh, I wanted to deal with Mr X, if I can't I will go elsewhere."

What do you mean by "getting your kids registered with another firm"?  Solicitors are not dentists.  Most people just contact one when they need one.