Conveyancing Timescales - What is reasonable

CCJJ

Hi

Just wondering what others general experiences / expectations are to get a feel for if I'm being unreasonable.

After extended delays all enquiries are now sorted, and everyone else in the chain is ready to discuss dates.  My conveyancer needs to review my purchase/sale files, and then it needs a layer of management review, before they will talk (they are the only hold-out).

All other parties in the chain have been ready since 15/11, my conveyancer has told me he won't be able to get round to reviewing the file until next week (wouldn't commit to a timescale) then the file needs to go to the back of the manager review que and likely be another week or so there. i.e. they want 2-3 weeks from enquiries all being sorted to starting to talk dates (not even exchange).  This is creating issues with deadlines etc.

That seems like an unreasonable timescale to me, especially as everyone else in my chain is ready to talk dates. Just wondered what others experiences were?

Thanks

babyblade41

After 18 personal moves & umpteen professional ones the key is to have the best specialist solicitor you can afford that can deal with problems without having to go elsewhere or to get senior employees to review the fie which always takes time.

The chain can only go as quickly as the slowest which appears to be you, you can contact your "conveyancer" & ask why this will take as long as they are saying but quite honestly they probably won't take too much notice but doing nothing will get the same result 

TheJP

CCJJ said:

Hi

Just wondering what others general experiences / expectations are to get a feel for if I'm being unreasonable.

After extended delays all enquiries are now sorted, and everyone else in the chain is ready to discuss dates.  My conveyancer needs to review my purchase/sale files, and then it needs a layer of management review, before they will talk (they are the only hold-out).

All other parties in the chain have been ready since 15/11, my conveyancer has told me he won't be able to get round to reviewing the file until next week (wouldn't commit to a timescale) then the file needs to go to the back of the manager review que and likely be another week or so there. i.e. they want 2-3 weeks from enquiries all being sorted to starting to talk dates (not even exchange).  This is creating issues with deadlines etc.

That seems like an unreasonable timescale to me, especially as everyone else in my chain is ready to talk dates. Just wondered what others experiences were?

Thanks

Depends if you want the sale done right or done quick. I know which i would prefer.

Tiglet2

CCJJ said:

Hi

Just wondering what others general experiences / expectations are to get a feel for if I'm being unreasonable.

After extended delays all enquiries are now sorted, and everyone else in the chain is ready to discuss dates.  My conveyancer needs to review my purchase/sale files, and then it needs a layer of management review, before they will talk (they are the only hold-out).

All other parties in the chain have been ready since 15/11, my conveyancer has told me he won't be able to get round to reviewing the file until next week (wouldn't commit to a timescale) then the file needs to go to the back of the manager review que and likely be another week or so there. i.e. they want 2-3 weeks from enquiries all being sorted to starting to talk dates (not even exchange).  This is creating issues with deadlines etc.

That seems like an unreasonable timescale to me, especially as everyone else in my chain is ready to talk dates. Just wondered what others experiences were?

Thanks

Unfortunately, solicitors and associated parties are all extremely busy and therefore have to prioritise their work load.  This is why you won't find any solicitor who will commit to any timescale.  You will also find that all conveyancing files have to be checked before exchange by the fee earner responsible for your case and by a senior partner.  Both the fee earner and the senior partner will have their own priorities and workload, so there really isn't much you can do to speed them up. 

The other solicitors in the chain might be ready, but they will completely understand that these checks are necessary and will not put undue pressure on one solicitor if the checks have not yet been done.  When they refer to "talking dates", these are the completion dates.  Exchange dates don't get discussed, because they don't exchange until everything is ready and completion dates agreed with all parties.  Exchange just happens when everything else has been agreed.

jonnydeppiwish!

It’s seems to be around 3 months to 8 months for normal sales.

housebuyer143

The question is how long have you been waiting since you instructed them and the chain was completed? If it's 6 weeks, then you are being unreasonable, if it's 8 months then a little more speed on their side would be good practice. 
At the end of the day though solicitors do whatever they want and trying to control them won't make it go faster but will stress you out.

At the end mine did get a complaint though to senior staff as the exchange and completion fell through and rather than focus on getting it back on track she would say "I am prioritizing ones completing this week". I was like well mine was meant to complete last week! It did speed them up though... If you have been waiting unreasonably long or don't like the response for the wait, you can go further up the chain.