Licensed conveyancer slow?

bill_on_line

Hello Forum

Extend the lease with the council for my aunt as close to 80 years.

(I checked it  was a fair price with a online calculator and this is the councils way doing things

you to get an independant valuation they then quote price and either you acceot or not).

Engaged the licenced  convayncer as i  could not provide the required ID to DIY register at Land registery as my very elderly aunt does not have necessary  ID and cannot travel.

The convayencer communicated before i agreed for them  to do  the work,by email.

Since then the convayncer has never  replied to any emails  i get read  receipts.

Dropped of the lease extension deed and LPA in October 2022 at solisitors office

Basicaly nothing has happened since as far as i  know.

Other than  an  email  confirming they have the Deed and LPA when i  chased as i was a little concerned our paper work may been lost as not heard anything.

I have not even been sent terms of engagemeent to sign, (if this expected for this senario?)

I believe the convayancer only needs to do

1, ID checks for my aunt (who sole lease holder of 40+ years) and myself.

2, Complete the necessary land registery form and send with a copy of lease extension deed to the LR.

Nothhings happened,the convaycer or their assistants have not even asked 5 months later for ID or to sign an agreement for the work.

I have chased a bit, eg told next in pile to be dealt with just before Chhristmas 2022 and have the deed safe.

Reliase this just a  lease extension so no deadline like exchanginging contracts cannot fall through

And guess this what the convayancer is focusing on.

But fedup as i am forgetful having  to chase and nothing happening maybe i should just leave it let the deed rot in the solisitors office

and when they do finaly do contact me say something as taken  so long i had given up chasing and forgotten about it and ask for a reduction in the fee?

eg ask what have been upto for the last 2 years?

I suppose i  could  say/lie we want sell the flat so  need the lease extension asap and also esculate.

My dad has been having similar experince dealing with deed of varaition (at totaly different firm of solisitors) for my late mum, told it would take 2 weeks, 6 months later still not done.

I said to my dad when the solisitor said it would take 2 weeks they basicaly lying, he said it was wish full thinking.

The solisitors are daeling witha numberof a cases so would know 2 weeks is a lie unless the focus on  your work only/mostly which they know they are  noit going to do.

Do not know  how to deal with legal profession, they say they are approachable will discuss all aspects but you  try getitng hold of them..

Can only thinkink in both cases not being treated as urgent  work so at the  bottom of the heap.

regards

Bill

tacpot12

One factor to consider is who engaged the conveyancer. Did you engage them? i.e. would you expect the quote (and any subsequent invoice) to be addressed to you, or did your Aunt engage them? 

If your engaged them, then if you have home insurance, it is worth checking to see if you have legal expenses cover. If you do, you can discuss how you might get out of the potential contract you have with the conveyancer.  

If your Aunt engaged them, then unless she has leal expenses cover (which is a lot less likely as it is a leasehold flat), she may need to take legal advice from a solicitor about how to get out of the potential contract. She should make it clear to the solicitor that she will not give them the conveyancing work as she regards it as a conflict of interest. I don't know if the solicitor will try to argue that there isn't a conflict, but I would be concerned if the solicitor tried this.

I expect the advice will be to make a formal complaint in writing, and set a deadline for action. What I'm not clear on is if they don't respond within the deadline, can you be certain that they will not be able to sue you? 

bill_on_line

Hello

I "engaged" the licenseed convayer as i am my aunts Lasting power of attorney/LPA.

I found it quite (very in my opinion) difficult to find anyone who  wanted to do the work in the first place that is registering a 90 year lease extension at land registery.

Not sure if there is any contract, just a basic email quote from the convaycer which i said i wanted go ahead with,but no emailr reply to confirm or explain what i neededto do even when chased what do next.

I phoned in and the secatary said drop lease deed and lpa off which i did in october 2022

I do have legal cover on my home poilicy,that can be painful  to make claim on, lots paperwork.

My aunt also has legalcover as i  arrange her home insurance.

even my aunts solisitor firm that did her will and lpa were not interested,

Do not think they will sue measthey have done nothing and the quote was only £240

I find i am always having to complain and getting fed up with it.

i could let deed rot in the solisitors office and then when they finaly get roud to say i am not paying the fullbill as it took "5 years to fill a form in"

I have email evidence i have chhased them 10+ times  the convayencer never replies

What normaly happens i get fed up and start shouting swearing down the phone then eithheer the matter gets sorted or they ignore you still.

Other legal issues geting the same sort of response websites say contact thhe firm then  nothhing happens when  you do say they going to ring you back it does not happen

legal profession = poor communication most time, not interested guess busy.

I know a licisensed convayer and was help look after his relative (unpaid) eg shopping, i contacted him a number time to see if he would do the job never got back me, maybe he thought i was after a freebe i was not.

Just confirmsthe above

 

lika_86

Ring the office on their general number and ask to speak to the managing partner about a complaint you wish to make. Follow up in writing.

tacpot12

You don't need to make a claim on your home insurance to get free legal advice from the legal expenses insurance. There are no forms to fill in to get free legal advice. You are not asking them to sue, just for advice on how to repudiate the contract in a water-tight manner. You SHOULD expect them to provide this advice as you have paid for it in your insurance premium. 

The legal profession is generally dreadful at communicating, but my experience of the legal help lines provided by the insurers is that they are better than most. Pick up the phone, explain the situation with them and get their advice. If you follow their advice and the conveyancer sues you for the fee, your insurer WILL get involved. 

loubel

I'm not clear what you were instructing them to do to be honest. But if all you got was a quote and were never sent terms of engagement or completed ID checks then just contact them to let them know you won't be using their services and that you will pop by to collect your paperwork. 

bill_on_line

Hello Loubel

Yes i agree as lay person just  a quote as nothing more formaly agreed

canceling them  doing the work unfortunately i  could not find anyone interested in doing the work (checking id and filling in a form) at  reasonable price

including a licenced convayer i though as friend (but not close friend) due years helping his relative, just never got back  to me when i contacted 3 times even to say he was too busy.

the whole problem is  caused by land registery beaurocracy

On  LR records my aunt has been the only tenant of the property for over 40 years on the lr requirement to still prove my aunts id, that is my aunt has no drivng licence/passport and unable to travel to get signed photo as lady in her 90's

Otherwise i would filled in land registery  forms myself,

bill_on_line

tacpot12 said:

You don't need to make a claim on your home insurance to get free legal advice from the legal expenses insurance.

I had legal exspense insurance once and they insisted on all communication by email no phone contact, months sending emails them  requesting more info and filling in their forms to attach only to be told the chance sucess was not good enougth

Aviva and das lega lcover give better servicce,so yes you can  phone them,  but these over outfits.

Emily_Joy

bill_on_line said

On  LR records my aunt has been the only tenant of the property for over 40 years on the lr requirement to still prove my aunts id, that is my aunt has no drivng licence/passport and unable to travel to get signed photo as lady in her 90's

Sorry, but wouldn't it be easier and cheaper for your aunt to get a passport?

EssexHebridean

If you've not had, and returned the terms of engagement letter, then there is no contract. One of the biggest red flags here for me is that they seem to have suggested that they can do ID checks for your Aunt without seeing her - which they can't - that alone would make me feel reluctant to use them. 

Send an email confirming a day and time (give a couple of days notice but no more) when you will go in to collect your original documents - detail in the email what those documents are too to avoid any ambiguity down the line. Collect the papers, and go elsewhere. 

ID checks are not "Land Registry beaurocracy" either - they are a necessary and legally required part of the process to help avoid fraud. 

user1977

Emily_Joy said:

bill_on_line said

On  LR records my aunt has been the only tenant of the property for over 40 years on the lr requirement to still prove my aunts id, that is my aunt has no drivng licence/passport and unable to travel to get signed photo as lady in her 90's

Sorry, but wouldn't it be easier and cheaper for your aunt to get a passport?

Think OP was covering that with "unable to travel to get signed photo" - but obviously, whoever is certifying her photo could travel to her instead...