Useless Solicitor - Any Advice?

Morcerf

Hi,

I'm currently in the process of selling my flat, and my solicitor seems to be being absolutely useless! Is there anything I can do given the situation.....

The flat I am selling I moved in to 1 year ago. I bought it through the same solicitor I am using now to sell, so he is familiar with it all and I have all the original correspondence from when I bought the flat.

The person I am selling to is a good/close friend of mine, and he is also using the same solicitors - we thought this would make it quick, easy and painless.

However, this has already led to some howlers from the solicitors - the guy acting for me telling me we were waiting for the buyer to get his mortgage offer sorted (which from talking to my friend I know had been sorted and with the solicitor for some time!), and other similar excuses from the guy acting for him regarding me not getting papers in etc (again, not true!).

We've both already paid some money to the solicitors, but are we stuck with them now? Would it be easy (or at all possible!) to complete this ourselves?

Its a very frustrating situation to be in, as I'm sure people out there can understand!

The latest saga, and one I am right this moment on hold to the mortgage company for, is that they seem to have lost my deeds somehow!! Useless!!!

Thanks for any advice!

kamaran

I didnt think 2 people could use the same solicitors?

My advice to you as an IT Project manager is this:

Call them, call them, call them.

Contact them at least twice a week (more if this doesnt work) and ask for status updates. Stress your personal cirumstances need you to move quickly, then either get them to commit to dates for everything to be completed. Alteratively give them a deadline which you need them to agree to.

Then call them, call them, call them - maybe even make an appointment to go and see them

I have exchanged contracts within 14 days on a property thanks to effecient people involved.

Morcerf

kamaran wrote:

I didnt think 2 people could use the same solicitors?

My advice to you as an IT Project manager is this:

Call them, call them, call them.

Contact them at least twice a week (more if this doesnt work) and ask for status updates. Stress your personal cirumstances need you to move quickly, then either get them to commit to dates for everything to be completed. Alteratively give them a deadline which you need them to agree to.

Then call them, call them, call them - maybe even make an appointment to go and see them

I have exchanged contracts within 14 days on a property thanks to effecient people involved.

While it is the same company, we have different solicitors acting on or behalfs (behalves??) - actually father and son.

I have been phoning them, especially as realised how slow they are, but the guy is just outright rude to me on the phone! Really shocking! And I hate the fact that I can't really p*ss them off, since I feel I am stuck with them now so need them 'onside' to get this through. Incredibly frustrating!

kamaran

I cant believe he's rude to you, especially when your paying his wages! Why dont you escalate this with a senior partner within the firm?

Alternatively try calling another solicitor and getting a quote/advice.

How far along are the current solicitor(s)? If they havent done anything they should really expect you to pay them (but they undoubltedly will).