Slow Vendor Solicitor

Gedbyrne · 10 April 2018 at 5:16PM

I'm in the process of buying a flat, it's been 9 weeks since the offer was accepted and I've had everything ready to go on this end for about a week (searches done, checks done, mortgage offer and such signed) and have been waiting for replies to queries made over a month ago to the vendor's solicitor, both my solicitor and the estate agent haven't been able to call to anything other than an answer phone as of yet and queries are not being responded to at all.

I called the property management company myself to find out what was going on and apparently the vendor's solicitor hasn't even made a request for them yet. I've asked to estate agent to pass this information to the vendors.

Is there anything I can do at this point? Having searched for reviews of the solicitors (Cook and Talbot) I've seen reviews from buyers who have pulled out purchases after not hearing anything for months on end.

Thrugelmir · 10 April 2018 at 6:36PM

Are the vendors looking for a property for themselves?

pink_pirlie · 10 April 2018 at 6:43PM

There is not much you can do other than keep bugging the EA and give the vendors an ultimatum- a date by which if you haven’t agreed exchange and completion you will walk away. I would say 9 weeks isn’t too long to wait so far. We were told average time was 13-14 weeks in our area.

We have been waiting since mid-November and finally this week had news about completion but it was “vendor wants to complete on a Monday, we don’t know which Monday yet” - like how helpful is that?!

Unfortunately you’re at the mercy of the slowest link in the chain.

m0bov · 10 April 2018 at 6:49PM

Start looking at other properties and put your sol on hold.

eddddy · 10 April 2018 at 6:52PM

Bear in mind that the solicitor might be waiting for instructions from the vendor - before requesting the management pack.

i.e. it may be the vendor who is delaying (and/or is incompetent), rather than their solicitor.

m0bov · 10 April 2018 at 6:53PM

What does the vendor say?

Gedbyrne · 10 April 2018 at 7:35PM

m0bov wrote: »

What does the vendor say?

Only contacted through the estate agents but they seem to be as unhappy as I am.

Thrugelmir wrote: »

Are the vendors looking for a property for themselves?

Possibly but there's no chain - it's a flat that's been on buy to let for a while.

Is it reasonable to ask the vendor to change solicitors if this goes on for longer? I'm aware 9 weeks is early but then given that everything else is ready to go...

Tiglet2 · 10 April 2018 at 8:21PM

It may have been 9 weeks since your offer was accepted, but your solicitor doesn't start work until they have received the draft contract pack and therefore the "time", as far as they are concerned, starts then.

Everything isn't ready to go. You might be of course, but your solicitor can only raise enquiries following receipt of contract pack and the vendor must pay for the management pack before their solicitor will order it (many management companies will only accept payment from the solicitor not directly from the seller). This will take around 10 working days minimum to provide. Your solicitor will make further enquiries based on the management pack. There may be further delays in responding to management queries. There may be major works revealed in the pack or a deficit in the accounts. All the due diligence by your solicitor takes time. You need to factor in the time your solicitor needs to actually go through the legalities in order that you are protected.

You really shouldn't have contacted the management company as you are not their client. They will only discuss the transaction with the vendor/vendor's solicitor.

Gedbyrne · 10 April 2018 at 8:38PM

Tiglet2 wrote: »

It may have been 9 weeks since your offer was accepted, but your solicitor doesn't start work until they have received the draft contract pack and therefore the "time", as far as they are concerned, starts then.

Everything isn't ready to go. You might be of course, but your solicitor can only raise enquiries following receipt of contract pack and the vendor must pay for the management pack before their solicitor will order it (many management companies will only accept payment from the solicitor not directly from the seller). This will take around 10 working days minimum to provide. Your solicitor will make further enquiries based on the management pack. There may be further delays in responding to management queries. There may be major works revealed in the pack or a deficit in the accounts. All the due diligence by your solicitor takes time. You need to factor in the time your solicitor needs to actually go through the legalities in order that you are protected.

Having contacted the management company they apparently turn requests around in 48 hours, sounds like this could end up taking months if nobody has lifted a finger yet.

Tiglet2 wrote: »

You really shouldn't have contacted the management company as you are not their client. They will only discuss the transaction with the vendor/vendor's solicitor.

Good thing I did really.

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Slow Vendor Solicitor

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