How long is reasonable time to reply?

ProStuart · 9 July 2018 at 2:32PM

Hi,

I made an original post about my mothers death back in March and that solicitors had been named executors. I expressed back then the frustration and delay that this causes and understood from this community it's "normal".

However, I now have a couple of related questions....

Apart from a letter back in mid-April advising me that they hope to start processing the probate application soon, I have not heard anything from the solicitors since.

I called them 2 working days ago and left a message with the secretary asking for 2 things:

1 - an explanation as to why the process is taking so long - if the average is 3-6 months for the size/complexity of estate, we're now 4 months in and they have yet to ask for the keys to the house that's to be sold.

2 - what will be done about the property upkeep? I popped in there last week and the front/back gardens are completely overgrown - let alone what else might be happening inside the house (ie. electrics, boiler, pipes, etc.) when nobody is living there. Surely if it's left untouched, it will affect the selling price?

Is it reasonable for me to have expected a reply by now?

Any useful feedback from this community would be welcomed!!!

Yorkshireman99 · 9 July 2018 at 2:57PM

ProStuart wrote: »

Hi,

I made an original post about my mothers death back in March and that solicitors had been named executors. I expressed back then the frustration and delay that this causes and understood from this community it's "normal".

However, I now have a couple of related questions....

Apart from a letter back in mid-April advising me that they hope to start processing the probate application soon, I have not heard anything from the solicitors since.

I called them 2 working days ago and left a message with the secretary asking for 2 things:

1 - an explanation as to why the process is taking so long - if the average is 3-6 months for the size/complexity of estate, we're now 4 months in and they have yet to ask for the keys to the house that's to be sold.

2 - what will be done about the property upkeep? I popped in there last week and the front/back gardens are completely overgrown - let alone what else might be happening inside the house (ie. electrics, boiler, pipes, etc.) when nobody is living there. Surely if it's left untouched, it will affect the selling price?

Is it reasonable for me to have expected a reply by now?

Any useful feedback from this community would be welcomed!!!

Personally I would lodge a formal complaint under the firms own complaints procedure. This has to be done in writing.

Margot123 · 9 July 2018 at 4:47PM

Executors are not obliged to keep beneficiaries updated, and solicitors are notorious for not doing so.

However, it might be prudent to write a good old fashioned 'signed for' letter to the senior partner expressing your concerns.
Be clear about what is and isn't happening and how this is affecting you both financially and psychologically (eg worries about security of the house etc).

If they offer to do weekly visits to the house, don't bother, they will charge for basically a non-existent service. Is there a good neighbour who can pop in?

Brynsam · 9 July 2018 at 7:33PM

Yorkshireman99 wrote: »

Personally I would lodge a formal complaint under the firms own complaints procedure. This has to be done in writing.

Complaining about what, exactly? There doesn't seem to have been any breach of executor duties and the solicitors will, quite reasonably, argue that they are doing their best to keep costs down.

Agree with the suggestion that writing a letter setting out OP's concerns, especially the maintenance issue, makes good sense - but as we are in the middle of summer, there are far fewer concerns (e.g. burst pipes) than there would be in the middle of winter.

Flugelhorn · 10 July 2018 at 8:06AM

Although the executors are responsible for selling and caring for the house it is a shame that they don't let the beneficiary have a hand in caring for it and marketing it. I just wonder if they assume that "someone" is doing the garden etc?

I know that if my mother's house had not had the garden done regularly , been checked by a neighbour inside and out weekly (as per insurance company requirements), cleaned, cleared and tidied by us then it would have been much harder to sell and ultimately wouldn't have got the price it did

I think the OP needs to clarify with the solicitors what the plans and process re the property is

ProStuart · 10 July 2018 at 11:11AM

Thanks for your input everyone.

My question was more asking what a reasonable timeframe was for the solicitor to respond. I had hoped 24 hours would have been reasonable as it is with most other things.

It's now 3 working days and zip so I've actually written a formal complaint to them (this delay just ended up being the final straw).

Thanks again

Flugelhorn · 10 July 2018 at 11:46AM

I would be miffed after 3 working days - would perhaps expect a "holding message" at the very least

How long is reasonable time to reply?

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free