To be pissed off with the solicitor

[Twinklegreen]

Posting on here for traffic, aibu to be getting thoroughly pissed off with this solicitor?

My husband and I part own a house with his brother, 50% ours 50% brothers (inheritance) currently rented to a tenant. Due to various issues, which is a whole other thread, it was agreed that DB would buy us out of our half and then we would be free to buy another property to let out ourselves.

Issue is that bank has been ready to release the money since November, solicitors made and error as they were meant to send a letter to release the funds but didn't send the correct information for this to happen. DB spoke to them in December and they assured him they would re-send the correct info. Since then we have heard nothing DH and DB have repeatedly phoned solicitor for an update and are assured they will get a call back ... but then don't hear anything back. DH and DB are both pretty assertive. This has gone on and on and on.

I have stayed out of things until now but both DH and DB have now given up and want me to have a go at resolving this.

Looking for advice about how to approach this...

For context solicitors are not located in our town but are in a town about an 40mins drive away. DB lives at the other side of the country.

Not unreasonable at all. This is a persistent problem with solicitors who take on more work than they can handle.

Phone them up and ask who their complaints manager is and for their email address. That alone in most firms will be enough to get the ball rolling.

Email the complaints manager setting out your complaints of failure to act expeditiously plus failure to communicate with you, and ask for immediate action to be taken and a discount on your bill, and say if they don't get a response by the end of the week you will take it to the Legal Ombudsman. You should get a grovelling apology and the work done.

Legal Ombudsman as a last resort.

Drive there. Tell them your issue. Do not leave until it is sorted. Buy prosecco. Go home.

Sorry the only bit I read was 'buy prosecco'

I work full time 1.5hrs away and have 3 smallish children, I am so tempted to stage a sit in but it would be so inconvenient!

Wiggypig, sorry got distracted by prosecco!

Thank you that is actually really good advice x

Escalate it. The engagement letter should set out a complaints procedure - usually complaining to a senior partner in the firm (and if all else fails, the SRA). I'd suggest emailing the complaints partner setting out the timescale and your complaint. I'd bet it gets sorted then.

Thanks eurochick i was wondering if I had any right to be setting out a timescale

We actually know a senior solicitor in the firm although he isn't involved with house sales etc

Telephone him then personally.

I could actually speak to him as I see him on a regular basis, although we have a bit of a historical agreement not to discuss work as we sometimes cross paths and n a professional capacity. I would rather not have to cross that line and go down the complaints procedure first

Just copy the complaints partner in to your emails and highlight in the email that you’ve done that in case it needs escalating.

That usually does the trick!

Agree with everything said but best to put the complaint in writing, including a timescale, eg include in the letter (attached to e mail) that you expect the matter to be resolved within 14 days and you require 8 percent interest from the beginning of Nov. 8 percent is the appropriate interest rate relevant to legal disputes, and it's the legal ombudsman who is the appropriate complaints authority. Check out their website for more info on how to complain.