Rude conveyancer - should I complain?

[Philomena27]

In the final stages of a house purchase which, so far, has gone quite smoothly as we’re not in a chain. Had a letter from our solicitor, who is a partner in her firm, on Friday specifically requesting we contact ‘by telephone’ to make an appointment to sign for exchange.
Rang this morning; 9am, no answer, 9:15 line engaged, 9:25 got through to the admin desk who put me through to the conveyancer who then had a rant stating ‘we’re just back from a break’, I don’t think my clients (🤨of which I am one) realise I have a life outside of this, the phone has been non stop since 9.’ AIBU to think this is out of order? FWIW I was also back at work after a ‘break’ i.e. a bank holiday weekend and had been in situ for a good hour before even attempting to contact them, if I spoke to any of the ‘clients’ (I work with families) I work with like that I would, quite rightly, lose my job! Have been advised by family and friends this evening to complain but in all honesty just want to compelete on our purchase! Any advice? Is this just par for the course?

If you want to complain you have to complain directly to the firm in the first instance. Ask for their complaints procedure and follow it. They should not have spoken to you like that, and I know, having worked in it, how extremely stressful conveyancing can be.

What would you be looking to achieve with this complaint? Best case scenario is an apology. More likely scenario is that you piss her off and get informally deprioritised. So I definitely wouldn't do it until after completion, if at all.

Its tough trying to get work done when clients for whom you are doing the work keep calling with unimportant stuff. Especially after a break when the phone goes non stop. She is probably stressing because an exchanges or completions or both were due today, in the case of exchanges, so completion can take place Friday. Personally i think you should save your complaints for something important like negligence or failure to properly advise of clauses in the contracts or leases. But then I know how awful it can be when deadlines are looming and you know you won't get home til dark and it's only 9.30 a.m. and because you had a day off the hours in the day aren't enough 😟