Solicitor not getting on with things...

[cooliebrown]

I'm executor for my father's estate.

For the legal end of all this I've been using what were my parents' solicitor (they had the wills etc.). I have, however, become increasingly frustrated at their lack of urgency/action. They say they are going to do something, then I have to contact them some time later to find it hasn't happened, or has only partially happened. I have left 4 messages so far this week, asking for a conversation, but no response.

So, firstly, how do I complain about a solicitor? And, secondly, does anyone have any experience of changing solicitors part-way through a legal process? Is this straightforward or is it a nightmare.

I do believe that the current solicitor will eventually get everything sorted (there are some unexpected wrinkles in our particular situation), but the delays are beginning to have implications for the beneficiaries of my parent's estate.

Any advice gratefully received many thanks

Do the beneficiaries have realistic expectations as to how long it will take to expect Probate to be granted first of all?

It can be 3 months even for the simplest of estates and about a year if not simple.

The solicitor dealing presumably sent a Terms of Engagement letter to you as Executor at the outset and it should set out in that letter who is dealing with the matter, who they report to (Partner) etc and to whom any complaints should be directed.

You can of course change solicitor but they will not release the file to your new solicitor until you pay for any work they have done to date. You may then have to pay the new solicitor for some duplication of work so they can ascertain what has or hasn't been done so far.

Call the firm again. If the person is still not available ask to speak to their Head of Department or the Managing Partner or Senior partner and explain your frustration at no contact.

thanks AlltheBest,

This has been a year now - probate was granted in July but there are complications preventing sale of property and division of the estate; the solicitor has been aware of these complication since the outset but chose not to address them until probate had been granted, and is now dragging their heels.

It's not that the person I want to speak to is 'unavailable' it's that they don't return calls!

thanks again!