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Why can't i make a complaint against other side's solicitor

7 replies

Bells3032 · 18/12/2020 16:14

It is so unfair. And my buyers don't have a bloody big enough backbone to do it themselves.

She's had the file for nearly three months (it moved from another solicitor) all the other steps were done and she just needed to do the searches and enquiries. She told us on both the 21st October and the 15th nov that searches were back and it turned out they didn't apply for them til the 9th November (which i got out the council in the end) despite having this and being instructed since 28th September!!! she point blank refused to even look at the pack until searches were back despite the fact she knew they were delayed and i had only bought the flat a few years ago so they were unlikely to lead to anything significant.

By the time she applied there was a serious backlog so got them back at the start of Dec (now have evidence as has passed the searches to the buyer) but its now been over two weeks since she had them back and despite multiple chasers from the buyer (I've been forwarded several of these), solicitor and agent we have only had "this won't complete before Christmas". not a single enquiry has been raised in nearly three months. In the same period, in the same council I have put an offer in and exchanged on my purchase and completing the first week of Jan)

my solicitor and agent both say she's unresponsive and rude when do finally get hold of her.

But for the grace of my family stepping up and covering costs she nearly lost my entire chain this week and i was about 30 seconds from pulling out and just gifting the dam thing to a relative. it is not a complicated sale just a bread and butter purpose built, ten year old flat.

I know she'll now say she's away from the 19th January. I am so fed up...due to unending errors this single flat has taken six months and counting.

She is causing so much anxiety and there is nothing i can do about it.

OP posts:
Spickle · 18/12/2020 16:49

You have no contract with the buyer's solicitor - you are not their client. Only their client can complain.

Leasehold flats are not always straight forward anyway. You might think it's not complicated but you don't know for certain.

When you say it moved from another solicitor, is that another firm or another solicitor in the same firm?

AntiHop · 18/12/2020 16:58

Can you get your solicitor to speak to their senior partner?

I had a similar issue. Our solicitors were brilliant but our our buyer's solicitor were awful. They sat on things for months and the whole thing nearly fell apart due to how slow they were.

User478 · 18/12/2020 17:03

Other people's solicitors always seem to be awful.

I wonder how much solicitors blame any delay on the other solicitor?

Charcutaria · 18/12/2020 17:07

You can complain about the other side's solicitors, I've done this and he finally, after 1 year got the work done, not on a house purchase though. It was to remove a covenant. It could be worth a try.

ramblingsonthego · 18/12/2020 17:07

I hear you! We are all ready to exchange. All enquiries are back, nothing outstanding........... until the buyers solicitor realised they hadn't got proof of the gifted deposit from a family member, who lives on the other side of the world and speaks no English. And it has to be a hard copy, not a scanned in copy. So now we wait........ we have to complete by the 8th or we will have to pull out due to a situation. Unlikely to happen.

Bells3032 · 18/12/2020 17:20

@user478 deff the other side. Even the buyer says so. There is literally nothing more my solicitor can do til they get enqueries. The buyer keeps chasing but gets ignored.

@spickle it really isn't. Its a straightforward lease...I only bought it three years ago. I've supplied all the accounts and the last year of service charge and ground rents, there is nothing in there unusual or complex. When I bought it took us six weeks not six months.

It moved from another firm long story as to why but still had it for nearly three months and haven't even looked at it yet.

OP posts:
Daphnise · 18/12/2020 17:40

One's own solicitor in a house purchase will always blame:

-The other side's solicitor
-The Council (for searches)
-The other side (for not doing things)
-The post

  • Anyone for any reason except themselves

They are all equally useless- and I regret on occasion, untruthful.

Complaining will not achieve anything- and will take forever- they'll see to that without any problem!

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