Solicitor too busy to contact for 26 days

[Charmtaste]

We had an offer accepted on a house on the 4th May. Solicitor said she was initiating searches etc… she sent us the property forms in May, we responded with our queries for the vendor.

Our solicitor has now not responded to us or contacted us since the 30th of May. 26 days with no contact. We have no idea how our purchase is progressing, we don’t know if the vendors have answered our queries.

We have emailed her and we get an automatic reply telling us not to disturb them for general queries because of how busy they are due to SD holiday. I spoke with a secretary at the firm today and she agreed that no response for 26 days was poor. She tried to call our solicitor but came back and said she was too busy to speak to me.

So should I cut my losses and find another solicitor? I am reluctant to do that because we want to benefit from the stamp duty reduction in September. On the other hand if she is not actually progressing my purchase what do I have to lose?

Any thoughts welcome 🙏

[quote Charmtaste]@thecognoscenti no, I am annoyed that I have received no update for 27 days now.[/quote]
Put simply you aren't a priority this month OP. Unless you're trying to complete by Wednesday you won't be. There are only so many hours in the day and only so many things that can be at the top of the urgency list. It's like going to A&E with a twisted ankle and whining that people who've been seriously injured in a motorway pile up are being seen before you.

Also, you seem to think that weekend days count as working days (hence your little count going from 26 to 27) - they don't.

And don’t approach the seller’s solicitor direct. It would be a conflict of interest (not a breach of contract - you haven’t exchanged so no contract exists as yet). Technically, if a conflict of interest arises then the seller’s solicitor may have to stop acting for the seller, so you’d slow things down even more. Plus they probably don’t want to be put on the spot out of working hours by someone who isn’t their client. Please stick to chasing your own solicitor.

@thecognoscenti but this isn’t a public service like A&E. I have paid privately for a professional service and I am not receiving one.

@HintofVintagePink how is it a conflict of interest to ask about my own solicitor?
I agree with you that putting her on the spot out of working hours is impolite.

[quote Charmtaste]@HintofVintagePink how is it a conflict of interest to ask about my own solicitor?
I agree with you that putting her on the spot out of working hours is impolite.[/quote]
From your post I gathered you were intending to approach your seller’s solicitor. As you are the buyer, that would be a conflict of interest because that solicitor acts for the buyer, and not for you. There should be no direct contact between you at risk the seller’s solicitor is put at conflict.
Apologies if I have misunderstood.

Sorry, acts for the SELLER and not for you

@HintofVintagePink oh ok thanks I didn’t know it was that big of an issue if I asked if she (the sellers solicitor) had heard from my solicitor as I am only talking to her about my solicitor not about the vendor iyswim.

Update. Had a full report from solicitor and all searches are completed. Just waiting for answers to queries from vendors. Thanks for all of the advice.

@Charmtaste that sounds really positive! Fingers crossed you get into your new house soon.

Hurrah! Hope it all goes well (and quickly0 from here.