What to do when solicitors don’t respond

[Willwemove]

We are currently in the process of selling our place and buying somewhere else. We have less than 8 weeks left on our mortgage offer and won’t be in a position to reapply. Our buyer’s solicitor has requested a deed of variation on the flat we’re selling which could take up to 8 weeks to produce so we need immediate attention by our solicitor as this hasn’t been actioned yet. However, how solicitor just does not reply to emails or calls. We have been trying most of last week and all morning. We have filed a complaint. Our estate agent has also chased many times. We are at our wits end. The solicitor’s office is an hour away but we would be prepared to go there. Any advice?

I would go there- unless you are paid thousands a day it's worth it, it's tricky with solicitors as they hold so much power - you have to be firm but friendly, keep them on the back foot with direct questions that show you're informed. The nuclear option is to politely request details of how you can raise complaints and whether there is legal action you'd be able to retake to cover losses in the case of negligence or unreasonable delays... i.e., is there something else they can be doing while the deed is in process- they often don't seem to take it upon themselves to think ahead- which they see as your job (but they don't mention that!)

with the time you've got left you could consider switching firms (another bargaining chip)- some solicitors are fantastic

I'd be on my way to the office for sure

Our buyer’s solicitor has requested a deed of variation on the flat we’re selling
Is this reasonable? Do you have to comply?

Yes, quite common on a freehold properties nowadays unfortunately but we have offered indemnity insurance instead which would take the time pressure off

Send your complaint to all the relevant partners in the firm directly to their emails (titled complaint in the header). You should be able to work out their email addresses even if it’s not on the website as will be the same format the solicitor assigned your file.
It’s not the procedure that will be in their complaint policy but it is how we got things moving the same day when our sale was a risk of collapsing and we were struggling to get any response from the solicitors.

Leasehold I mean!

Deed of variation on the lease?

What is this for, and why? This is effectively altering the lease of the property and will need to go through approval by the freeholder, who will then expect you to pay their legal fees too.

Is it really necessary?!

It’s been approved by the freeholder but the freeholder has advised it will cost us £1500 plus VAT and may not be ready in time. It’s to add a mortgagee protection clause so instead we’ve offered forfeiture of lease indemnity insurance to the buyer’s solicitor but the problem is that our solicitors are so unresponsive and that we don’t know if this is acceptable to the buyer’s lender or if we need to action the deed of variation. Can’t even get hold of the complaints team now either!

We moved in August and our solicitor was useless. We wrote a complaint afterwards and got a standard response saying they have changed their processes ect which is unlikely.

Just keep chasing is all I can suggest

Keep chasing! We've just had a deed of variation for our remortgage - freehold not lease hold and the house builder had to sign. They did this within a week for £100. Worth a second opinion if they are already being useless?

Sorry, I know it's different circumstances so obviously might not be appropriate.

But each firm will have a senior/managing partner, call reception and ask to speak to them. Or their number might be on the website. Good luck!