Can you ask your buyers to change solicitors?

[Lunapuf5]

We have just sold subject to contract and just got to see who the buyers solicitors are on the memorandum of sale and they have a terrible reputation and could slow us down massively leading to our sale falling through and losing money. Could we request for them to change their solicitors now since we are just at the beginning of the process and impose it as a requirement otherwise we'll pull out?

You can ask, but frankly you’d come across as entitled. People are allowed to choose their own legal counsel. You can reiterate your need for speed of course, but I wouldn’t think highly of someone who told me which solicitors to choose.

My solicitor's were absolutely dire, they really delayed things. I nearly lost my buyer. I wish I'd complained about them, they were struck off shortly after.

I'm entitled because I don't want to lose money and time and risk our sale falling through? Their solicitors have only one star reviews with many people saying they had to take legal action against them. That's how bad they are

Would you pay them to use another solicitor ?

Yes you should ask them to change - hopefully they might not have read the reviews so might be grateful of the heads up. They probably went for the cheapest firm. We sold a house a couple of years ago and the buyers tried to use a terrible Chelmsford firm. They refused to change so we went with the next buyers as we couldn't afford to take the risk.

You can ask but you've no leverage.

I'd think you were batshit if you asked me though, it would make me consider pulling out as it suggests you're a pita/boundary pusher.

You're entitled because you think your opinion of someone else's choices means you get to dictate their life choices.
It's not going to fly. If I was your buyers I'd run a mile from your helicoptering. I don't even know who my buyers' solicitors are and we're about 4 weeks into our sale.

You can ask but be prepared for them to say no. Would you change your solicitor at the buyer's request?

Their choices affect the whole process- it would be a huge disadvantage to us and to themselves. Read what I said carefully- their OWN clients had to take legal actions against this conveyancing company. Luckily, you are not our buyer. We had many offers to choose from after 4 days including 2 cash buyers, so I have every right to say something since it involves my time and money.

If I was informed that my solicitor was terrible and I loved the property for sure! When we first time buyers we used our brokers recommended solicitors and they were absolutely useless- it was a disadvantage to ourselves and to the vendor so if they had warned me off from them being terrible I would definitely consider it. I have other buyers lined up so if they say no its not a big deal to us luckily

I have every right to say something since it involves my time and money

Ask away. You sound pretty hard work. Every sale/purchase involves time and money, you're not special.

Um, you could be calling pretty quickly on those other buyers because your all-about-me attitude is going to make the current ones run for the hills! I suggest softening your tone and approaching it more from the stance of 'Have you seen the reviews? We're concerned' rather than 'We insist you change your solicitor'. You've got a long road ahead and you really don't want to start laying down the law at this stage. Keep it in reserve for when it really matters!

You can ask but doesn't mean they will change.

I work with part exchange properties and see memorandum of sales weekly with horrendous solicitors (PPL, simply conveyancing, Taylor Rose etc) and it's always the corporate estate agents like Connells who recommend them as they get a cut. They're infuriating and just in a world of their own so completely understand where you're coming from.

I'd approach the agents and express your concerns that they may hold up the sale which would result in yourselves and the buyers losing money and ask they consider the solicitors they're using.

Nope.

My tone reflects your earlier reply, where you told me you'd run for the hills if you were our buyer.
We would definitely not have that tone with our buyer who was ever so lovely, we would simply inform her and give her a heads up about the reviews, which maybe she did not even read especially if she went with her broker's recommendation and ask if she would be willing to change as we fear it would slow the whole process down not only for us but for her as well. If she refuses she has every right to, but we have every right to pull out too

Honestly I don’t see why you’ve posted here when all you’re looking for is for people to validate your choice.

You asked: can I do this? Yes you can, but you’d come across as entitled. You’ll give the impression that you think your view of their solicitor trumps the reasons why they’ve chosen them, and that you think you know better than them.

You've got a long road ahead and you really don't want to start laying down the law at this stage.

This. You can pick the buyer with the 'best' solicitor and it can still all go wrong.

I would run a mile from a seller who thought they could tell me which solicitor to use.

Well good for you what can I say go ahead and use shitty solicitors because you can't accept someone telling you they fear it would massively delay things for them and for yourself. I would be grateful if my vendor would warn me about terrible solicitors. Unfortunately as first time buyers we weren't lucky enough to know of our solicitors reputation and we were extremely delayed.

If you are that worried OP, withdraw your acceptance of their offer and go with someone else

It amazes me how many people will entrust a cheap or unrecommended conveyancer with the biggest purchase of their lives. Look at all the buyers that got stiffed by the big house builders that sold them lease holds for houses that should have been freeholds, and then they sold the leaseholds to investors.
So, you are not entitled. You’re helpful and sensible. If your buyer doesn’t see sense then take one of the other offers. Just be polite and diplomatic.

I wasn't the poster who said that, actually.

• My tone reflects your earlier reply, where you told me you'd run for the hills if you were our buyer. We would definitely not have that tone with our buyer who was ever so lovely, we would simply inform her and give her a heads up about the reviews, which maybe she did not even read especially if she went with her broker's recommendation and ask if she would be willing to change as we fear it would slow the whole process down not only for us but for her as well. If she refuses she has every right to, but we have every right to pull out too*

But your first post clearly states
That you're thinking of imposing it as a condition of sale.

Can I respectfully suggest you re-look at how you word messages and your tone? It may be reasonable to make a suggestion that they look at reviews, but your posts on here have come across as quite entitled and aggressive.

I know. I'm simply saying that I am very worried about going through with this sale considering the extremely bad reviews these solicitors have been getting, to the point of legal action. We literally can't afford to lose this much money and time as we worked really hard saving it. We too used bad solicitors as first time buyers and we would have genuinely appreciated being warned off about it. We'll tell her is she would like to have a look at the reviews and decide for herself because it would mean a huge delay for us and for her as well. If she still will like to go ahead with them after our warning then we'd just sadly have to withdraw the acceptance of the offer. I will definitely not force her to do anything if she does jot want to.

So patronising to think she wouldn’t have seen the reviews. Perhaps she’s used them before and had fantastic service? Perhaps she’s a director of the company and confident in getting great service? Of course you’ve worked hard for the money and don’t want to lose it. That’s standard, and I’m sure she feels the same.