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Original poster

Last minute delay for completion nightmare

378 replies

wishIwasonholiday10 · 23/11/2023 13:36

We are supposed to be completing today but our lawyers IT system is completely down and they have been unable to transfer the money. Has anyone experienced something similar and what happened next? Our sellers just rung us panicking as they have had all their stuff packed up and we have loads to deliveries booked to the new house tomorrow (whiteware, furniture etc). We are bottom of the chain - will be liable for everyone’s costs even if it’s our lawyers fault?

OP posts:
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8
Carlymc3107 · 04/12/2023 20:22

@LynBin100 did you manage to exchange with TR

LynBin100 · 04/12/2023 20:26

Carlymc3107 · 04/12/2023 20:22

@LynBin100 did you manage to exchange with TR

Nope. On Friday one of the Solicitors in our chain was 'unavailable' and today one of the Solicitors in our chain needed a release form. My Solicitor assures me that TR are ready to exchange though. Hopeful for tomorrow (as with every day).

LinL · 04/12/2023 20:52

CBcats · 04/12/2023 17:20

We just exchanged! With Setfords exchanged today for completion Friday. They are back up and running

really hoping that’s the case for all this week x

Did you have to waive your rights of recourse? We're with Setfords too, and our solicitors said we can exchange but he doesn't have all the old files and notes so if we exchange now, it's done at our own risks and we'll have to waive our rights.

Carlymc3107 · 04/12/2023 21:10

@PurpleWisteria1 did you get any update from TR?

CBcats · 04/12/2023 22:36

@LinL no we didn’t, I think as they are all independent solicitors under one head office they can work differently ? Ours have been excellent ( used her for our move 5 years ago as well) and she still keeps hard copies of everything so no problems with paperwork . They just had to get the new system approved and running and confirmation from our lender that they were happy to release funds before exchange. Sounds like your branch didn’t keep paper copies on file ?
Have they told you how they are going to move forward then ? What do they do about the case files ? So sorry you are still in limbo

LinL · 04/12/2023 22:48

CBcats · 04/12/2023 22:36

@LinL no we didn’t, I think as they are all independent solicitors under one head office they can work differently ? Ours have been excellent ( used her for our move 5 years ago as well) and she still keeps hard copies of everything so no problems with paperwork . They just had to get the new system approved and running and confirmation from our lender that they were happy to release funds before exchange. Sounds like your branch didn’t keep paper copies on file ?
Have they told you how they are going to move forward then ? What do they do about the case files ? So sorry you are still in limbo

great news for you!
out solicitors said we either exchange now and waive our rights or wait until all files are restored which will likely to be next year. We are very keen to move forward but don’t feel comfortable waiving our rights for their systems fault. It’s a very difficult decision!
we will also miss the deadline to move into the catchment area. I tried asking for an extension but haven’t heard back. Anyone has any experience on this?

CBcats · 04/12/2023 22:54

@LinL god that’s ridiculous, I would maybe use us as a example of how had they had sufficient back up systems in place you could be exchanging now so it’s on them to get things sorted now, not in the new year ?!
they should have all emails as that’s not affected and should be able to pull together files and put the hours in themselves to rewrite case notes I would say ? A new solicitor would get it done in 2 weeks if they had to ( I asked one ) so they need to do the same ? I’d be furious - so so sorry for you x

Chasingsquirrels · 04/12/2023 23:39

My parents have also been caught by this, not their solicitor but another in the chain. They were hoping to exchange on Fri 24th Nov with completion Thu 7th Dec. Delayed on 24th but not told why until last week, and that completion wouldn't be happening on 7th. Now provisional for Thu 14th, but not exchanged yet and as of today their solicitor wasn't able to update further. Don't know which firm the affected solicitor is.

PurpleWisteria1 · 05/12/2023 00:05

Carlymc3107 · 04/12/2023 21:10

@PurpleWisteria1 did you get any update from TR?

Nothing since Thursday - we’ve gone onto SVR. Anyone else had any updates from TR?

anyusernamesnotused · 05/12/2023 08:35

@LynBin100 thinking of you today, fingers crossed and good luck.

Best of luck to everyone else waiting too.

LynBin100 · 05/12/2023 08:39

@anyusernamesnotused Smile thank you, that's so kind. I've just sent my 7th 'yes I'll be happy to exchange today' email to my Solicitors. Fingers crossed. Trust me, the champagne is very cold by now!!

LinL · 05/12/2023 08:42

CBcats · 04/12/2023 22:54

@LinL god that’s ridiculous, I would maybe use us as a example of how had they had sufficient back up systems in place you could be exchanging now so it’s on them to get things sorted now, not in the new year ?!
they should have all emails as that’s not affected and should be able to pull together files and put the hours in themselves to rewrite case notes I would say ? A new solicitor would get it done in 2 weeks if they had to ( I asked one ) so they need to do the same ? I’d be furious - so so sorry for you x

You're right, it's totally their mess and they've to sort it out! I'm going to make it clear to them that if the chain falls apart, it's on them. Let's see!

CBcats · 05/12/2023 08:49

@LinL ask then for the complaints contact at head office (we did) as you need to start the process whilst things are happening. Ask them to confirm that as a branch they don’t have any paper / hard copies on file, and to confirm that that is the only reason exchange (without risk) is not possible as they have an approved case management system up and running so otherwise should be able to, other branches are currently doing. I suspect they have a list to get through and are prioritising cases so get your shouty big girl pants on don’t let them swerve this ! Ooooohhh sooo angry on your behalf, get on that phone and don’t get off till they commit to do something urgently and this week!! 😡

anyusernamesnotused · 05/12/2023 08:51

@LinL are they going to waive their fees if you waive your rights?

Otherwise what exactly are you paying them for?

These solicitors are not handling it very well are they!

LynBin100 · 05/12/2023 08:51

@CBcats @LinL it's ridiculous isn't it that any company would not keep hard copy files, even if they put them onto a proprietary system! I do believe though, that with CTS the emails were also part of that system so some Solicitors could access nothing.

CBcats · 05/12/2023 08:58

@LinL @LynBin100 hopefully not the case at Setfords - certainly with my branch emails weren’t compromised - bit weird if they have different policies for each branch ? Finger crossed for better news x

anyusernamesnotused · 05/12/2023 09:51

Looks like some good news for us today!

My buyers solicitor has now decided that they can apply for the mortgage funds manually so we are now agreeing a completion date for Friday!!

LynBin100 · 05/12/2023 10:38

anyusernamesnotused · 05/12/2023 09:51

Looks like some good news for us today!

My buyers solicitor has now decided that they can apply for the mortgage funds manually so we are now agreeing a completion date for Friday!!

@anyusernamesnotused ooooh, that's great news. Well done !

alicefenton88 · 05/12/2023 10:51

Great! Who are you with?

alicefenton88 · 05/12/2023 10:51

I’ve just contacted TR and received one bounceback email from the contacts, so three of them have turned off the message about the cyber attack. Hopefully this means they’re back online.

KeyboardMash · 05/12/2023 11:05

I just called Taylor Rose Peterborough branch that my original letter was posted from and got an absolute rote response of "because it's a third party system we're just waiting to be told by them when we can go back online - we don't know when it will be". They hope it will be "soon". But no indication of what that actually means. Not even an expression of understanding that it must be frustrating! Absolutely fecking useless. 🙄

LynBin100 · 05/12/2023 11:12

@KeyboardMash terrible. What kind of transaction is yours? Was this re-mortgage? Our middle vendor is with TR Peterborough who have said they are ready to exchange (sale and purchase) and have been since Friday. If the system is up and running, it's running. If they are prioritising that's a different matter.

kalalondon · 05/12/2023 11:46

alicefenton88 · 05/12/2023 10:51

I’ve just contacted TR and received one bounceback email from the contacts, so three of them have turned off the message about the cyber attack. Hopefully this means they’re back online.

This is the response that I got today from Taylor Rose. For clarity, mine's a remortgage. From what I can gather, they appear to be processing purchases/sales manually and won't do anything for remortgages until their systems are back up. That could be a choice or it could be something to do with how remortgages are processed and how that system is linked to the lenders' systems. No idea!

"We still do not have access. Progress with the 3rd party IT supplier is slower than we had hoped for, however we are hoping that it is a matter of days rather than weeks. I am sorry that we have no additional information right now, we are stuck depending on limited updates from the 3rd party."

ELS014 · 05/12/2023 11:48

So happy for all the people gaining movement on this!

We found out late yesterday that Setfords had told my buyers not to send deposit funds or contracts back during the cyber attack as it was not safe to do so, and kept us in the dark, saying the only thing they needed was mortgage funds requested when they were back up and running, so we have been delayed further to the 15th December for completion with an exchange this week.

alicefenton88 · 05/12/2023 12:05

Just so terrible that different people are receiving different responses, from the same branch! They either have a manual solution or they don’t. And understandable to prioritise certain cases over others, but they should be more transparent. Why they have not taken ownership of the situation and sent out updates to impacted clients every day to avoid all the incoming questions is beyond me!