Solicitors- come and rant

[iloveyoubutilovememore]

Can someone please explain to me why some not all solicitors seem to drag their heels when it comes to buying or selling a property? We are around six weeks into buying and selling, chain of four and our sellers solicitor is being incredibly slow and difficult. Luckily, I am in contact with our seller who is very nice and cooperative, She has messaged me today to say that when she asked her solicitor if they had the searches back for the house she is buying. They have told her they will have them no sooner than 7th November! Bear in mind that ours in the same area took five days. Why are they dragging their hills?! Anyone else in a similar situation?

Are they solicitors though? Or these crap "conveyancers" (who are usually recommended by the EA because they get a cut) Some of these organisations are not at all professional or accountable but people use them because they are cheap. You get what you pay for.

@TheGrimSmile some Licensed Conveyancers can be really good. The problem is that it’s all too easy to set up the conveyancing factory type business.

We sold a house a couple of years ago. Cash buyer, no chain but buyer needed a firm deadline because of giving notice on their rented accommodation. The house was inherited and we had used it as a holiday home so vacant possession and fairly easy for us.
Our solicitor started to drag their heels and I suspected it was due to us not being local and second home owners.
The estate agent was becoming frantic as the deadline approached. Everything was in place and it was just a case of our solicitor preparing the contract.
So I rang the solicitor and let them know that despite us not being local most of our family are and I will let them know not to use the firm in the future. It’s a small town and they rely on local business.
Everything went through the following day.
I was very pleasant but firm, pointing out that the buyer was a local and it was not going to be their second home. Having bought and sold a fair few properties I know that it is possible to fast track and exchange and complete in 14days subject to there being no major queries. The solicitor waffled on about the ins and outs of conveyancing but I reminded her that according to communications everything was complete and ready to go. I honestly think that they rely on the general publics ignorance re timescale and process.
Also you can exchange and complete on the same day.