Crazy solicitor

Call your solicitor and make it very clear to them that you can’t accept any further unexplained delays and that when you send them an email in future you expect a response within a day or so, or within whatever you think is a reasonable timeframe.

I had a relative go through something similar. Their solicitor dragged a fairly straightforward process out for over eighteen months, missing every date / deadline that had been agreed and leaving her chasing them and leaving messages continually. It was crazy. There was substantial money involved and eventually she felt that she had no option but to move the business to a different solicitor who dealt with it promptly and efficiently.

Is there a reason why you are unable to make a phone call to them?

Email is simply unreliable. Can end up in spam folders, get lost quickly amongst dozens of other mails or simply forgotten.

A simple phone call is always best.

"Hi Mary, I believe the contracts are in, does tomorrow afternoon at 4 suit you for us to call in to sign them"

So basically I am afraid now to call again and put a pressure, if she don't want to answer or tell me anything, what the f.uck can I do?

would you be afraid to ask a waiter where your food is, if you asked once but it still hadn't come? your the consumer. you will pay the solicitor's bill at the end of this process.

I mean this well, but act like a grownup and tell the assistant you want to speak directly to the solicitor. Tell the solicitor you are unhappy with the response times and lack of updates. Tell them directly and calmly. Address your concerns now, while the solicitor has time to improve the service.

I had this on my first house purchase. I eventually just went to the office and sat there until she saw me and demanded action or I was going to come back and tell all others coming into the office how bad she was.

It worked and I never used her again.

They're the worst bottleneck in any property transaction I've been involved with. They're probably sitting on someone's money, so they've no inclination to move on anything. The only way out of this loop is to hassle them with phone calls. He who shouts loudest works in these cases, keep calling your solicitor, hassle them, be loud and demanding.

I would call the office back and tell them you are not happy with their performance and you have decided to use another solicitor. I guarantee they wont be long getting back to you after that.

Call the assistant and tell them you want to schedule an appointment with the solicitor. On zoom if she insists she's remote. The meeting agenda is to sign or hear why you shouldn't.

It's the assistant's job to email the solicitor - not yours. If the assistant hasn't sent you the date+time within an hour, call back. Keep doing it hourly, until they do schedule the appointment.

Be totally polite, but very firm. You are paying them, not the other way round!

Potentially something going on personally with the solicitor that’s impacting their work- experienced similar years ago with a solicitors practice- that solicitor eventually left the firm under a cloud I believe - not an easy situation - solicitor is being a 24 carret dick/dickess in my view but try and keep assertive rather than aggressive until all done but I know it’s not easy.

"I was polite, firm but worried"

They're solicitors, bottom feeders, they create nothing & feed off others. OP is paying them to do something they're not doing. I've shouted down the phone at them to get their arses in gear and it works, they want me gone so they clear me off their desk. Works every time.

They wouldn't be anxious if they did the work in a timely and professional manner.

I wouldn't call every 2 days, but every 2 weeks rather. And if there's no movement in 3 months, I'd change a solicitor. How long did it pass now and did the solicitor do anything yet?