I purchased a small property with my offer accepted in July 2021. Over the next 5 months, I had to fight to get a response from my solicitor, with emails either going unanswered or taking up to two weeks for a basic response, and no answer on the phone. The process dragged on for months with no explanation as to why. I was only able to get updates by going around my solicitor to paralegals and legal secretaries (who to their credit were lovely and very helpful).
I logged a formal complaint after receiving a patronising and disrespectful email from my solicitor chiding me for being frustrated and stating that "the process is complex and takes time." When I replied and said I was aware that purchasing a property was complex and time-consuming, but that I objected to the fact that I was not being given specifics as to why the process was taking so long, I didn't receive a reply. Logging the formal complaint with the Head of Conveyancing received a prompt response, but I was again fobbed off and told that I had received plenty of communication about my purchase. I had to clarify that I only received updates because I proactively pushed for them by going around my solicitor. To this, there was no response. To not receive a response to a complaint about lack of communication is, frankly, incredible.
I eventually found the reason for the delay (a defect in the lease) but was not notified by my solicitor, but by the sales manager at the estate agent. Fast forward to 2 months post-completion, I find out that they failed to notify the management company of new ownership when this should have been done upon completion.
I was made to feel like a nuisance for asking for brief updates twice a month, dismissed when I raised concerns and the behaviour of higher ranking partners in the company was arrogant and patronising. As a first-time buyer, it was a truly awful experience which made the stressful process of buying a property even more so.
