There are times in conveyancing land when we need to take a deep breath and decide that the best course of action is often to do nothing when provoked. This happened to me this week. I am sure that is a scenario that many of you will relate to!
I am acting for a lovely longstanding client in the purchase of his new home. Other than a few minor outstanding points, we are ready to proceed. But I am sorry to say that the sellers’ solicitor has been less than helpful and really un-proactive.
In his frustration, my client emailed the sellers’ solicitor. And after weeks of silence, this provoked the sellers’ solicitor into action and my client then found himself being severely rebuked by the sellers’ solicitor within five minutes of his email. Clearly, my client was even more frustrated as he did not understand why there was an immediate response to his direct email just enquiring if there was a reason for the continuing delay when we had heard nothing back for weeks.
I was incredibly apologetic to the sellers’ solicitor but he was clearly not in a good mood on that day as he very bluntly told me that I was to tell my client that he expected an apology , via me, and wanted me to undertake that my client would not contact him or his client again. I thought that was all a little extreme, especially as the sale had been agreed on a private basis – there were no agents so what was my client meant to do when we actually did get to completion and we needed to sort out the hand over of the keys! Obviously, I could not and would not provide such an undertaking and the sellers’ solicitor said he would need to advise his clients not to proceed.
I did manage to smooth it all over by effusively apologising for my client’s email and confirming that I would ask my client not to do so again, but then what happened? My client felt so bad about how he had put me in the firing line, he decided he would try to help (even though I had told him by this stage to do nothing more!) and he telephoned the sellers’ solicitor to apologise. This led the sellers’ solicitor to call me to ask me to make it clear to me that I was to ensure that my client was made aware that it was a breach of protocol for my client to contact him direct.
And all of this because my client was frustrated by the lack of progress – and how did this all then look to my client? The sellers’ solicitor was quick enough to counter any criticism of him but four days later, those enquiries are still outstanding…
My client is still frustrated and I have to sit quietly and see what will happen next….just answer those queries when you get them! and remember clients do not all understand that we are in fact their voices in the transaction. All a client wants to do is buy or sell a house. They do not want to see solicitors game playing.
3 Responses
Pretty much sums up why the public have lost all respect for the profession over the last couple of decades.
Take a splash of narcissm, upon a double shot of ‘delusion de grandeur’. Then garnish with a slice of sociopathy.
The Conveyancers cocktail.
Far more patient than I would have been. It is a clear situation, “if you had acted professionally and quickly my client would not have contacted you direct.” All they are doing is proving that estate agent chasing is sometimes required!
Communication in our industry is absolutely shocking and I am not surprised to see this happen. I am actually surprised it has not happened more. Too many Solicitors and Conveyancers do not pick up the phone anymore to speak about cases, they rarely reply to emails and a lot of proactivity has disappeared. What has happened to customer service? I think clients are now adjusted to poor communication that they merely accept it. A lot of Solicitors/Conveyancers do what they want when they want. For me this is all a result of COVID. Everyone got used to working from home and not having access to reception/face to face meetings/proper phone lines. Even simple things do not get communicated. E.g. I deliberately put a 10% deposit in the contract every time I send one out because I am sick and tired of getting to exchange and a reduced deposit being put forward. However, lo and behold, today, after 4 months, I get to exchange and the buyers conveyancer offer 5%. Where is the communication? Why have I not been afforded the opportunity of giving my client advice about accepting a reduced deposit. Come on professionals…