I can think of no other job where there are so many constant and almost never-ending requests for updates.
And when we get asked for an update, whether it be from the estate agents, the other solicitor or the client, we tend to have stock phrases. We write/say such things as:
“Waiting on the seller’s solicitor.”
“Waiting on the buyer’s solicitor.”
“Waiting on the result of the local authority search.”
“Waiting on the mortgage offer.”
When did these stock responses become common? I don’t remember at any point earlier in my career having to update in the same way as we do now. I have seen apps and tech where updates can be given. But the thing is that every file is different and every transaction is different and therefore every update is different.
When we say that we’re waiting on a reply from the seller’s solicitor, what specifically are we waiting for? What sort of reply do we want? If we tick the box to say we are waiting on the local authority search, do those asking about the search know what we will then be looking at, how long it will take us to check that the search is in order and consider whether there is anything that we need to investigate further?
I sometimes feel that if I tell an estate agent that I have now received the result of the local authority search, it ticks their box and lets them move onto whatever the next expected update is. I find it fascinating that there is a move towards tick box answering of questions. It is not one size fits all.
But hats off to the conveyancer this week who told the estate agent that the reason for the delay in a particular transaction was due to a global delay in the production of local authority searches.
It was one of those WHAT? moments.
I had no words to describe what I thought about that. What was the cause of the global delay? War? The Test Series? A heatwave? It was the most ridiculous reason I had ever heard – and the conveyancer told the estate agent who then told my client who told me. Did the estate agent not think it was odd and question it?
So, remember: if you want to give a reason for a delay – you now have the ultimate phrase!
This is written by a real high street conveyancer who wishes to remain anonymous. Read more in Today’s Conveyancer every week.
One Response
I’m not sure what the value of the update is because as is inferred from the article any explanation is repeated parrot fashion.
It seems too often the case that the “update” request is just some poor soul proving to their employer that they’ve made the request. Why? Presumably the employer feels that seeking regular updates and then speaking to the seller is impressive or necessary even. I think if I owned an estate agency I’d want the employees to be getting quality listings and building a community of potential buyers. I also think by now I’d have realised that listing a property without getting it purchase ready was so 20th Century and rather than Sales Progression I should concentrate on Purchase Preparation.