And yet again, conveyancing life throws a curve ball but I am determined to write about what I intended to write about last week, or the momentum will disappear and it won’t be as relevant.
Regular readers may recall that I wrote about the annoyance of being told that there are enquiries outstanding when in fact the enquiry is not really an enquiry but relates to the provision of Replies to Requisitions on Title.
But there is another enquiry which is unanswerable – or was until now!
You will all know the enquiry I mean. After pages of enquiries, the last so-called enquiry is often:
“We reserve the right to raise further enquiries.”
This fills me with equal amounts of annoyance and glee, so I’m providing a selection of answers which I would like to see conveyancers adopt in relation to this ‘query’.
Some are serious and some are clearly tongue in cheek – but I would like to start a revolution with the answers to this query to make others realise how pointless it is.
So here are some possible answers:
- We note your position and you can rest assured that we will respond promptly to any further reasonable enquiries.
- We acknowledge your reservation; however, we hope and trust that any such further enquiries will be relevant and limited to matters that are material and proportionate to this particular transaction.
- We note that you reserve the right to raise further enquiries. Could we ask that you do so as soon as possible in order to avoid any unnecessary delay?
- We note that you reserve the right to raise further enquiries, but for the avoidance of doubt, do you not think that the replies provided are sufficient? We believe that no further enquiries are necessary.
- We note that you may wish to raise further queries. Please can you ensure that such enquiries, if necessary, are relevant, specific and relate to this transaction?
- Noted – we reserve the right to put the kettle on and wait for the queries to arrive.
- Understood – we are looking at the inbox in excited anticipation.
- Noted – in conveyancing, as in life, there are always further enquiries.
- But of course – conveyancing would not be complete without the possibility of further enquiries.
- Of course – we await the next instalment of this transaction with bated breath.
Please feel free to use any or all of these.
I would like to say that I look forward to reading them – but as I never raise that as an enquiry, you will never need to answer me with any of my suggestions!
This column is written by a real high street conveyancer who wishes to remain anonymous. Read more in Today’s Conveyancer every week.
4 responses
I’ve never understood why the right has to be “reserved”. Surely until exchange one can always raise further enquiries, even if some are ridiculous ones.
My response: Noted, and if those enquiries ae superfluous, I reserve the right to ignore them.
If I was still practicing I’d be tempted to use the one about putting the kettle on 🤣
Not to be an anorak, and happy to stand corrected, but think it relates back to the timescale we are all supposed to adhere to (in a world where time has any meaning) as set out in clauses 4.2, 4.3 and 4.6 SCS. Presumably we are supposed to be raising Enquiries (requisitions) and replying, within these timescales (lol, obviously) and where we are likely to miss the deadline we have to “reserve the right to raise further enquiries” … ?
Why not try “you’ve had your chance to ask questions, we’re not giving you another one” 😂 (I’m sure that will go down like a lead balloon)