After part one was published last week, The Secret High Street Conveyancer explores how the afternoon shift goes…
I hardly have time to contemplate what the next 10 years of my life before the afternoon shift begins! A quick lunch hurriedly eaten at my desk, watching the emails mount up in my in box, and then back to it. Gone are the days when we could actually nip out and get some fresh air. And back to it…
The phone rings
Hello, this is Mrs. Jones – you acted for me when I bought my house a few years ago and I am now remortgaging and the solicitors acting for me have asked for copies of my deeds. Can you get them and send them to me please
Hello Mrs. Jones. Do you remember that on completion I sent you copies of your title which you can download from the Land Registry? All you need to do is look at those and you will see something called a Title number. Just give that number to the Land Registry. It will start with two letters, probably DN. Your solicitor should know this.
Thank you. So I don’t have any deeds then. They told me I had to get them from you
No, most properties, and definitely your property, are registered at the Land Registry. Your solicitor should know this.
Well they aren’t that good, but they are free. Can I ask that they call you if they don’t know what they are meant to be looking for?
Well let’s see if you can find the number to give to them. In fact, hold on and let me look it up at the Land Registry while we are talking. Here you are… it is DN12345
Thank you
Hangs up the phone
Well at least, Mrs Jones said thank you! But a waste of my time other than she will remember that I was helpful and is more likely to come back to me when she decides to sell her house in the future.
The phone rings
Hello, this is Mr. Davidson. The estate agents have told me that the seller’s solicitor sent you the draft contract documents over lunch. Have you looked at them yet? We really need to get a move on with this as there is far too much delay.
Thank you Mr Davidson. Let me look. Oh yes, I can see among the 150 emails I received during my ten minute lunch break that I have received the draft contract documents from the seller’s solicitor.
So can you get a move on and look at them quickly. We need to move.
I will look at them as soon as I can but I have been waiting eight weeks for them.
Well, that’s not my fault. Just get on with it please. I will call you in an hour to check that you have done it
Mr Davidson abruptly hangs up but the phone rings again instantly.
Hello, this is Vanessa. Mr Davidson is trying to speak with you as the seller’s solicitor have told me that they have sent you the draft contract documents. I am concerned the seller will pull out if you don’t deal with these quickly.
Hello, I have just spoken with Mr. Davidson and as I mentioned to him, I have received the draft contract documents over the lunch break. I hope that you mentioned to the sellers that I have been waiting for the draft contract documents from their solicitor for eight weeks…
Yes, but you have them now so if you could make it a priority, that would help. I have a big bonus riding on this one and even though we recommend the seller’s solicitor, they are just swamped with work so anything you could do would be appreciated.
Ok . I will see what I can do
Hangs up the phone
Big bonus and no doubt a referral fee as well… I look at the clock. Ten past two… only three more hours to go….
This is written by a real high street conveyancer who wishes to remain anonymous. Read more in Today’s Conveyancer every week.
5 responses
Not sure how useful this negativity is on a sunny September morning.
I get it. Your readership are lawyers – they get it too.
Now, more than ever, commentators need to lift spirits and generate positivity – not sure what this is achieving beyond sympathetic head nodding and disgruntled tut-tutting.
Come on High Street – sounds like you had neggy bread for breakfast instead of chirpy bowl of Cheerios.
Of course you would say that Peter Ambrose. You’re not a conveyancer, you’re a law firm owner who’s never handled a caseload of his own ever because he doesn’t know the law.
However, when you are stuck as piggy in the middle between 2 conveyancing factories, on a sale and purchase, of course your client (and everyone else in the chain) is going to be looking to you for updates as no one else will talk to them.
Estate agents have made a rod for their own back. Clients never remember anything you have told them so please don’t expect perfection when filling out TA6s.
After reading this I wonder why anyone new would be joining this profession.
Exactly why I left the profession because i was not allowed to tell it how it is.
If someone has received 150 emails over lunch or in a day or in the space of 3 days they have too much work on and need to off load some files and not take as much work on. I would suggest starting with the Mr Davidson file… I’m quite happy being straight to the point with clients and 90% of the time it works and gets more respect. Yes I have received the contract pack, yes I have ordered the searches and the paperwork will be reviewed within the next 10 days reported on and enquiries raised. If the client does not like it they can take the file to another law firm. Simple.