We paid a 2,000 pound reservation fee for an offplan apartment, and were supposed to pay 35% of the total purchase price 28 days later. We went with one of the real estate agent's 'recommended solicitors' and I'm not too happy with the progress, or lack of. The 28 days for the first payment was two weeks ago and it took 5 emails and 2 long distance phone calls to even get the solicitor to respond to my ever more frantic queries.

She advised then that we shouldn't sent any more money until contracts were exchanged, but she hadn't got the required info from the developer yet. After another 3 emails went unanswered I contact the main number of the solicitors office and said I wanted to speak to her that day. She then sent me a 1 line email saying that they'd seek an extension of time for the 28 day payment, and that she'd contact me 'tomorrow' with further information. That was 2 weeks ago! A further 2 emails and a phone call have gone unanswered.

Is this a usual thing in the UK, ie things moving so slowly, contracts not being drawn up within the required time, solicitors bloody ignoring perfectly reasonable requests for info? All we know about the apartment is where it is, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the total square footage! No info at all on specs, fittings, individual room sizes. I'm starting to think we've made a mistake

No it is not usual in the UK anymore than it would be anywhere else, when we bought our house it was less than 3 weeks from offer to moving in so it is just down to the individual, some good some bad.

My experience with solicitors and real estate agents in the UK has been very poor. I just sold a house under the following situations:

No chain on either side
No financing on either side (cash purchase)
Seller and buyer wanted to exchange and complete "as soon as possible"
No complications in the title or condition of the house.

- the solicitors on both sides were absolutely rubbish, poor communication, no follow-through, each side blaming the other (of course), the level of incompetence was dumbfounding.

So, I am not surprised at your experience.

It's a rare day indeed when I have something positive to say about solicitors, but having gone through an almost mirror image of your situation late last year, I can only say that I was astounded at the level of professional service we got from our solicitor. The only delay was caused due to Christmas and New Year.

I think it's hit and miss, but if you get a good-un, then keep their number for future use if needed

Too true - in fact the OP might look at how straightforward it would be to change solicitor. Oddly, for something as important as that, I think most people just go with the local solicitor, or as in the OP's case (and mine), the estate agent's recommendation. My estate agent actively dissuaded me from using the one I was going to use - instead saying if I used "their" conveyancing company - the estate agent and conveyancing company are both linked to the same national company - things would go ultra smoothly. Couldn't have been less true.

So if the OP can get a personal recommendation from someone I think that might be better than going with the one recommended by the estate agent.

Thanks for the comments all. The one matter I've seen a solicitor about here wasn't a smooth process either, so it's probably down to either bad luck or bad choices on my part, or both

Dunroving, I think you're right about 'recommendations' from agents. This one, who's in London, recommended two, neither in Liverpool but close enough (Cheshire/Wirral), and also named the developer's solicitor. I had a slight doubt about using one of the recommended ones but similar to your experience, the agent said that they had all the 'legal packs' and had been fully briefed on the development. I suppose alarm bells should have gone off when I found out from my first conversation with the one we chose that she had no idea what I was talking about I try to give people the benefit of the doubt and just thought there must have been some sort of innocent mix up.

Anyway, still haven't heard from her so I'll try one more phone call tonight (today in UK) and if I don't get a response/answers, I'll look for another one. Although God knows how - probably via eenie meenie minie mo. We haven't signed a contract yet, wanted to but she hasn't even been bothered to send the paperwork yet.

Thanks again for your thoughts all

Spoke with the solicitor's supervisor tonight - she must be on work experience or something
Apparently the hold up at the developer's solicitor's end, 'due to the high number of sales for this development'. Doesn't quite compute, but anyhow, we'll see how we go.

i hope you get this sorted soon. Nothing worse than trying to resolve some issues from half way around the world

Thanks M Yes, the tyranny of distance!

The solicitor I have been using for my late father's small estate has now taken almost 12 months for something they said would be no more than three months! They are useless! And don't get me started on Estate Agents. I have yet to find a good one here in the UK. Now that is something the Aussie agents were so much better at.

Well again it is down to the individual, our solicitor and Estate Agent here were both wonderful and made our house purchase incredibly fast and easy.