Q: Need some advice. I sell my flat and in the process of buying a house. The problem is the continuing concern for solictor checks here and there and everywhere to the point where I just dont have the money! I was impressed that the notary costs can be taken out equity from the sale of my apartment! Did I nieve! I understand they need money for th HPO surveys etc. but this is just becoming ridiculous. Can someone help me
One bit of advice I just learnt yesterday. My sis is selling a flat & solicitors have asked for ￡58.75 for mgmt co. to confirm ground rent all paid. My sister, called the mgmt co. & just asked them to fax her proof, they did & she faxed to solicitor. & she saved herself having to pay.
I paid this fee when i moved & really annoyed now there was a way round it. HTH.
It depends on how big the solicitor's practice is. They need money to stay a float.
You should have had a written quote for the work and everytime they ask you for money on the telephone they should send you a formal request in writing by post.
When they next ring you asking for money ask them to make the request in writing as well. Then pay the money on the same day you have received the written request.
As I happen to know that my landlord / management agent accept card payments (you can pay service charge by Switch etc.), when it came to the inevitable questions of the landlord / management agent, I instructed my solicitor to submit their request together with a note that they should contact me by telephone for payment. Sure enough, the next day I got a call, paid by switch, and the replies were with my solicitor 3 days later…!
Its not ridiculous…..you want to see the long list of questions that solicitors ask management companies!
Additional fees such as payments to the management company would be in addition to this. It's odd that your solr would ask for direct payment on this. Anytime I've sold a flat, I've had to pay the fee direct to the management company. £150 seems about right for that.
They even demanded stamp duty, even when it was exempt, they had "forgotten" that it had moved up to £125,000- I lost all confidence in them at that point. The day before completion I found out my solicitor had gone on maternity leave (did not tell me). The person who took over from her told me that I had to pay a balance of the fees that day or they would prevent the completion. So I paid it. They drew down my mortgage 5 days before completion- I can understand 1 day- I think they just wanted the interest.
I then asked for a complete breakdown of the costs, it took them about 3months to do (it was supposed to be a flat fee, so should have been simple). In the end I got no breakdown, just a refund of about £50. They have also withheld all of my documentation (copies of leases etc) which I am now in the process of getting back.
Needless to say I am not going with them for my sale…