Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
responding to many letters or phone messages.

The case concerns a will and an old trust. Despite the trust being quite
straightforward neither the solicitors acting as executors nor the other
beneficiaries' solicitors could agree how it should be administered.

We originally engaged a solicitor who specialised in contentious wills
and trusts but after 18 months he took early retirement without telling
us. The first we knew was when a partner in the firm wrote to us 3
months later to say he'd just found the case after going through
solicitor no.1's papers.

We replied expressing our unhappiness and lack of confidence in our case
being handled properly; we copied in the firm's complaints manager.

Solicitor no.2 assured us that he was experienced in the relevant areas
but pretty much had a tantrum at our temerity to involve the complaints
manager.

So we agreed to let him represent us and eventually paid for a barrister
to write an opinion. The opinion was pretty clear, even to me, but
solicitor no.2 said it was very complex, "even for me", and insisted we
needed a meeting with the barrister to explain things (In all £3500 for
a 7 page document and a 45 minute Zoom meeting). Hearteningly the
barrister's explanation matched my understanding. Solicitor no.2 said
that he would draft letters to the executors, other beneficiaries and
the trust's surviving trustee laying out the required actions.

That was two months ago. Since then we've written three times and left
two telephone messages at the firm. Still no response.

How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're reluctant
to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not to represent
us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get another solicitor. I
have wondered whether having an informal chat with the firm's complaints
manager might be a good start. Or even asking for another solicitor at
the firm to take over.

--
Sig's sig

sig <sig@sig.com> wrote:
> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
> By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
> responding to many letters or phone messages.

[snip]

> How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're reluctant
> to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not to represent
> us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get another solicitor. I
> have wondered whether having an informal chat with the firm's complaints
> manager might be a good start. Or even asking for another solicitor at
> the firm to take over.

I'd say you're pretty well fucked at that firm. I think the proper
venue for your complaint would be the Bar Council. But that's unlikely
to get the job completed soon. Probably best to go to take your papers
to another firm entirely.

IANAL, etc.

--
FJR1300A, GL1000, KLR650A6F, EX250J9A, DR200SE, Vespa Ciao

Mark Olson <olsonm@tiny.invalid> wrote in
news:t96ukr$jcs$1@dont-email.me:

> sig <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
>> By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
>> responding to many letters or phone messages.
>
> [snip]
>
>> How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're
>> reluctant to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not
>> to represent us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get
>> another solicitor. I have wondered whether having an informal chat
>> with the firm's complaints manager might be a good start. Or even
>> asking for another solicitor at the firm to take over.
>

you really do need to make a formal complaint to the solicitor or their
employer if it is a firm as you imply

> I'd say you're pretty well fucked at that firm. I think the proper
> venue for your complaint would be the Bar Council. But that's unlikely
> to get the job completed soon. Probably best to go to take your papers
> to another firm entirely.
>
> IANAL, etc.
>

the Bar council only regulates barristers

solicitors have a different regulator. https://www.sra.org.uk/ in
England & Wales.

The regulator is unlikely to take an interest until the solicitor's
internal complaints process has been exhausted. This is pretty standard
in the UK.

On 25/06/2022 12:13, sig wrote:
> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
It would probably be a anyone who has had dealing with one via a house sale.

> By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
> responding to many letters or phone messages.
See above.

>
> The case concerns a will and an old trust. Despite the trust being quite
> straightforward neither the solicitors acting as executors nor the other
> beneficiaries' solicitors could agree how it should be administered.

I can only assume it is because of the trust a solicitor is involved.
<snip>

> How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're reluctant
> to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not to represent
> us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get another solicitor. I
> have wondered whether having an informal chat with the firm's complaints
> manager might be a good start. Or even asking for another solicitor at
> the firm to take over.
>
Defo put the compliant in.
And consider taking the work else where. If possible let them take you
to the small claims court, especially if you can prove they have not
done things they said they would.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote in
news:t97777$3imr7$1@dont-email.me:

> On 25/06/2022 12:13, sig wrote:
>> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
> It would probably be a anyone who has had dealing with one via a house
> sale.
>
>> By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
>> responding to many letters or phone messages.
> See above.
>
>>
>> The case concerns a will and an old trust. Despite the trust being
>> quite straightforward neither the solicitors acting as executors nor
>> the other beneficiaries' solicitors could agree how it should be
>> administered.
>
> I can only assume it is because of the trust a solicitor is involved.
> <snip>
>
>> How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're
>> reluctant to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not
>> to represent us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get
>> another solicitor. I have wondered whether having an informal chat
>> with the firm's complaints manager might be a good start. Or even
>> asking for another solicitor at the firm to take over.
>>
> Defo put the compliant in.
> And consider taking the work else where. If possible let them take you
> to the small claims court, especially if you can prove they have not
> done things they said they would.
>

the only problem with that is that they hold the papers such as the
barrister's report and may not release these until the account is
settled

On 25/06/2022 16:42, wessie wrote:
> YTC#1 <bdp@ytc1-spambin.co.uk> wrote in
> news:t97777$3imr7$1@dont-email.me:
>
>> On 25/06/2022 12:13, sig wrote:
>>> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
>> It would probably be a anyone who has had dealing with one via a house
>> sale.
>>
>>> By useless I mean not doing what he promised and subsequently not
>>> responding to many letters or phone messages.
>> See above.
>>
>>>
>>> The case concerns a will and an old trust. Despite the trust being
>>> quite straightforward neither the solicitors acting as executors nor
>>> the other beneficiaries' solicitors could agree how it should be
>>> administered.
>>
>> I can only assume it is because of the trust a solicitor is involved.
>> <snip>
>>
>>> How on earth can we get him to do what he said he would? We're
>>> reluctant to open a formal complaint as he might very well choose not
>>> to represent us any more, give us the papers and suggest we get
>>> another solicitor. I have wondered whether having an informal chat
>>> with the firm's complaints manager might be a good start. Or even
>>> asking for another solicitor at the firm to take over.
>>>
>> Defo put the compliant in.
>> And consider taking the work else where. If possible let them take you
>> to the small claims court, especially if you can prove they have not
>> done things they said they would.
>>
>
> the only problem with that is that they hold the papers such as the
> barrister's report and may not release these until the account is
> settled

I'd like to think that a copy of that was sent to sig before the zoom call.

Hard to comment and talk about stuff you have not had access to.

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 25/06/2022 22:48 YTC#1 penned these words:
> On 25/06/2022 12:13, sig wrote:
>> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
> It would probably be a anyone who has had dealing with one via a house sale.

This^^^ for sure, last few dealing I've used a licenced conveyancer,from my tiny
sample not cheaper but more efficacious.

--
Ian

"Man will never be free until the last king is strangled with the entrails of
the last priest"

On 26/06/2022 00:51, Boots wrote:
> On 25/06/2022 22:48 YTC#1 penned these words:
>> On 25/06/2022 12:13, sig wrote:
>>> Does anyone have any experience of dealing with a useless solicitor?
>> It would probably be a anyone who has had dealing with one via a house sale.
>
> This^^^ for sure, last few dealing I've used a licenced conveyancer,from my tiny
> sample not cheaper but more efficacious.
>

It was one of the lessons in life my dad taught me that stuck :-)

He even handled my 1st house purchase and subsequent sale(back in the
'80s) for me as an example (ok, so I had to go and sit in a solictors
office to remind him that 7 days was not out of the ordinary for
exchange to completion and that the financial clauses would kick in if
he did not complete... welll... now :-) )

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On 25/06/2022 15:48, YTC#1 wrote:
[snip]
> And consider taking the work else where. If possible let them take you
> to the small claims court, especially if you can prove they have not
> done things they said they would.

Thanks everyone for your responses, it's always helpful to hear other
experiences.

We have decided to give him one more chance by writing to reiterate what
he should have done and that we want it done, but copying in the firm's
complaints manager. Hopefully that will kick things up.

I'll let you know what happens, if anything.

--
Sig

On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:

>
> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.

Any progress?

--
jeremy

On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>
>>
>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>
> Any progress?
>
>
Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.

He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some flannelly
excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then announcing that
he was off on holiday but would review our papers immediately upon his
return.

Obviously he said this in many more words than necessary but the overall
impression was gas-lighting passive-aggressive bullshit.

I had to talk my wife down from a state of murderous rage when she read
his latest email.

I'm not one to jump to judgement but he drives a BMW convertible and
carries his golf clubs in the boot at all times.

Stay tuned for more inaction action.

--
Sig.

On 06/07/2022 21:15, sig wrote:
> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>
>> Any progress?
>>
>>
> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>
> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some flannelly
> excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then announcing that
> he was off on holiday but would review our papers immediately upon his
> return.

Inform it it would be a good idea to review the papers before he leaves,
as it would be preferable to the incompetance report ones he will be
reading on his return.

>

--
Bruce Porter
"The internet is a huge and diverse community but mainly friendly"
http://ytc1.blogspot.co.uk/
There *is* an alternative! http://www.openoffice.org/

On Wednesday, 6 July 2022 at 21:15:59 UTC+1, sig wrote:
> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
> > On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <s...@sig.com> wrote:
> >
> >>
> >> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
> >
> > Any progress?
> >
> >
> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>
> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some flannelly
> excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then announcing that
> he was off on holiday but would review our papers immediately upon his
> return.
>
<snip>

In 1985 I had a fairly bad bike accident that left me with a broken leg for over
a year. It was due to a driver being on the wrong side of the road (American on
holiday) and my friend coming around a corner (I was pillion) straight into his
path.

The driver denied liability and said we were going too fast (not true).

Sadly complicated by my friend not being insured...

I used a solicitor that had been used by my family for years and it dragged on,
and on, and on. Eventually I got a call from one of the senior partners asking me
to come in for a meeting. The solicitor I had been dealing with had been lying
to me and had not raised the case correctly and it had become statute barred due
to the passage of time, the senior partner told me I needed to sue them and gave
me details of another solicitor that could act for me. 12 or so months on they
settled out of court for (I think) £8,000.

It seemed the wife of the solicitor I'd engaged was dying/had died, leaving the
poor bastard with young children to cope with and everything had got on top
of him. I wasn't the only person he let down, apparently he'd paid some money
out of his own pocket as 'interim settlements'.

Hopefully yours is just lazy.

On 06/07/2022 21:15, sig wrote:
> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>
>> Any progress?
>>
>>
> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>
> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some flannelly
> excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then announcing that
> he was off on holiday but would review our papers immediately upon his
> return.
>
> Obviously he said this in many more words than necessary but the overall
> impression was gas-lighting passive-aggressive bullshit.
>
> I had to talk my wife down from a state of murderous rage...

Yes, I still keep doing that too.
I don't know why?
In retrospect, these days I always think it would have been better NOT
to talk her down and let the cards fall where they may...

Chris

--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk

On 06/07/2022 22:22, YTC#1 wrote:
> On 06/07/2022 21:15, sig wrote:
>> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>>
>>> Any progress?
>>>
>>>
>> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>>
>> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some
>> flannelly excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then
>> announcing that he was off on holiday but would review our papers
>> immediately upon his return.
>
> Inform it it would be a good idea to review the papers before he leaves,
> as it would be preferable to the incompetance report ones he will be
> reading on his return.
>

Good suggestion but I suspect he clicked 'Send' on his way out of the
door. Based on his previous behaviour I don't think he'll be giving us a
second thought as he basks in the sun.

On 07/07/2022 02:06, Stephen Packer wrote:
> On Wednesday, 6 July 2022 at 21:15:59 UTC+1, sig wrote:
>> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <s...@sig.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>>
>>> Any progress?
>>>
>>>
>> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>>
>> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some flannelly
>> excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then announcing that
>> he was off on holiday but would review our papers immediately upon his
>> return.
>>
> <snip>
>
> In 1985 I had a fairly bad bike accident that left me with a broken leg for over
> a year. It was due to a driver being on the wrong side of the road (American on
> holiday) and my friend coming around a corner (I was pillion) straight into his
> path.
>
> The driver denied liability and said we were going too fast (not true).
>
> Sadly complicated by my friend not being insured...
>
> I used a solicitor that had been used by my family for years and it dragged on,
> and on, and on. Eventually I got a call from one of the senior partners asking me
> to come in for a meeting. The solicitor I had been dealing with had been lying
> to me and had not raised the case correctly and it had become statute barred due
> to the passage of time, the senior partner told me I needed to sue them and gave
> me details of another solicitor that could act for me. 12 or so months on they
> settled out of court for (I think) £8,000.
>
> It seemed the wife of the solicitor I'd engaged was dying/had died, leaving the
> poor bastard with young children to cope with and everything had got on top
> of him. I wasn't the only person he let down, apparently he'd paid some money
> out of his own pocket as 'interim settlements'.
>
> Hopefully yours is just lazy.

I would have some sympathy for the solicitor in that case and reserve my
ire for the firm itself.

I truly believe ours is just a lazy tosser.

On 07/07/2022 10:50, ChrisND @UKRM wrote:
> On 06/07/2022 21:15, sig wrote:
>> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>>
>>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>>
>>> Any progress?
>>>
>>>
>> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>>
>> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some
>> flannelly excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then
>> announcing that he was off on holiday but would review our papers
>> immediately upon his return.
>>
>> Obviously he said this in many more words than necessary but the
>> overall impression was gas-lighting passive-aggressive bullshit.
>>
>> I had to talk my wife down from a state of murderous rage...
>
> Yes, I still keep doing that too.
> I don't know why?
> In retrospect, these days I always think it would have been better NOT
> to talk her down and let the cards fall where they may...
>
> Chris
>

Unfortunately the nearest women's prison is an inconvenient drive away...

On 07/07/2022 12:00, sig wrote:
> On 07/07/2022 10:50, ChrisND @UKRM wrote:
>> On 06/07/2022 21:15, sig wrote:
>>> On 06/07/2022 15:55, jeremy wrote:
>>>> On 26 Jun 2022 at 21:15:46 BST, "sig" <sig@sig.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> I'll let you know what happens, if anything.
>>>>
>>>> Any progress?
>>>>
>>>>
>>> Thank you for your continued interest in this dull tale of frustration.
>>>
>>> He finally replied on Sunday to sort-of apologise, citing some
>>> flannelly excuses about workload and attending a trial, and then
>>> announcing that he was off on holiday but would review our papers
>>> immediately upon his return.
>>>
>>> Obviously he said this in many more words than necessary but the
>>> overall impression was gas-lighting passive-aggressive bullshit.
>>>
>>> I had to talk my wife down from a state of murderous rage...
>>
>> Yes, I still keep doing that too.
>> I don't know why?
>> In retrospect, these days I always think it would have been better NOT
>> to talk her down and let the cards fall where they may...
>>
>> Chris
>>
>
> Unfortunately the nearest women's prison is an inconvenient drive away...

Too far to justify visiting then?
Some might see this as a Good Thing.
:-)

Chris

--
The Deuchars BBB#40 COFF#14
Yamaha XV750SE & Suzuki GS550t
http://www.Deuchars.org.uk