Solicitors, bah!

[katyjay 5,091]

My mother in law passed away January 25 of this year. My husband is an only child, so everything comes to him. The seafront flat she lived in, a neighbour 2 doors away, said he'd like to buy it for his kids. We agreed on a price, and he set the ball rolling. He had 2/3 of the money needed in his savings, the other third he was getting a loan for. When we saw him in April he said he was still jumping through hoops, proving his cash was not ill gotten gains, he was having to account for every penny, to prove he was not money laundering! So, finally we hear that he will take posession July 26, which he did. The solicitors transferred the money through to our bank here, arriving 4 days later. They held back 5000 pounds for any incidentals, to be paid out of that. Now to m-i-law's savings. Her will was carried out from this, paying our 3 kids a bit of money and 2 other friends of hers. This took about 4-5 months to carry out! The bulk of the money is still in the solicitors hands. This will be split between the 5 of us, eventually. A month ago they said they'd had an estimated water bill for the flat that was very high and they would be sorting that out. Nothing since, it's now 7 months since she passed away, we've gone through 5 solicitor's clerks handling the estate [maternity leave and folks leaving etc] it's like it's their money and they don't want to part with it. Why the water bill couldn't be sorted out using the 5000 they held back, I don't know. With the money we got from the sale of the flat, we have bought a winter house in the Phoenix area. We looked at it, negotiated the price, had the inspection, had work done, signed paper work, did the walk-through with the estate agent, then got the keys. Time taken, 2 1/2 weeks! Certainly not the 6 months it took over there, and there was no chain involved in the sale of the flat. Summat's wrong, somewhere.

[Beefsteak 305]

It's cause you're in foreign climes Kath.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Lawyers have sticky fingers and forked tongues.

[mudgie49 401]

That's why they go into politics:)

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

That's when they sell their souls to the Devil.

[DAVIDW 1,690]

Wouldn't hold your breath .

An elderly uncle died in Notts in April 2012 . No property involved .

When he was alive and still mentally sharp , we were too far away to look after him and the neighbours seemed to be doing a good job at first , taking him shopping and bringing in meals etc .

With his blessing , they gradually took over his financial affairs and ended up being chief beneficaries and executors . We could never find out which solicitor was handling the will and expected most of his savings to have been filched away anyway.

We paid for a search at the probate office so that we would be notified when it went to probate and got the notification in June this year that it had gone to probate .

We aren't beneficiaries but other family members who have a minor share of the very depleted savings , haven't had a pay out or any communication some 17 months later .

[tomlinson 879]

Shakespeare had it right. 'The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers'. (Henry VI Pt II)

[MELTONSTILTON 452]

My wife at times has worked with British probate solicitors, and they are expensive, one solicitors bill she received, charged £6,395, on a £270,000 estate, that was just for winding up the estate and transferring the money from England to France.

She said she could have done the same thing for around £1700, all fees included, and in England most work is done by a non-solicitor (perhaps a legal executive)the solicitor just signs the papers.

[piggy and babs 544]

took over a year to get daves dads money sorted we all lived in nottingham , some of the same problems as you solicitor or other staff being off for one reason or another

[Beefsteak 305]

When I had my accident a few years back and finally received my umpteen pounds compensation, the solicitors accidentally sent me their bill too. Their bill was absolutely disgusting, it was over 4 times the amount I had received !!

[fch782c 144]

About 25 years ago I worked for a company which was owned by a parent company. After a couple of years I was made redundant with no offer of payoff. 10 years later I was somehow traced to my new employer by a solicitor working on behalf of people who were made redundant at the same time as I was 15 years earlier it transpired these claimants qualified for a payoff as when they were made redundant they had worked there a great deal longer than I had.

I received a letter from this solicitor informing me that although I had only worked for this particular company for two years I had a valid claim for compensation but because it was for only 2 years my share would be used to boost the balance for the longer standing claiments although it transpires that all claims for £2k or less would be used to pay legal fees then value of which it transpires was not far off the total value won for the claimants. If I had known this in the beginning I would have ignored the first letter

Sorry to go on a little

[Compo 10,328]

Julie undertook probate for her mother's estate herself. It took a couple of weeks and a few quid for the essential paperwork. Simples!

[mudgie49 401]

Some two years ago the New York city fire department decided to print and sell t-shirts,in remembrance of their fellow firemen lost in 9/11. The profit of sales going to the families.

I mailed a cheque and ordered four t-shirts,I got an e-mail a few months later saying they were hard pressed coping with such a massive demand,and an apology.

Last Friday I got another e-mail,the 'N Y city lawyers' had stepped in,the firemen had gone beyond their contract,and could not take public money, it had to go through the city council.

All the money sent to the fund is now in the hands of the Lawyers.An estimated 9 million t-shirts were ordered at $10 each.

The N Y city lawyers are paid by the tax money from the public.The firemen can't fight it in court, because of their cotract.

Mean spirited,heartless,selfish,money grabbing b------s.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Lawyers have a lower rating than used car salesmen, only one occupation has a lower rating than Lawyers, POLITICIANS....

[mick2me 3,033]

I was given some very good advise the other day.

A lawyer will take months to deal with something and charge you for his time.

Employ a barrister and he will give you the answer within hours.

Both will charge you for their time accordingly

[benjamin1945 16,176]

There are some nice Solicitors,mine based in Nottingham handled all my Divorces and almost became a personal friend.

[Michael Booth 7,364]

I'd love to reply to your post, benjamin but it's so wrong.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

I wonder if Kath got everything sorted out.

The reason why land/house settlements workout faster stateside is because no Lawyer is involved, pre closing, a Title Company does a Title search to make sure there are no leans against the property, and to check there's clear title, once done it's closed by the Title company.

Costs??? no where near as high as the UK.

[DAVIDW 1,690]

I am unfortunately a co-executor for a will of a lady (wifes friend) that died 10 years ago , almost to the day .

As I was busy working at the time I only agreed to do it on the understanding that her solicitor did most of the administrative work .

Main beneficiaries were her 2 children . Similar to a post above , solicitor charged over £10,000 on an estate worth over £300,000 !!

It's still going on !! Last month had a letter from NHS Pensions saying they had a sum to pay out , as the lady was technically still employed (as a nurse) when she died and was entitled to a death gratuity of 2 years pay.

Neither the solicitor or the nurse practice had informed the NHS Pensions that the lady had died ! The sum

involved would have been £30,000 but as it wasn't claimed within two years has an automatic 40% tax deducted .

To me , if I was suddenly told that I had £18000 (net) that no-one knew about ready to be paid out I would be highly delighted but the daughter who is beneficiary was rather upset at losing £12,000 to the taxman.

Anyway I tried to get the sum paid out as quickly as possible to the daughter without involving said solicitor but unfortunately still needed his signature on the claim . Contacted him a fortnight ago and still waiting to see him ! All we need is his signature on a piece of paper but I suspect he is going through his

paperwork trying to cover any past mistakes ........who knows and I am wondering how much it will cost to get his signature on the claim form .

[Karlton 582]

I'd love to reply to your post, benjamin but it's so wrong.

So would I Michael but Benj's my friend tee hee

[benjamin1945 16,176]

i understand Michael,...........but he was a good un' lol.

[Cliff Ton 10,478]

From the American comedian Tom Lehrer; his original referred to doctors, but it could be amended to solicitors.

"I had a friend who was a doctor, and he specialised in diseases of the rich".

[katyjay 5,091]

Just as a side note, the fella who bought mother-in-laws flat went missing without trace 13 months ago, police arrested someone for his murder, but no body as of yet. This is in Lancing/Worthing area.

[MargieH 7,612]

I wondered if any of you on here can recommend a solici in the Mansfield/Nottingham area - someone whom you have recently dealt with personally.  One of our grandsons is thinking of buying a flat and he doesn’t know the reputations of any at the moment.  It will obviously be for conveyancing.  Please could you send any names and comments to me privately?  Thank you x