Solicitor still not responding four months on

[HariSeldon]

Following on from my previous thread:

For background, I'm the administrator of a deceased estate and the solicitor is acting for one of the beneficiaries. The letters are from a genuine firm with two partners and in my view they've tried bullying scare tactics to try and take advantage of a potential litigant in person so I have been considering a complaint to the SRA once this is all over - would this still be possible without knowing the solicitor's name?

After answering all their spurious queries and providing much more detail than technically they were entitled to, the opposing side's solicitors have now gone radio silent.

I finalised the estate accounts four months ago and all the other beneficiaries agreed with the accounts and have been paid but despite several follow-ups this one beneficiary (or rather their solicitor) has still not responded at all. The last follow-up was three weeks ago and still nothing; I just want this last £10k paid out so I can close the executor account, archive all the paperwork and draw a line under the whole matter.

The SRA site seems to suggest that solicitor delays are not normally a valid complaint but it seems wrong that a professional firm can ignore you for over four months with no repercussions. Can anyone suggest any leverage that might compel them to reply?

Would it be feasible to warn them that if still no reply within another four weeks then I'll hand everything over to a solicitor who they can deal with moving forward and they will be liable for all those legal costs as all the other beneficiaries have already agreed the accounts and been paid?

Or do I warn them that if no reply in four weeks then I'll just send a £10k cheque regardless and consider the matter closed that way?

Or any other suggestions?

[echat11]

Following on from my previous thread:



After answering all their spurious queries and providing much more detail than technically they were entitled to, the opposing side's solicitors have now gone radio silent.

I finalised the estate accounts four months ago and all the other beneficiaries agreed with the accounts and have been paid but despite several follow-ups this one beneficiary (or rather their solicitor) has still not responded at all. The last follow-up was three weeks ago and still nothing; I just want this last £10k paid out so I can close the executor account, archive all the paperwork and draw a line under the whole matter.

The SRA site seems to suggest that solicitor delays are not normally a valid complaint but it seems wrong that a professional firm can ignore you for over four months with no repercussions. Can anyone suggest any leverage that might compel them to reply?

Would it be feasible to warn them that if still no reply within another four weeks then I'll hand everything over to a solicitor who they can deal with moving forward and they will be liable for all those legal costs as all the other beneficiaries have already agreed the accounts and been paid?

Or do I warn them that if no reply in four weeks then I'll just send a £10k cheque regardless and consider the matter closed that way?

Or any other suggestions?

What you could do is, tell them that this matter has been going on for sometime, if they do not respond by XX/XX/XX you
will take further action, you wish to give them the opportunity to resolve the matter informally by XX/XX/XX.

You can make a complaint to the SRA, although the solicitors aren't acting on your behalf.
Ignoring your correspondence isn't acceptable, they have a 'Code of Conduct' to follow.

[Pezza54]

If it was the other way round the solicitor would probably write to you along the lines if we do not hear back from you within 14 days we will assume you are now content with the estate accounts and intend to make final payments to beneficiaries.
Would you be happy to write such a letter to the solicitor?

[echat11]

If it was the other way round the solicitor would probably write to you along the lines if we do not hear back from you within 14 days we will assume you are now content with the estate accounts and intend to make final payments to beneficiaries.
Would you be happy to write such a letter to the solicitor?

Is that for me?

[Pezza54]

No you posted when I got distracted typing my post

[echat11]

No you posted when I got distracted typing my post

Easily done.

[atticus]

HariSeldon I would go with your second option ("Or do I warn them that if no reply in four weeks then I'll just send a £10k cheque regardless and consider the matter closed that way?")

But rather than send a cheque, which might not be banked, do you have bank account details so that you can make an immediate payment? If so, say that is what you will do.

[HariSeldon]

Thanks all. I'll give them a few more days which will take it to four weeks since my last follow-up and then write again advising that unless I hear anything to the contrary within 14 days I will assume there are no further queries and send a cheque (sadly no bank details for this beneficiary.)