conveyancing conflicts of interest

[roy_the_boy]

My elderly father has recently signed the deeds to sell a plot of land for a fraction of it's market value. I wish to prevent the sale going through.

The buyer's solicitor drew up the sales contract and completed all the land registry paperwork, which she then posted to my father. My father had no solicitor to represent him. He signed the paperwork in the presence of the buyer and at the direction of the buyer's solicitor via videochat.

I approached the buyer's solicitor requesting that she stop the transfer because she had a conflict of interest. She says that she is not acting for my father, and so has done nothing wrong.

Can a solicitor do all the coneyancing work for both parties, whilst legitimately claiming to be the legal representative for only one of those parties? Do I have any grounds for a complaint against the buyer's solicitor?

Profuse thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to help.

[Sam101]

You should immediately consult a solicitor and stop the sale if your father wishes to do that. Make sure you are legally represented as soon as possible.

[dslippy]

This is a matter for your father. He is free to sell at whatever price he thinks appropriate, and absent good reason, you have no interest.
Yes it is possible for a firm working for one party to create all the paperwork - your father has no obligation to employ a lawyer.
The solicitor should be careful in his paperwork to be clear that he is working only for the buyer, but if that has been done properly there is no conflict of interest - he only had the interests of the buyer at issue.

A seller has two tasks, to get the money and leave a clean pair of heels. A solicitor employed by him would have no general duty to advise on the value of the land.