David Addison
This review was submitted by a verified client of Gardner Champion Solicitors Ltd.
Competent Legal Work Overshadowed by Poor Communication
My purchase has now completed successfully and I have collected the keys. To be fair, when Ghalia Hussain became involved, the transaction did move forward. Queries were answered, issues were addressed, and she ultimately helped get the purchase over the line during a particularly difficult period of my life. For that, I am grateful. However, the overall experience was undermined by repeated communication and case management issues throughout the transaction. My original conveyancer, Ayesha went on extended leave without informing me, and I only became aware of this after chasing for an update and receiving an out-of-office message. The file was reassigned without any proactive communication, which immediately damaged my confidence in the process. Throughout the transaction there were multiple occasions where updates, reports and documentation were promised by a particular date but were not provided as advised. This resulted in repeated chasing and uncertainty at key stages of the purchase. The most significant concern occurred immediately before completion. A gifted deposit declaration that was required by the lender and clearly referenced within the mortgage offer was only identified and requested the afternoon before completion. This created an entirely avoidable last-minute scramble to obtain signatures and return documentation in order to keep the transaction on track. There were also instances where information and payments that had already been provided appeared not to have been properly recorded, creating further unnecessary stress. The legal work itself ultimately achieved the desired outcome and the purchase completed successfully. However, the communication, expectation management and file administration fell below the standard I would expect during such an important transaction. In summary: Positives Purchase completed successfully. Ghalia worked hard in the final stages to progress matters. Queries were answered once the file reached completion stage. Areas for Improvement Communication and proactive updates. Handover arrangements during staff absence. Managing client expectations regarding timescales. Earlier identification of lender requirements. Internal file administration and tracking of information already supplied. Overall, I am pleased to have completed my purchase, but the process was considerably more stressful than it needed to be.
