Solicitor not returning calls / emails

Duvetdays

At the end of February this year I got an email off a solicitors office to inform me that the solicitor I purchased my house through 3 yrs ago was no longer practising as he has been dishonest and that I may have work outstanding on my file.

I contacted this new solicitor and they informed me that the law society had given them his work to complete and that they didn't have my file yet but would be in contact once they received it if there was outstanding work on it. They explained that they where obligated to contact all his clients to inform them but that it's possible that all work may have been completed. 3 weeks later I contacted them again as I never heard back from them and I was told once again my file had been requested and they would be in contacted if work was outstanding. I thought no more of it until I received a mail in mid July with a quote for their services to complete work on my file. I contacted their office to enquire about what was outstanding and was told that for data protection they couldn't look at my file until I engaged their services (this was never said to me in my calls to them in Feb/Mar.

After speaking to somebody through work with legal knowledge she told me to check out was my stamp duty paid, deeds with bank etc. After following the advice she gave me I found out work is outstanding on my file so I engaged the services of the solicitor they also requested their fee upfront. After I engaged their services in mid July communication with them is practically non existent.

I emailed them on 8th of August and got an automated reply from solicitor who was dealing with my file that he no longer works there and it included an email address for new solicitor who is taking over his work. I emailed her and got an out of office that they will be back in work on 18th August. She never replied to my email on return so on 19th I rang enquiring about my file to be told that the solicitor couldn't take my call but a law society claim form would be with me by the end of the week. I'm still waiting on the letter from them and my call today has once again gone unreturned. I will call again in the morning but don't expect to get anywhere with them.

At this stage I feel like complaining to the law society about them, am I being unreasonable?

I know my stamp duty is paid but land registry wasn't done (I found this out myself also bank don't yet have deeds 3 and a half yrs later) am I expected to pay this myself then claim it off the law society fund of does the claim go in and then my monies that I owe are paid out of that?

Any advice on whether I'm being unreasonable or any pointers on how a law society claim works would be greatly appreciated.

Vanessa2003

Same happened to me , payed another one who finished a job
Ps
Don t understand how they gat away with stuff?

Duvetdays

Did you need to pay land registry fees etc and then claim them back or can a claim be submitted first? I had to pay these nearly €600 which I know I will get back but it's wondering how much else this will all cost.