Finding out that conveyancing firm or solicitors you instructed has closed in the middle of buying or selling a property is an additional stress that you don’t need. With often tight deadlines, large sums of money and potential chains that may withdraw it can feel like this may be the end of the transaction.

The good news is that there are clear steps you can take to protect your position and get your move back on track.

1. Try find out who has taken control of the firm

Most situations like this can be resolved, and your transaction does not have to fall through.

Delays can cause unnecessary complications, particularly if you are part of a chain or working towards a fixed completion date. Often a firm closes because of regulatory or financial difficulties:

• Regulatory issues - If the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) has intervened, it will usually appoint an intervention agent to take control of client files and any client money held by the firm. The SRA’s website usually has information about what has happened and who is now responsible for the files.
• Voluntary closure - If the closure was voluntary, there may still be a notice explaining how to retrieve your documents and funds.

2. Locate your file and documents

Your next step is to find out where your conveyancing file is being held. This is essential so that your new solicitor can pick up the transaction with minimal disruption.

If the SRA has intervened, the intervention agent will hold the files and will release them to your new conveyancer once you give them authority. If the firm closed voluntarily, the firm or its administrators should be able to advise you where files are stored.

When you find out where your files are located make sure you request copies of:

• Your contract pack and title documents
• Searches already carried out
• Mortgage offer details
• Any correspondence with the other side

Having these documents transferred quickly can save both time and cost.

3. Protect your money

Where the SRA has intervened, client money is usually frozen and safeguarded. You can submit a claim to have your funds returned or transferred to your new solicitor. The intervention agent will guide you through this process.

If there has been no intervention from the SRA, you should contact the firm’s administrators or liquidators as soon as possible for information about recovering your funds.

4. Instruct a new conveyancing solicitor

Once you know where your file and money are, you should appoint a new conveyancing solicitor straight away.

Choose a firm experienced in handling takeover transactions, as they will be familiar with the process and able to move quickly. Let them know the situation from the outset so they can support you and manage expectations with the other side.

Your new conveyancer will:

• Request your file and documents
• Review the work already done
• Advise whether anything needs to be repeated
• Contact the other parties to keep the transaction moving

5. Inform others involved in the transaction

It’s important to keep all parties updated, including:

• The estate agent
• The seller or buyer
• The rest of the chain, where applicable
• Your mortgage lender

6. Be prepared for some delay

Unfortunately, a conveyancing firm closing mid-transaction will often cause some delay. Files need to be transferred, work checked and sometimes searches repeated if they are out of date or unavailable.

Our proactive solicitors can help to minimise disruption, but a short pause is often unavoidable. Being realistic about timescales with others in the chain can help manage stress and expectations.

7. Understand your rights

If you suffer financial loss because of your original conveyancer’s closure, you may be entitled to claim compensation through the SRA Compensation Fund or the firm’s professional indemnity insurance.

Our conveyancing team can advise you on whether a claim is appropriate and help you understand the process.

How we can help

If your conveyancing firm has closed unexpectedly, we know it’s an additional stress you don’t need. Our experienced residential conveyancing team are highly experienced and have effectively dealt with many complex home buying transactions with successful completions. You can see our client care and commitment in our 4.9* Trustpilot score .

We’ll act quickly, communicate clearly and focus on keeping your move on track with as little stress as possible. If you have any questions please get in touch with our team today on