"They are much more efficent when it comes to asking for the stamp duty though even though in theory this is to pay for the deed transfer service!"
No, no, no, no, no. Stamp duty is payable by the tax payer within 30 days of completion - otherwise penalties and interest are payable. Would the tax payer prefer to take their time over payment and then pay the penalties?
Stamp duty is paid to Revenue and only when Deeds are stamped can they be registered. They are two separate but related matters.
There can be several reasons why Deeds have not yet been returned - delays in the Registry of Deeds or Land Registry, mapping queries, waiting for outstanding matters to be dealt with by Vendors solicitor, etc.,etc. In saying that, the solicitor should explain what the delay is. Not responding is not acceptable.
On a totally unrelated thread, I am often taken by the way my clients are prepared to take all kinds of risks to get the property they want and ask their solicitors to "do whatever it takes " to get them in by the date the carpet man has been booked but are irritated when thereafter the process is not immediate. Funny that.
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