How to Chase Solicitors for a Mortgage Offer: A Broker Guide

Chasing solicitors is one of the most frustrating parts of a mortgage broker's job. The solicitor is not your client, does not work for you, and has no particular incentive to respond quickly. This guide covers how to do it professionally, persistently and without damaging the relationship.

Why solicitors are slow to respond

Before getting into tactics, it helps to understand why the delay happens. Solicitors handle multiple matters simultaneously. Your client's case is one of many on their desk, and they prioritise based on urgency, deadlines and which clients chase most effectively. An unanswered email from a broker sits lower in that queue than a call from a client whose exchange is in two days.

The good news is that chasing systematically and professionally does move things forward. Solicitors respond to persistence combined with a clear ask, delivered in a way that does not create friction.

What brokers most commonly need to chase solicitors for

• Confirmation that the mortgage offer has been received and approved
• Updates on whether searches have been returned and any issues raised
• Exchange date confirmation once enquiries are resolved
• Replies to requisitions on title from the other side
• Confirmation of the completion date and any final requirements
• Outstanding conditions on the mortgage offer that the solicitor needs to satisfy

How to structure a chasing email to a solicitor

Solicitors respond better to short, specific requests than to long explanatory emails. The most effective format is:

• One sentence identifying the case by client name and property address
• A specific question or request, not a general "please update me"
• A timeframe: asking for a response by a specific date
• A brief reason if relevant, such as the mortgage offer expiry date

How often should you chase?

For a typical residential purchase, a reasonable chasing schedule is:

• First contact: once the matter has been referred and the solicitor has had five to seven working days to act
• Second chase: seven days after the first if no response
• Third chase: five days after the second, with a firmer tone and a specific deadline
• Escalation: if still no response after three attempts, call directly or ask your client to contact their solicitor

When the mortgage offer has an expiry date approaching, compress this timeline. A three-week-old mortgage offer with fourteen days left needs chasing every two to three days.

When to involve your client

If a solicitor has not responded after two or three attempts, the fastest way to unlock a response is usually to ask your client to contact them directly. Clients carry more weight with their own solicitor than brokers do. Frame it as a practical step: "I have chased twice without response. The most effective next step is for you to call them directly and ask for an update on the exchange timeline." Most solicitors respond within twenty-four hours of a client call.

Automating solicitor chasing

Writing and tracking individual chase emails to multiple solicitors across a caseload is time-consuming and easy to let slip. CaseCaddy lets you add solicitors as a chase contact within a case, assign the specific items you are waiting on and send automatic reminders on the schedule you set. Solicitors receive targeted emails listing only the items outstanding from them, and you receive a broker alert if there is no response after a set number of attempts.