Philip Parkinson, Partner, Head of Real Estate Team

For personal reasons, Susie Crompton’s client needed to complete the purchase of a new home during the Covid-19 lockdown. Susie worked hard to ensure the process went as quickly and smoothly as possible in the circumstances. Afterwards, the client said: “Thank you for all the hard work you have done…very comprehensive, and I can tell you love your job because you have done it very well. Even through this extremely hard time with the pandemic, you have shown real dedication.”

Selling one home and purchasing two others, all in the space of a year, as happened to Susie Crompton’s client, would push many of us to our limits in terms of stress. The client said: “Dealing with Susie has been amazing; she has been not only professional throughout the process, but has also been a reassuring presence, and has calmed my ruffled nerves on many occasions. I really felt she was on side.”

Susie Crompton’s clients needed to complete a house sale and purchase but there were several complicating factors. Initially they were travelling through the UK and abroad and subsequently the UK was in lockdown because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Her clients said: “Despite the challenges this presented, Susie worked professionally, efficiently and with good humour to see the deal through, keeping in touch by email and phone to make sure we were informed at every stage of the process. Susie overcame all problems to see us safely through and we would have no hesitation in recommending her.”

Head of Residential Property Team, Laura Upshall recently drew praise from a client for the care and support of their family home.

“Thank you for all your help on this, Laura, and for making it so stress free.” Grace

Clare Day acted for a commercial borrower who was taking out a bridging loan which needed to be completed within seven days.

Jane Mayglothling received the praise of an estate agent following the simultaneous completion of the purchase of a leasehold flat and lease extension in Kensington, London.

Zulfi Vargo of Thackerays in London said: “Many thanks for your co-operation throughout on what was a difficult transaction, but we got there. Needless to say, without your skill and Will and Naomi’s perseverance we would not have.”

Grace needed support, and somebody that she could trust, when it came to selling her home which she had lived in for over 40 years. The sale was highly emotional for her – her husband had died and she had moved out of the family home into a care home.

Her family home was very important to her, and Grace was happy to receive the care and attention that Laura Upshall, Head of Residential Real Estate in Thames Valley, gave her through the process.

Laura visited her in the care home with her family, not only to discuss the sale of her home, but also to chat about the happy memories of her time there with her late husband.

Grace was delighted that she didn’t have the stress of travelling to the office and even more so when Laura returned to her care home to finalise the process of selling her home.

She said: “Thank you for all your help on this, Laura, and for making it so stress free.”

After a number of solicitors had tried to solve the problem, Harrison Clark Rickerbys’ Real Estate Residential Team in Cheltenham rectified a complicated title issue for the Sandersons.

When they were told a restriction on their property title was making it unsellable, the Sandersons were desperate to find a solution to the problem.  Zoe Touhey, partner and Head of Residential Property in Cheltenham and Worcester, looked at the issue from a practical perspective and broke the issue down into its simplest form.

A certificate needed to be provided by a management company which was no longer in existence, but a new one had taken over. Zoe was able to draft the relevant documentation needed by HM Land Registry in order to resolve the issue.

Not only did this benefit the clients who were now able to sell their property, it also benefited the new management company as the properties for which they were responsible could also be sold.

Mr Sanderson said: “Having previously been told by other solicitors that this would be an extremely costly and time consuming issue, I was pleasantly surprised that Harrison Clark Rickerbys rectified this very quickly and my sale moved to completion very smoothly.”