Our seller’s solicitor was shut down on Wednesday by the Solicitor’s Regulation Authority… We’re still waiting for probate to clear and the sale to complete, but his closure for “dishonesty” suggests why everything was such a mess and taking so so long.

I suspect not (and don’t have any evidence that his dishonesty is related to our dealings) but other than playing silly buggers with the purchase price have I got any way to claim against a solicitor who’s been struck off for what I presume are delays that are down to him?

The SRA have a compensation scheme IIRC.

Don’t hold your breath. Ours (Ward Legal and Caroline Shaw) were also shut down for dishonesty. I’m not surprised given the way we were dealt with. SRA wouldn’t give us a penny even though we could prove they charged us hundreds of pounds for things they never actually did.