I am primarily a conveyancing solicitor and have recently been dealing with a number of purchases whereby I have been given 10 working days to exchange contracts from receipt of the papers. Do solicitors not realise when placing these deadlines that the solicitor acting for purchasers needs to apply for searches, obtain the mortgage offer and report to the client all within two weeks? I for one am not willing to adhere to these unrealistic deadlines, as I for one value my indemnity insurance and my health!

Alan Tibber, Principal, A S Tibber & Co Solicitors, Stanmore, Middlesex