Replies to enquiries, version four
The buyer's case handler raised thirty enquiries after reviewing the contract pack and searches. The seller's conveyancer replied to eighteen, said 'awaiting client' on eight and 'buyer to rely on own inspection' on four. The case handler raised further enquiries on some of the replies. Now there is an email thread with four attachments, each numbered slightly differently, and the buyer wants to know if they can exchange.
Working out what is still outstanding means printing the latest reply and going through it with a pen.
Why enquiries are hard to follow
Enquiries are raised and answered as documents, not as a list of items with a status. Each round of replies comes back in whatever format the other side uses: inserted under each question, in a separate letter, or in the body of an email. Numbering drifts when further enquiries are added.
Some sales progression platforms and case management systems have an enquiries module, but if the other side does not use it, the replies still arrive as a PDF or email and someone has to transfer them.
| Reply type | What the case handler has to do |
|---|---|
| Full answer | Check it and mark it closed |
| Partial answer | Raise a follow-up on the missing part |
| 'Awaiting client' | Track and chase later |
| Answer refers to another document | Find the document and check it |
| No reply at all | Notice the omission and chase |
What lost enquiries cost
Files wait for exchange while someone works out what is still outstanding. Enquiries that were never answered can be missed altogether, which is a real risk for the buyer and the firm. Reporting to the client is slower, and the other side gets irritated by chasers for things they believe they answered.
For busy teams, the time spent re-reading replies is significant across a caseload.
How we build an enquiries log
- Split into items: when enquiries are raised from your template or case management system, each becomes its own item on the file with a number and topic.
- Match replies: when a reply document or email arrives, the tool reads it and matches each answer to its enquiry, even if the numbering has drifted, quoting the text it matched.
- Status per item: each enquiry is proposed as answered, partly answered, awaiting client, referred to a document, or not replied to. The case handler confirms or changes each status.
- Follow-up draft: outstanding and partly answered items are drafted into a further enquiries letter with the original numbering kept, for the case handler to edit.
- Client report input: answered items and their replies can be pulled into your report to the buyer, ready for the case handler's own wording.
- Exchange readiness: the file shows how many enquiries remain open, so everyone can see whether enquiries are holding up exchange.
Deciding whether an answer is good enough is the case handler's job. The log keeps track and saves the re-reading.
What the purchase file looks like afterwards
At any point, the case handler can see each enquiry and its status, rather than piecing it together from a thread. Follow-ups keep the numbering straight. The buyer and the agent can be told how many points are outstanding and who is waiting on whom.
Enquiries stop being the item nobody can quite confirm is finished.
Recognise this?
- Replies to enquiries arrive in several different formats.
- Working out what is outstanding means rereading the whole thread.
- Numbering drifts after further enquiries are raised.
- 'Awaiting client' answers are chased from memory.
- An unanswered enquiry has been discovered late in a file.