Owning your own home

The guy I share an office with had an offer accepted over 7months ago.
He has spent that time too-ing and fro-ing with solicitors over an absentee freeholder issue.
His sale just fallen through and after 7month prices are such that he can no longer afford to buy in the area at all.

It's a gold rush/race to the bottom.

This is pretty much what I'm facing.
I know I've whined on about it. But let's have another go at it.

We sent our questions to the vendor, and their solicitor, to send as an attachment to Lambeth Living.
Lambeth Living called our solicitor last week and said "we're not answering your questions". BECAUSE THE VENDOR HADN'T INCLUDED ANY TEXT AROUND THE QUESTIONS EXPLAINING WHERE THEY WERE FROM.
In addition, their solicitor hadn't forwarded the questions we sent to them as well. 3 weeks ago. Our solicitor called their solicitor and told them "do this, send on headed paper etc".

Essentially, their solicitor is a fuckwit. We offered in September. They revealed this hidden cost in December.

I am now contemplating St Neots and Bromley.