I am amazed that your lawyer has initialled an amendment to a contract settlement date!
I am a conveyancer working for a lawyer, and this would never be done in our office in a million years!
Transfer documents have to be signed and returned to the seller's solicitors - this is standard practice as a previous poster has indicated. Settlement wouldn't happen otherwise.
I am stuffed if I use text messages at all with my clients, I don't want clients knowing my personal mobile number for a start, I have a life outside of work lol and don't want clients contacting me outside of work hours.
agreed, the whole thing sounds outrageous