Specialist conveyancing agency or just a 'normal' local solicitors?

[OnTheFlossDayOfChristmas]

Anyone any experience of which was better/quicker/cheaper/kept you well updated?

ask around and get someone to give you a recommendation from personal experience.

I would go to a reputable solicitor, I wouldn't trust anyone to do legal work otherwise

although you can do it yourself, i would trust myself more than a franchise but still not enough

unless you have an existing relationship with a local solictor or a cast iron personal recommendation I would go for the conveyancing specialists (though of course standards vary)
but I am biassed as I helped to set up the first one about ten years ago

I have not got the slightest clue about any solicitors around here, nor do I know anyone who has moved in recent years! I know nothing!!

Do specialist conveyancing agencies carry professional liability insurance? It is compulsory for solicitors.

The way I see it is fine if everything goes well but if they muck up, then what is your recourse? I might take the risk with an agency for a sale but not if a purchase was involved, but that is just my biased opinion.

For any legal work I would alsways recommend using a fully qualified, reputable solicitor - prefeably one which has a department which deals with conveyancing.

Floss, you don't have to use solicitors that are in your area. We are in London and used Reading solicitors. Our buyer used solicitors much further out. Conveyancing is just sending paper back and forth. Although if you are a first time client for that solicitor, you might have to send your passport over for moneylaundering purposes. A copy might do but if original, maybe you prefer not to post?#

Can't recommend mine because he is now retired

Oh god. So much to think about. Am waiting to see if an offer on a place is going to be accepted. Just wanted to be in a good position to start everything up if they choose to accept. [gulp]

I work for solicitors use us!!!!

If you instruct a firm of solicitors they may asign the work to a conveyancing executive or paralegal (under supervision) anyway

Floss, to pile on the considerations, if you are buying and getting a mortgage, you might want the same set of solicitors to act for both the bank and yourself to save costs. If so, you have limited in your choice of solicitors to those on the bank's panel.

Best of luck on your offer.

Oh BS, that might make things easier anyway! I don't do well with choices.

think you need a solicitor for the legal bits so probably works out cheaper than haveing both?!

Estate agents are trying to get us to use theirs. Will get a quote, no sale no fee, so thats good and are acting in agents best interests, all around we want a quick sale so might just let them have a bit of comission!

I would phone round a few of the solicitors or et quotes online - Agents are sometimes tied to solicitors - your agents will be getting enough from you with the sale of your house!

(I don't like estate agents much they blag too much)

Floss - agree with blueshoes - you can use ANY solicitors, not just local ones. Dh's firm (DH doesn't do this area of law) has done the conveyancing for several of our friends. We are in Sheffield; friends have mainly been down south. Been no problems at all.

Best advice is to see if you can get a recommendation at all.

last time we moved we used this firm They were very good, very cheap and the online update thing is great.

Thanks both of you. Am I being naive to think that the solicitor, if affiliated to the agents will be working in their interests? This should be a relatively simple!! move, first time buyers and no chain. So all round will want a quick move won't they? Or I could ask my mum if hers is any good down in my home town.

Some people on here have advised against those, SB. But you found them ok? I really do have to work on my decision making skills.

Really? They instructed a reasonable firm and they were very efficient

well I think I'll get quotes from them, the agents and my mums and see what is cheapest. The no fee if no sale thing would definately be a plus.

Floss, glad you are getting a range of quotes - it is the right thing.

Just wanted to say that I share chjlly's doubts about the agents' solicitors - only to the extent they might tend to act in the agents' interests ie ensure your purchase goes through (and so they get their fees). This is opposed to actingt wholly in your interests, as they have a professional duty to do as solicitors. In other words, the agents' solicitors might have a slight conflict of interest.

As a buyer (particularly first time), you want to ensure the solicitors are looking out for your interests eg you want them to do a thorough job and check that you get good and clean title to the property you are buying. If they miss out or gloss over things in the interest of speed and securing the deal, it could really hit you in the pocket later on. For example, if you are buying a leasehold that will soon have less than 70 years' left on the lease, the title is fineat the time you are buying but no bank will finance after the leasehold falls below 70 years, giving you problems when you try to sell subsequently. Wouldn't you want the solicitor to point that out even if it would jeopardise the purchase?

Sorry to be the voice of doom. You might well feel that saving any abortive fees are better and you are prepared to take the slight risk. No pressure - JMO

Thanks Blueshoes. I hadn't thought of it like that. They are slightly more expensive than some of the ones available on the internet, so will see about mums and try to work things out!

The thing with solicitors is that you need to keep in contact with them to make sure your case isn''t put aside while others are dealtwith - if you pick one from the internet make sure you have aphone number you can call them on at least weekly to get an update.
Make sure you get your uote in writing & make sure that you know all the disbursments that you are going to need to pay out for in advances (ie searched, land registry charges, etc)

I'd go for solicitor every time. A conveyancing company cocked up our sale last year [angry}