Choosing a conveyancer

[sharonthefruit]

It's a few years since i've bought or sold a house so not sure who i should use. Seems to be a lot more online conveyancers these days and with COVID even the local ones seem to be online only so no real difference in service.

The ones I used last time locally were really good but that was 5 years ago and the online reviews last couple of years are very mixed. They aren't too expensive though.

My aunt sold her mum's home recently with another conveyancing firm localish to me, lot more expensive, but it was quite a complicated transaction because of lack of title and other things, but she said nothing but good things.

Or I've been looking online at the likes of co-op legal services and bigger names.

Help me anyone how to decide? I'm selling my place and going to buy onward so just want one to do both.

I'd avoid the likes of enact or any other similar conveyancing factory.
Try the high street firms and read reviews etc.

Why would you avoid Enact, out of interest?

I use local solicitors as they know the market and idiosyncrasies around here. I've used the same ones for years (I buy and sell most years), currently selling two and buying one property, and I feel our previous relationship and local connection means I am a priority.
The only time I used an online one was when I sold a property some distance away and I felt like I was just a number (and they cost significantly more).

I'm in the process of buying one now. I have gone for a local firm. Although everything has been online anyway so yeah not sure what difference it makes! They have been very fast to give them credit

I found a company based on a similar thread on here - Bishopsgate Law. They're a bricks-and-mortar company, but do everything online so you don't need to be local to them (we weren't). But they were utterly brilliant - their level of communication was amazing, and our side of the legal work (both buying and selling) was sorted well before the rest of our chain.

DS saved a lot of money by using a firm based in Newcastle who advertise nationally. He would have been far better paying more to a local firm, it was a nightmare. Never replied to emails, evasive, several people left part way through. Although it took 6 months most of it was done in the 3 days before completion and was rushed. On the day of completion they held up the sale until their bill was paid. Only DS didn't know this because they hadn't actually sent him the bill.
Took 6 months to complete, he was a ftb and the vendors bought an empty house so minimal chain. To behonest I worry that they didn't do the job properly and something will come out when he tries to sell.

The FTB at the bottom of the chain for our most recent move used an online conveyancer and they held the whole thing up by being very slow and not responding to attempts to contact, including by their own clients.

We were lucky in the past to have a contact who was a conveyancing solicitor. Once he retired, we found a local solicitor - did what you’re doing: checked online reviews and costs - and were happy with the service.

I'm planning to go local again. It meant things like I could drop paperwork directly at the office (or through the letterbox) instead of waiting for post. Also i liked the idea of being able to go somewhere if something went wrong!

Personal recommendation every time,and generally you get what you pay for

Enact are worse than useless. They are slow, don't answer emails, they aren't actual conveyancers I don't think. It's more like a call centre

They closed my case half way through for no reason. They just decided it was to be closed with no explanation. Utterly baffling

Our recent chain nearly collapsed due to a crap ‘conveyancer’ at one end, to the extent that next time I sell and buy I will check whether anyone is using an online conveyancer.

Estate Agents tend to know which solicitors locally act promptly, or ask for recommendations from local friends.