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Original poster

How did you find your conveyancer

22 replies

Mammawilson · 31/08/2021 19:51

That really.
Had my offer accepted (surprisingly)
Overwhelmed by the options and 2 lots of price comparisons sites, I don't even know where to begin, it should be a simple process, empty house and I'm not in a chain. I have an accepted offer, a MIP and so far that's it

OP posts:
alwayswrighty · 31/08/2021 20:06

I went by recommendation. Although I work in the industry so that helps.

user1487194234 · 31/08/2021 20:22

Personal recommendation every time

Ohhgreat · 31/08/2021 21:18

Look on local Facebook groups - there's normally posts asking for recommendations. Go for one who is described as proactive, avoid ones referred to as cheap!

AchillesLastStand · 01/09/2021 11:12

FTB here who is normally obsessive about doing research before I buy anything even trivial things like tea towels! I stupidly went with the estate agent’s conveyancer, Countrywide, as I naively thought it would make the process more straightforward. It turned into a stressful nightmare and they weren’t cheap either. I discovered after I’d employed them the dreadful reviews online, but they are the largest conveyancing company in the country so they deal with lots of house sales.

The worst part was the long waits in picking up the phone and speaking to someone who knew what they were talking about. I only spoke my solicitor towards the end of the process, but saying that he was very helpful and got us over the line last week by exchanging contracts. We would be in our new house by now if it wasn’t for delays on the vendor’s side.

My advice would be to have a look at local solicitors, ask people for recommendations. That’s what I’ll be doing next time, not that there will be a next time! I swear this is the most stressful thing I’ve ever done and it’s cost me a fortune!

Mybobowler · 01/09/2021 11:17

Personal recommendation here. We almost used Countrywide (our estate agents' recommended conveyancer) but the EA was so pushy that we decided to avoid.

We ended up going with a local firm of solicitors who had been recommended and had brilliant reviews. They were a £200 more expensive than the other two we looked at, but it was totally worth it - they were brilliant and, despite being warned about conveyancing and what a nightmare if can be, the legal stuff was a piece of cake.

JudgeRindersMinder · 01/09/2021 11:19

Previous experience with the same company for other matters-they were perfect

ThePluckOfTheCoward · 01/09/2021 11:26

For many years and for several house moves I used the same solicitor who was known to me personally, but then he retired and for the last move I used a local firm of solicitors who are well established and have good reviews online. They were also recommended by my estate agents, but I did my own online research before deciding to go with them. They were excellent and I've used them for another legal matter since and they were very good. If you know anyone who has moved in the last few years you could ask them for recommendations, or who to avoid.

readytosell · 01/09/2021 11:32

Went with local one who had good reviews. Not been disappointed. Have just recommended them to a neighbour who is looking for one for their son.

Wendsleydale · 01/09/2021 11:33

Used the same one for 30 years.

WhyMeLord · 01/09/2021 11:35

We are using a firm of solicitors that we had recommend to do our wills a few years ago, they were brilliant when they did that so we gave them a go when we came to moving house too and they have been brilliant again.

HeronLanyon · 01/09/2021 11:37

I used someone recommended also when selling a parents house. I never met her, spoke twice on the phone, scanned all identification docs etc and she just got on with things. She emailed updates. She was around 300 miles from the property involved !

HeronLanyon · 01/09/2021 11:38

So could any of your current neighbours/family recommend someone ?

rosesarered321 · 01/09/2021 11:39

We went with the solicitors recommended by our estate agents. The clincher for them rather than our local solicitors was that if the sale fell through you only lost the £100 deposit. I was very pleased with them, answered every call, all done quickly.

Original poster
Mammawilson · 01/09/2021 13:09

Thanks, have tried to get local recommendations but no luck so far, had one recommendation from from a friend but they have bad reviews so I'm unsure. I over think everything and have looked at lots of different options but so far I'm not sure, feels like so much depends on this

OP posts:
HeronLanyon · 01/09/2021 13:26

The only further advice is often the bigger the outfit the worse the service. My buyers on one sale used a huge conveyancing juggernaut conveyor belt firm who do nothing but. Different people dealt with every step, messages weren’t passed on, zero contact and things went wrong. Causing delay. Meanwhile my woman in mid sized fairly rural firm quietly got on with things and corrected a lot of their errors.
Despite above its a fairly simple process and delay is the most common problem nothing more serious.
Good luck

eurochick · 01/09/2021 13:57

Recommendation. It doesn't matter if they are local. Everything can be done remotely. I've never met any of the solicitors that have dealt with my sales and purchases in person.

Like everything, you get what you pay for so going cheap might not serve you well. When you compare what solicitors and estate agents do, and what they charge, it always amazes me. Solicitors are skilled and qualified. They take the risk of getting something wrong and falling foul of AML regs as they handle the money. I'm in another branch of the legal profession and it is not something I would want to do and am happy to pay properly for.

GU24Mum · 01/09/2021 14:09

Where are you OP?

Original poster
Mammawilson · 01/09/2021 15:07

East midlands

OP posts:
User628384 · 01/09/2021 15:09

Personal recommendations

If you do not know anyone who's purchased recently ask your EA

FawnDrench · 01/09/2021 18:52

Local firms are much better, in my experience.
As a pp has suggested, if you can't get any personal recommendations, ask the EA to advise.
It's in their interests to get the property sold ASAP so they get their money.

ritet · 05/09/2021 22:54

I would recommend going for a local solicitor - I think its always best to interact with real people and you can go to the office and shout at them if things arent going very well. They also have a stake in the local area, will want to have good relations with local estate agents and will want repeat work etc and so will want to do a good job

on the law society website solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk/ you can find a conveyancing law firm in your area. Then its a case of ringing up several /emailing and asking what the cost will be and what their time expectations for completions would be.

In most cases they will be similar costs and similar timelines. Hopefully they will be truthful with you about how busy they currently are. Then choose on the basis of the one you like the best/ has the most convenient location etc in the end its all a bit arbitrary as tehy will all do the same thing - its a basic administrative procedure which all lawyers (or more likely the legal secretaries) can do

Original poster
Mammawilson · 06/09/2021 11:35

Thanks. We went with the recommendation from our mortgage broker

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