Advice wanted on finding a solicitor for house purchase - any tips?

[helpmebuyahouse]

We're looking to buy our first home. Had an offer accepted, seller wants details of our solicitors. The estate agent suggested some - we googled and they seemed to have quite poor reviews. A work colleague suggested a very good but VERY expensive solicitor in the area we're buying in. Contacting local solicitors recommended on Google or Solicitors Reviews gave us 1 that was also quite pricey and couldn't act for us anyway as our lender will only work with solicitors that have at least 2 partners, 1 that doesn't reply to emails, and 1 that was rude and incompetent on the phone but very cheap. An online 'fill this in and get some quotes' returned results that were all from nationwide cheap conveyancing companies that might be great but I know nothing about them.

How did you find your solicitor when buying, anything I should watch out for as an ignorant FTB, any tips? Is it worth considering the cheap firms of nationwide conveyancing companies, or is it better to go for a local firm of solicitors? Does paperwork still need to be dropped in in person since Covid?

Just to add, it's a relatively straightforward purchase, I think. We're not in a chain, and the vendor is an old lady who's lived there for over 50 years and is now downsizing.

Any advice appreciated, thank you.

Not very helpful but personal recommendations are the best! Maybe if you put an area, someone here might help?

I personally chose a local firm (noone had anyone they could recommend!) so I could turf up in person to chivvy them on if needed (but so far no need!)

I did go with a conveyancing shed and absolutely never again! I do think it's very much you get what you pay for!

I am surprised that the ones your agent suggested might not be good. Usually I find the opposite. The agents will be v keen for the sale to go through as smoothly and quickly as possible. Can you do more digging in to the reviews.

You are spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on this property the personal recommendation is probably expensive as they do a good job. A good efficient thorough solicitor can make the process so much smoother.

Join the local Facebook area group & ask for recommendations.

Personal recommendation - mine were recommended by a colleague and I have used them twice and recommended to others. What area are you?

Thanks for the suggestions!

The house we're buying is in St Albans, and we're in Watford currently. So a solicitor in either area (or nearby) would be good, if anyone has any recommendations?

Steer clear from any online ones they are very slow and will add in hidden costs that most firms include as part of the fixed fee. Use a local solicitor as they have good knowledge of the area and will be aware of problems and know how to resolve issues. Remember many Estate Agents get referral fees for some of the recommended solicitors. Check Trust Pilot reviews.

I searched for local solicitors online, then read their Google reviews and anything I could find about them online. Asked on local groups as well and checked reviews. Narrowed down a few names from these and picked one.

Yes I agree with personal recommendations, or possibly asking on a local community Facebook page. I work in the industry and know first hand that you really do get what you pay for and it’s an area that I wouldn’t skimp on (within reason of course!)

We asked for friends' recommendations, contacted those companies, then chose the one who gave the most helpful/thorough response. Both times we've bought (different parts of country) this has worked well. Neither time was it the cheapest solicitor but they had good reviews and were very thorough. There was some paperwork involved and so it was easier having a local one we could drop things off to (this was during the postal delays last year!) and that saved some days of waiting around.

We a while ago used one of the online conveyancers recommended by EA to sell a flat and they were absolutely dreadful. Loads of delays, poor communication, no attention to detail. A lot cheaper but not worth it.

It doesn't matter where the solicitor is located. I searched the Life After London Facebook group for recommendations and have been happy with the solicitor we found that way.

It’s controversial, but as a buyer I actually don’t mind going through the ones recommended by the EA, because I’ve had a few points where the hold up is the solicitors and if they’ve got a favourable arrangement with the EA, a well placed ‘we’re getting rather annoyed..’ call to the EA can result in them leaning on the solicitors and miraculously things start moving

For buying and selling simultaneously I agree that a personal recommendation is a good shout but as just buyers I’d be half inclined to go with the EA’s suggestion.

We used Mercer’s in Henley, recommended by a colleague, and they were fab, very communicative and proactive when our buyers solicitor was shit.

I’d ask friends, work colleagues or your local Facebook site for recommendations.

Everyone above is right about personal recommendations. Also don't go with cheapest - there can be value (your sanity and monetary) in everything moving quickly and with clear communication.

I would be hesitant about relying too much on online reviews - people leave reviews if they are disgruntled. I would ask your EA about their personal experience in recent transactions - they have a personal interest in things going well.

Finally, you really don't need a local solicitor - property law is about documentation and searches - local knowledge isn't going to add anything - far better with a solicitor who family or friends have recommended, even if not in the area.

I would take all the online reviews with a pinch of salt - people are far more likely to complain than praise. You expect good service. Also often people will blame their solicitor (and sometimes solicitors are terrible) when it could have been someone else in the chain be that vendor, another solicitor, the bank.

You can have the most competent solicitor in the world (and you do want a decent one) but if someone else somewhere in the chain has a slow s**t one, everything can get slower right down.

Overall ideally ask people you know be that work colleague or friend of a friend. But take everything with a pinch of salt

I think a local solicitor can be useful. Mine was a 30 min walk away and I handed in documents in person rather than posting a few times.

Don’t go for the cheapest without doing some research. I’d avoid any that advertise payment is only due on completion or some such arrangement. They tend to be conveyancing farms and the service is dreadful (speaking from bitter experience as my vendor used one).

I used a solicitor recommended by the EA selling my property. Fairly pricey but extremely responsive (almost all emails replied to within the hour) and managed both my sale and onward purchase well. Buying can be stressful and a bad solicitor will make the whole experience 10x worse.

Ask work colleagues, family or friends for recommendations or who to avoid.

I got three quotes - I binned off the most expensive as they were also very unhelpful on the phone. The other two were very similar in price but I chose the ones I used for my last house move.

Could you share your lawyer details please?