Please recommend a conveyancing solicitor!

[tokyotea]

As the title says! We are under a tight time restraint as our landlord has decided to sell up and our tenancy ends in the summer so we are keen to get things rolling with our house purchase. I know the biggest hold ups can be solicitor related but have no friends or family that have been through the process recently to suggest anyone good. Really keen for a super responsive and proactive solicitor. We're based near Reading but I think it's not important they are local to us? Anyone you have used you would recommend?

I moved for the June 21 stamp duty bonanza. My first purchase fell through, second was only offered on in May, so my solicitor literally got it through in under 8 weeks. She used to be an estate agent and retrained in law then conveyancing as she saw how incompetent and poor so many were. She kept me updated really well,
and even my estate agents said how impressive and efficient she was.

Amy Legg - Aquabridge Law.

Highly highly highly recommended.

Avoid JMW like the plague. They aren’t local to you but are kind of national in that they advertise that they can do it all online. They are so slow and unresponsive 😡

We've been really happy with Anthony Williams at C&R Legal Lechlade, he's been very responsive and on the ball.

www.candrlegal.co.uk/contact

Oh wow, if you're near Reading, you want to use Harrison's. They are truly the bees knees. Very communicative and so speedy with their paperwork. Have used them for multiple moves and I would use them even if I wasn't local!

www.harrisonssolicitors.com/

Thank you all!

@WonkyWheelbarrow I have come across them actually and was thinking of giving them a call. Is there anyone in particular you've dealt with that has been great?

I know it is an unpopular view on MN but I have done well by asking for recommendations from the EA. (A proper EA, NOT Purple Bricks).

EAs are the people in the mix who alongside you want to get the sale over the line as fast as possible because they are the only ones paid on results / commission.

They have been involved in the progression of numerous sales and can see which solicitors have been fast, efficient and pro active in solving any issues.

Hold ups occur if there is a shortage of surveyors, your mortgage co can be slow, searches taking ages and vendors not replying to enquiries, returning their paperwork.

EAs are good at chasing all parties (if they are good at progressing the sale). Ask them for a weekly update.

Have your vendors found somewhere else to move? The biggest hold ups atm are vendors not being able to find a new house. And if they do, being part of a chain. And you can’t control that.

Are they buying a probate property? If so has probate been granted yet? It can take ages. Are they buying a new build? Developers are asking people to commit to ‘long stop’ completion dates because they can’t guarantee that the house will be finished.

All this could cause much bigger delays than solicitors.

I would have recommended my solicitor, she is awesome, but I know from speaking to her last week she is so busy, that she is only taking on business from regular clients at the moment. So I would approach a couple of recommended solicitors and see if they are taking on more clients.

@StageRage I agree with you on this. Our EA gave us a list of solicitors and surveyors they recommended and they were good recommendations. I guess it depends on your EA but I think normally they know who are the best ones to deal with as it's in their interests too.

Best of luck OP!

We moved in January using Bishopsgate Law and they were fantastic. They're based in Potters Bar but everything was digital and very quick. They were totally on the ball and had very good communication.
Our solicitor was Ruby Collier.

Really appreciate the replies. Been in touch with a few off this thread. The one that replied the super speediest and sent over a pack right away to read was Bishopsgate so hopefully it's a good sign of their efficiency will be comparing quotes and timeframes. Thanks members of MN!

@tokyotea
Phoebe Chandler at Lester Aldridge was fantastic. About 250 miles away from us (long story!) but everything was done via email or post and was seamless

same here. On the hunt for a good broker and down the line conveyancer. I wish there's someone that takes the hassle out of this homebuying thing. I'd gladly pay and have someone do everything for me instead of having to source, commission and coordinate every single step myself.

@annieanx

thank you

i used these guys https://gdlegal.co.uk/conveyancing-solicitors-warrington/ on my secound after a break up way better then the first ones i used online also dont just go for the ones your estate agent says they cost you more