Give your feedback on legal services websites

Former_MSE_Wendy

What’s the deal?

Online legal support is becoming more common place and we’ve come across a couple of newish ‘legal services’ websites promising cheap prices. As part of our research we'd love you to get relevant quotes if you're about to do something legal and feedback.

This isn't a recommendation in any way, so please don't use the services just because you think its got an "MSE stamp of approval."

How does MyLawyer work?

MyLaywer offers a fixed fee legal document service that allows you to carry out certain legal process, such as creating a will, solely online. You’ll be asked a series of questions to create your document, which will then be sent to a solicitor to check the document and suggest any changes before being sent back to you.

Areas available include: Divorces at £349, Tenancy Agreements for £89, Power of Attorney for £89, Wills singles for £99 and couples for £169, Building Contracts for £149.

How does Bidlegal work?

Bidlegal says it’s trying to help consumers find lawyers and compare the costs of legal advice using a ‘Tender’ and ‘Bid’ system. Once you’ve registered and entered what legal services you’re after, a tender is sent to firms registered with the site and you are emailed bids from those able to help. You can then decide which, if any, of the bids to accept.

Getting quotes in this way is a useful tool to find out how much your solicitor costs compared with others. As it's new, it’s less a "great way to save money", more a "try it to see if it works for you".

Let us know what you think

Each site offers a different service but we’d like to know – if you’ve used either of them – what you thought, to see whether they should become a recommendation.

How easy were they to use?
How many law firms responded to your tender?
Did the quotes vary wildly in price?
How long did you have to wait for a reply?
Was the document process straight forward?
Have you found a cheaper way to create your own legal documents?

Thanks

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MisterKatz

I used divorce-online for my divorce a couple of years ago. It cost me about £200 - but I learnt the hard way that you get what you pay for.

All they do is complete the relevant forms for you and submit them to the court, they do not offer any advice.

The worst thing was that quite often the documents they created were full of mistakes, and they offered very little explanation of how I was supposed to fill in the details.

I often had to ring them and the advisor I spoke to (I believe they only have one or two) was very abrupt at times verging on rude.

To top it all off, they were supposed to send my pension split documents onto my pension fund (I still have the document from them stating they would do this). However, it was never done. I had to do it myself only a couple of months ago.

So, if you are considering an online provider for divorce, I suggest that should be clear about what you are actually getting.

killick_becki

I agree with MisterKatz. I used an online "tender" and "bid" system (not sure whether it was BidLegal or not) and got quite a few quotes. This was for conveyancing, i was buying a house as a first time buyer last summer.

We got lots of quotes and found the cheapest was our local solicitor. Unfortunately the other side were using them so we couldn't, we went for the next cheapest on the list. This was one of the online firms, although they did have offices across the UK too.

Although they gave us an online login to check on the progress of the case, this was rarely up to date. They only gave us an 0870 number to ring them (although thanks to saynoto0870 we never used it) and when we did ring (which was alot) the secretary didn't know anything and never rang us back when she said she would.

All in all, a bad experience and i will definitely be using my local solicitors next time. With solicitors, i would say that a recommendation from someone you know is worth more than £100 difference in price to know you won't have any hassle.

LHarris_3

I recently used mylawyer to complete a living will this costs £99. I found it very easy to use. as you move through the document you choose you answer a series of questions and the document inserts your information. Mine didnt take long to complete and then mylawyer sent the will to a solicitor who got in touch with me by email within a couple of days and answered my questions. He was from a firm of solicitors I had never heard of but he was very good and he also recommended some changes to the document. All in all it was easy to use and quick. If I ever need another legal service I'll definatley use it again.

chilli_cymru

I am a solicitor working in wills and probate. I strongly urge people to think very carefully before using an online service for this type of very personal legal work. This is not because I am trying to get people to spend more money on legal services - which would be good for business you may think, but because the quality of the service offered is very poor compared to that which you receive from a qualified legal advisor working with you personally.
The legal input required by these online providers is simply to ask a solictor to check a computer generated will, but that solictor won't have seen the client to ascertain identity, capacity,conflicts, pressures or influences or to see whether the type of document being drafted is even suitable in all the circumstances. Remember - you the client can't necessarily judge whether the finished document is right for you either, as you don't know what you don't know! The money-saving way to make a will is to look for pro-bono services offered by some firms or wait for National Will Week where many firms sign up to reduced, fixed fee will making for a limited period. In any event, the overall cost of making a will is not usually more than £100-125 anyway. Worst of all - if you do get it wrong then with a will that error very often only comes to light when you are gone and there is nothing you can do about it! A real false economy.

olly300

I got my will done for free because I am in a union.

However before I realised I could do this I researched local solicitors and found they don't actually charge more than what this service is costing.

In addition while I live in the South East I have used solicitors outside the area a few times for other things. In all cases they will communicate with you by telephone and email.

The only benefit I can see from this service is that people don't have to find a solicitor themselves by using word of mouth recommendation.

sandspider2000

I was e-mailed information on this website the other day: http://www.lawanswers.co.uk

I've never used them so can't say whether they're any good, but they (claim to) offer to answer your legal questsions for free. They seem to have a range of specialist solicitors who are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Has anyone tried them? May be worth a look...

Giles

atgatt

Speaking as someone who has experience working in Divorce and Civil Partnership Dissolution for the Courts Service, I've dealt with a lot of Petitions that have been provided by petition preparation outfits.

Essentially their service consists of taking the information you give them and putting it down in the correct format, and which may or may not have been flashed before a legally qualified person which they then send back to you to submit to the Court with your certificates and fee.

This would be fine if the process was at all difficult, but it isn't! It really makes me angry that the people who run these sorts of service take advantage of their clients to charge hundreds of pounds for fllling in a few blanks, something they could do themselves for nothing, and even more annoying is when despite it being their business they still get it wrong!:mad:

A Divorce / Dissolution petition is basically a multiple choice questionnaire which tells the court who you are, where you live and why you want the divorce and another document that asks you what you want to happen to any kids you may have.

All the forms and guidance is avaliable on the HMCS website and all the specific guidance you need can be obtained from your local county court who will explain the process in plain english, advise on any misunderstandings and check your petition has everything it needs and before they accept it.

My moneysaving advice would be to anyone tempted to use any of these companies is to do your homework, speak to your local county court for sensible straight-forward guidance and save the £300 quid you would have given someone else to print off your petition for the court fee and a nice box of chocs and a thankyou card for the court enquiries staff - after a day of dealing with rubbish petitions, idiot solicitors and the constant cuts in bugets I'm sure it would be very much appreciated!

atgatt

Speaking as someone who has experience working in Divorce and Civil Partnership Dissolution for the Courts Service, I've dealt with a lot of Petitions that have been provided by petition preparation outfits.

Essentially their service consists of taking the information you give them and putting it down in the correct format, and which may or may not have been flashed before a legally qualified person which they then send back to you to submit to the Court with your certificates and fee.

This would be fine if the process was at all difficult, but it isn't! It really makes me angry that the people who run these sorts of service take advantage of their clients to charge hundreds of pounds for fllling in a few blanks, something they could do themselves for nothing, and even more annoying is when despite it being their business they still get it wrong!:mad:

A Divorce / Dissolution petition is basically a multiple choice questionnaire which tells the court who you are, where you live and why you want the divorce and another document that asks you what you want to happen to any kids you may have.

All the forms and guidance is avaliable on the HMCS website and all the specific guidance you need can be obtained from your local county court who will explain the process in plain english, advise on any misunderstandings and check your petition has everything it needs and before they accept it.

My moneysaving advice would be to anyone tempted to use any of these companies is to do your homework, speak to your local county court for sensible straight-forward guidance and save the £300 quid you would have given someone else to print off your petition for the court fee and a nice box of chocs and a thankyou card for the court enquiries staff - after a day of dealing with rubbish petitions, idiot solicitors and the constant cuts in bugets I'm sure it would be very much appreciated!

simon31leeds

Hi,

Have to say my opinion of bidlegal is really poor. I am buying a house so thought I'd contact them to obtain some quotes last Wednesday morning. It's now Monday afternoon and I haven't heard a sausage from them!!! If I were wanting an 'instant quotation' I certainly wouldn't use bidlegal as they are soooooo slow

sujman

Cant comment on comparisions but free building contracts are available from the Feberation of Master Builders Website:

http://www.fmb.org.uk/find-a-builder/free-contracts/