Offer accepted...Solicitor Q's

Taly

Just had my offer accepted by vendor on property i've been tracking.They are useing in house conveyancing,estate agent is online,housenetwork.co.uk.Is it a wise move to use the same one,price they are offering is a lot cheaper than a few of the quotes i've received from local firms.Does it speed the process up at all if both buyer and seller use same firm?

penrhyn

If I recall, both parties cannot use the same solicitors as this could result in a conflict of interest, there is a legal term but I can't remember what it was.

keith969

You can use the same firm of solicitors, just not the same person.

Doozergirl

My advice would be not to use one of these large conveyancing firm for a purchase. They tend to be cheap because the people doing the bulk of the work are not qualified solicitors, they get it all signed off by a solicitor. Unless you are sure you know how to drive the sale through they aren't particularly quick, nor will they hold your hand at all through the process.

It doesn't really matter when you're selling as you're selling the risk not taking a new one on. I'd want to be very sure that my solicitor was checking every angle as a matter of course and that does often carry a higher price tag. It's also worth using a local solicitor when you know you can pop in if you need to.

I have used internet conveyancers but I definitely had to drive the whole thing right down to moving day. That said, our buyers were using a local firm and they were just as rubbish but I was able to advise our buyers as well and pull it all in at the last minute when we gave them three months notice of our agreed move date and discovered with four weeks to go that neither of them had done anything much at all.

I wouldn't say 'never' but they can be a bit of a white knuckle ride!

Taly

Thanks.I have no need to sell my current property and the property i'm buying is vacant so not really in a massive rush to push things.I used a local soicitor 17 years ago and had a lot of problems from memory but that may have been due to buying a house in a mining area,searches etc.

vegasbaby100

I would avoid them at all costs! When buying our first house we used a large firm the same one as the person we were buying from and it was a terrible situation!!!!! Took 5 months and we were first time buyers with the money in place and she was moving to the US!!!

Also this time around we used local but the people buying ours used a large firm! We accepted their offer on our house then 4 weeks later placed an offer on our new home and they still took 4 week longer than our purchase!!!!

Stay local may cost a few more pounds but you will sleep easier!!!!