Looking for conveyancing advice - Fridays Property Lawyers...

Mike_Teas

Mars99 wrote: »

Recently decided to instruct Fridays to sell a property based on their fast response to the HIP service. But now I know that this is really a hook to try and get you into what is a really rubbish conveyancing service. Don't let the cheap quote fool you. Read carefully the terms and conditions for all the extra charges they will bill you for including trying to rip you off in delaying by one day the transfer of sale proceeds even though you pay a CHAPS fee for same day transfer. For two months absolutely nothing was done until I decided to chase for progress. Getting through is worse than a call centre. At the end of the day you will end up spending loads of time chasing and this will cost you in time and phone calls. Next time I will instruct a local solicitor - at least I can see who I am dealing with.

Hmmmm ?? First time poster. How can we be sure that you are not a competitor of Fridays? Good sensible advice to read all lawyers the terms and conditions.

One thing makes me suspicious. You say that you "recently" instructed Fridays ..yet you say two months went by before anything was done. Presumably it then took another couple of months. On top of this you presumably had to wait a couple of weeks from ordering the HIP to find a buyer ( you can not market these days without a HIP - unfortunately ).

Bec_Bec, how are you getting on ??

chriszz

there is some nice advice here: http://www.conveyancing-quote.net/

timmyt

Use a local solicitor firm, that has to be the best advice. Agents recommending out of the County are on huge referral fees, where quality to you does not matter as much as the amount of cash to the Agent.

Never pay less than £500 plus VAT for any property sale or purchase as otherwise corners are being cut.

Usually you will find your neighbour gets a solicitor (yes a fully qualified solicitor acting and just the same one start to finish) for his fee as he is switched on and respects his own transaction.

If you go cheap, you usually get a headset clerk where you dial '1for crap and 2 for crapper still'. They wont have any more respect for your deal than you clearly do not.

The cheap outfits may be fast (too fast because they are not thorough) and then only when you come to sell are the mistakes spotted, or when you try to do building works or carry out a business from the proeprty or want commercial vans to park or didn't realise you had no legal access to the back of the proeprty etc, as they did not bother to throughly explain the contents of the deeds to you. We see this clean up job needed time and time again....we are not complaining as we get paid, but it is a shame for you first time around having gone cheap and got cheap.

You would pay £4k to an estate agent to sell your house but you would not pay £500 to a solicitor to properly ensure the Ts are crossed and I's dotted. Good luck!

At least get a solicitor for your money - just the same one start to finish. If you don't get a lawyer to do the legal work....oh dear

Mars99

Mike_Teas wrote: »

Hmmmm ?? First time poster. How can we be sure that you are not a competitor of Fridays? Good sensible advice to read all lawyers the terms and conditions.

One thing makes me suspicious. You say that you "recently" instructed Fridays ..yet you say two months went by before anything was done. Presumably it then took another couple of months. On top of this you presumably had to wait a couple of weeks from ordering the HIP to find a buyer ( you can not market these days without a HIP - unfortunately ).

Bec_Bec, how are you getting on ??

I have nothing to do with the conveyancing business.
Fridays had two months to get ready to exchange as the property was tenanted and notice had to be served. You would have thought this would have thought this would have been ample time. Instead, no proactive measures were taken to chase the buyers solicitors other than an e-mail and wait for a response. Right up until the very end it was constant chasing. Even the agents commission was paid late with no courtesy call to the agents to explain why - NEVER AGAIN!

Bec_bec

Mike_Teas wrote: »

Hmmmm ?? First time poster. How can we be sure that you are not a competitor of Fridays? Good sensible advice to read all lawyers the terms and conditions.

One thing makes me suspicious. You say that you "recently" instructed Fridays ..yet you say two months went by before anything was done. Presumably it then took another couple of months. On top of this you presumably had to wait a couple of weeks from ordering the HIP to find a buyer ( you can not market these days without a HIP - unfortunately ).

Bec_Bec, how are you getting on ??

Hi,

Sorry took me a while to reply i missed the note at the bottom. We are stuck in a chain at the moment so not much doing unfortunately. I have to say though, Fridays so far seem to be quite proactive and communicative with our allocated person calling to check in every now and then. Until the chain is complete and things get moving i guess i won't really be able to comment but will keep you posted!

ajex

HaS Any one used convey quote before..currently they r not charging extra for lease properties..

I see that they get favourable reviews on theadvisory.co.uk,but find no other actual user experiences...

And lot of new posters talking about Fridays..

Any pointers welcome

Jowo_2

I got a quote from Fridays for HIP and conveyancing to sell my partners property, plus a quote from a local solicitors who had been used in the past whose services were very good.

Fridays quoted around 70% cheaper than the local solicitor (the disbursements were broadly similar but the legal fee less than half that quoted by the solictor, plus a significant discount on the HIP for choosing the conveyancing service) which the local solicitor did not offer.

We researched online reviews of both solicitors and found they were equally and broadly positive. Haven't used Fridays (for a non related reason) so won't be able to comment on the actual delivery/quality of the service and final price.

However, on the first impressions front, not only did I get an instance quotation because of the advanced features of their website and a call very soon after from their office, it took almost a week for the local solictor to produce theirs (which I had to follow up on to actually weedle it out of them..). AND they have decided to snail mail out the terms and conditions which also seems a tad old-fashioned, too, rather than sending a PDF to review and sign.

So don't interpret this as my recommendation (because I haven't used Fridays) but on a first impressions basis in terms of price and prompt response, they make the local solicitor look like bumbling rip-off merchants.

ajex

Thanks Jowo and Any experiences on coveyquote recommended by the advisory.co.uk ..

Jowo wrote: »

I got a quote from Fridays for HIP and conveyancing to sell my partners property, plus a quote from a local solicitors who had been used in the past whose services were very good.

Fridays quoted around 70% cheaper than the local solicitor (the disbursements were broadly similar but the legal fee less than half that quoted by the solictor, plus a significant discount on the HIP for choosing the conveyancing service) which the local solicitor did not offer.

We researched online reviews of both solicitors and found they were equally and broadly positive. Haven't used Fridays (for a non related reason) so won't be able to comment on the actual delivery/quality of the service and final price.

However, on the first impressions front, not only did I get an instance quotation because of the advanced features of their website and a call very soon after from their office, it took almost a week for the local solictor to produce theirs (which I had to follow up on to actually weedle it out of them..). AND they have decided to snail mail out the terms and conditions which also seems a tad old-fashioned, too, rather than sending a PDF to review and sign.

So don't interpret this as my recommendation (because I haven't used Fridays) but on a first impressions basis in terms of price and prompt response, they make the local solicitor look like bumbling rip-off merchants.

ChickieD

DON'T USE FRIDAYS - THEY ARE TERRIBLE!

I've just joined this forum to warn you lovely people off them! I wish to goodness I had read comments on this forum before choosing to buy with them. I can only echo previous posters who describe their failure to return calls or do ANYTHING without you constantly chasing them.
I am currently in month 4 of what should have been a simple purchase. It's been agony.
When you first get in touch with them they are very quick to give you a quote and keep following up: their sales team is excellent. Just a shame about the solicitors! The conveyancer dealing with my case is terrible. I have done much of the necessary leg-work myself, as my conveyancer does very, very little.
Once you add up all of their extra disumbursements (some of which I have never seen on a bill before, and this is my 5th purchase) they are no cheaper than most other firms.
Really, you have 2 choices: either use a reputable local firm, preferably one recommended to you, or do the conveyaning yourself: if you engage Fridays you will pay through the nose AND end up doing the work yourself.
AVOID FRIDAYS AT ALL COSTS!!!!

Ladyk_2

TOTALLY AGREE THAT FRIDAY'S ARE ATROCIOUS

I've just joined this forum to see if I could find any tips for how to get a reply out of Friday's - they are shocking.

I had a positive experience using them for my HIPS and wrongly assumed their conveyancing would be of the same standard. I have been made to wait for, literally, weeks to get a reply to e-mails or telephone calls. The person handling my case almost never answers the 'phone or replies to e-mails. Even my buyers' solicitor and my estate agent have called me in frustration at the lack of response to the contact.

I tried to escalate the matter to the head of the department - but no response for a week now to e-mails or calls - he doesn't even have a voicemail box so you have to leave a message with switchboard.

Like ChickieD I have found additional charges never quoted or agreed added to my final statement and and just relieved that I didn't use them for my purchase. Instead, I went with Sam Kelly at simplypropertylawyers.co.uk and couldn't have had a better experience. Calls are answered or returned on the same day, a lot of the work is done on-line so it's really quick and they are a helpful and efficient bunch.

I thought my experience with Friday's was a one-off but reading some of the other posts here, it seems like a recurring issue. Your call but proceed with extreme caution and good luck!