Online Conveyancing

alanmilstein

Being married to an independent conveyancing solicitor I see the frustration she has in dealing with online/factory conveyancing firms.
In the main she struggles to get clear answers, never gets to talk to the same person twice, and in most cases is having to deal with an unqualified administrator who is doing the job according to a tick box chart.
Don't be seduced by seemingly cheap online deals and go with a local solicitor who is approachable and accessible. You won't regret it!

MrRee_2

I would go local - BUT haggle very hard, very hard indeed - they ALL will haggle, they want the work ... not many houses are selling compared to the good old days.

Hoof_Hearted

timmyt wrote: »

online are cheapos so you get what you pay for. good luck, you'll need it

go local solicitor every time. clever movers do.

Shouldn't you declare an interest?

Hoof_Hearted

Well, I am using an online conveyancer at half the quoted cost of a local solicitor and have been more than happy with them so far, particularly their responsiveness to queries. In addition, I can check progress online at any time by logging in.

clhs

As an update to my review, I just wanted to point out that, despite paying BPL / iConvey to serve my property's managing agent a notice of assignment (basically the legal notice required for my new managing agent to update their records and communicate with me about my property) some weeks ago, this still hasn't been done, which is causing me massive headaches with the managing agent who refuse, quite correctly, apparently, to even discuss the property with me. They claim that they are unable to acknowledge me as the owner of the flat until my solicitor has served the legal notice. I remember seeing this charge itemised out when I paid the statement of completion to iConvey some weeks ago, so I am really annoyed that they have withheld these funds this long.

Further, every attempt I've made to contact iConvey has been ignored, even when I have escalated it internally.

I would literally rather do my own conveyancing in future, than use this group of morons.

propertyman

The agent is in fact incorrect. The lease requires the leaseholder, you, to serve notice on the landlord ( occasionally their solicitor) or anyone acting on their behalf to accept notices.

Send them a notice and a fee ( see the lease) and copy of the HMLR extract and they have to do so, assuming there is no breach such as arrears to clear.

What can happen is there is a freeholder and the agent acts for a 3rd part such as a residents management company and therefore notice goes to the landlord and they forget to send it to the agents as well.

mickael28

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Well, I am using an online conveyancer at half the quoted cost of a local solicitor and have been more than happy with them so far, particularly their responsiveness to queries. In addition, I can check progress online at any time by logging in.

Hi Hoof,

Which online conveyancer were you using? Was it everything smooth at the end?

Cheers!

lkjlw2

I have used bpl to buy a property a few months ago and it was an absolute nightmare. Agree with other posters it is much better to use a local firm. I almost lost the property due to their incompetence and only managed to get it by paying quite a bit more money. They are ok if you are doing something straightforward with no chain and have are not under pressure to exchange/complete quickly, otherwise stay well clear as it is not worth the few hundred pounds you might save. In my case it was a very costly mistake.

Robin.84

I'm using an online conveyancer (Beaumont Legal) and have no complaints so far. They assigned a solicitor to me so I speak to the same person everytime, she always replies to emails within a day too. It's down to luck which person gets assigned to you though.

Emily12

We've used bpl and it has been an absolute nightmare.

We sold our 2 bedroom flat to cash buyers with no chain either end and 6 months on we still haven't exchanged contracts. I'm actually worried that the buyers might pull out now, and I wouldn't blame them. On the one occasion that we were meant to swap contracts, we couldn't because the documents that bpl had drawn up were apparently illegible.

Do not use this firm. Pay the extra money for someone local.

I am going to formally complain about the service we have received. I can't stress enough how diabolical it has been.