Conveyancing Solicitor recommendations needed

benjamintsims

Hi all

I'm not a regular here but I have tried searching the forum on this topic and couldn't find any recent recommendations!

I need a conveyancing solicitor for a First time buy of a leasehold (with share of freehold) property in London. The offer accepted was £163k and it is a 1920 purpose built flat (not ex local authority).

I've had conveyancing quotes from four companies ranging from £1211 to £1598 including search fees etc. At the moment I am earing towards the quote from Coop Fincancial Services (who use Optima Legal Services) for £1211; this has a solicitors fee of £411.25.

Can anyone recommend someone better?

Thanks

Ben

jozbo

£1211 with a solicitors fee of £411.25 - what's the remaining £800 odd? Sounds a bit steep for the searches and registry to me

I'm also getting conveyancing quotes for property of a similar value in London - have had the most reasonable costings from solicitors local to the area.

Swipe

That sounds expensive. I think I paid around £500 to buy and £400 to sell last year.

benjamintsims

The break down is:
Solicitors fees - purchase £411.25
Stamp duty land tax form completion - £58.75
Lender Admin Fee - £88.13
Leashold fee - purchase £146.88

Disbursements
Local search, Environmental and Drainage searches £259
HM Land Registry Search / Bankruptcy Search £10
Telegraphic Transfer Fee £41.13
Land Registry Fee £200
Id Verification (per persoon) £5.88

Total £1,221

Bananamana

ask people you know (not the agent but friends and family) if they can recommend someone. Its not all about the fees - quality of service matters.

Evilm

£411 is not bad for a solicitors fee. Its annoying they tack the SDLT form fee on afterwards - that should be part of their normal fees and not an extra.

Bananamana

Evilm wrote: »

£411 is not bad for a solicitors fee. Its annoying they tack the SDLT form fee on afterwards - that should be part of their normal fees and not an extra.

self assessment- some people prefer to do it themselves. hence why the fee is usually seperated out.

If you have a mortgage the solicitor may insist on completing the form however.

timmyt

benjamintsims wrote: »

Hi all

I'm not a regular here but I have tried searching the forum on this topic and couldn't find any recent recommendations!

I need a conveyancing solicitor for a First time buy of a leasehold (with share of freehold) property in London. The offer accepted was £163k and it is a 1920 purpose built flat (not ex local authority).

I've had conveyancing quotes from four companies ranging from £1211 to £1598 including search fees etc. At the moment I am earing towards the quote from Coop Fincancial Services (who use Optima Legal Services) for £1211; this has a solicitors fee of £411.25.

Can anyone recommend someone better?

Thanks

Ben

don't 'earing'

you won't get a 'solicitor' so you might as well ask a plumber.

good luck......I hope they cooperate and do a good job

M.Holloway

Fridays Property Lawyers are good

Reviews here, here and here

Quote

Bar that go Local try googling "Conveyancing Camden" or where ever you are (be weird if I guessed Camden right )

RB-Arc

There are certain things you need to ask before you decide.
But First of all, £400 odd pounds + VAT is steep for a basic professional legal fee, especially when they are adding on a Leasehold fee suppliment!

Anyway, when you get your quotes you need to ask the following

Do you charge for completing the SDLT form?
Do you charge for ID checks?
Do you charge for Phone Calls, emails etc?
Do you have online case tracking?
Do you offer No Move No Fee, as standard and for free?

There are firms out there who do not have these hidden costs, so make sure you ask first before you instruct them