'Cheap' Conveyancing?

uk_messer

Hi All,

Okay...regards conveyancing. You call up a local solicitor and they want £500 to £700 plus VAT. Yet, you see all these websites offering conveyancing from £149.

Is there any issue with using these cheaper places? What's the consensus?

foreversummer

I went for a fairly cheap deal last time I moved on a 'no move no fee' basis which sounded great.

However, a few months after completion I discovered that I did not own part of my garden! The solicitor had basically cut corners with the conveyancing and it took ages to sort it out and we had to get the Law Society involved etc. A very stressful time.

Now, I may have just been unlucky, and maybe most of the times it works out OK, but I couldn't help feeling that if I'd paid more I would have got a proper job done.

Just my experience, but like I say it probably works out OK for many.

Foreversummer

Senior_Paper_Monitor

As a broker we ...

1) are inundated with 'cheap conveyancing firms' looking to take our referred business (and pay us for doing so).

2) regularly have to deal with the same firms when they are provided 'free' by the lenders

Based on the experience of 2 above and a number of nighmares over the years we continue to refer our clients to a 'mid price' specialist firm who we have used for nearly 5 years and we know do a thorough job, communicate with us and the clients and haven't let us down yet.

Buying a house is a major investment - I have always chosen to use competant professionals when making major investments in my previous business and personal life.

kingstreet

You normally find the ones who charge a combined fee, plus vat, plus disbursements are the most cost effective, as they include the cost of acting for the lender in completing the mortgage paperwork and don't charge extra for a stamp duty form.

Then, you get firms quoting £149 + VAT, you get charged for every letter, every phone call, acting for the lender is extra, more money for the SDLT form and so it goes on.

Just make sure you're comparing like with like is the best advice I can give you.

phead

The buyer of my flat used of those cowboy cheap firms, they were so bad that if I sell anything again I will refuse full stop to deal with anyone not using a solicitor.

I had the last laugh though, they did it up and tried to flip it, they had the buyer all lined up ready and......found out they didn't own the half share of the freehold, I still owned it! Took so long to sort out they lost the buyer and ended up paying many a months extra interest.

uk_messer

Thanks for the feedback. Having read up some more it seems some will whack up the total bill unfairly under disbursements.

SailorSam

I've done my own conveyancing twice using only Diy books from the local library.
Probably a bit more involved with the purchase than when you're selling. If you're buying with a mortgage the building society will still have a solicitor (which you have to pay for), so he's there making sure you've not made any mistakes. On your sale the only thing that's important at the end of the day is don't move out until you've got the money in your hand. After that any mistakes are someone elses problem.