Countrywide Conveyancing/HSBC - avoid like the plague if you want to complete

DarkAngelEyes

TO ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS THINKING OF TAKING OUT A MORTGAGE TO AVOID BIRCHALL BLACKBURN LAW. WORSE SERVICE NO RETURN CALLS AND INCOMPETANT.
Unfortunate to have used them and caused us loss of money and time. Look for further reviews on solicitor. ifo and you will see more negtive reviews that it will make you avoid them at all cost

Hannah_Ross

We are currently in the process of buying a house and our mortage is through HSBC. We have found them to be straightforward and hassle free. We did not opt to go with Countrywide conveyancing as I wanting a local solicitor for speed. As our chosen solicitor can act on behalf of HSBC, there was no extra fee for this and CC. Don't need to be involved at all.

PrettyFlower90

Our solicitor actually told us in their initial quote to us that they do not deal with HSBC, so if that was our lender we would have to find another solicitor if needed.
From reading these no wonder!

Malky_Sama

I wish my bears had seen this thread, I sold in April and still not complete. CC is the buyers conveyebcing company and what a nightmare, I have no purchase so free to move anytime. CC ask the most unreasonable questions about building control sign off which they should know the answer to eg; conservatory, does not need building control sign off nor doors with 50% or less glass (if I know so should they as they do this every day) right of way, been there since 1873 when barn was converted, n answer to mails my conveyancer send s for 2+ weeks and costing me money eg; council tax on two properties due to their incompetence. If I did not like my buyers i would pull out and put it back on the market with the tipulation that I will not deal with CC. Pity they are not on Trip Advisor they would not get 1 green dot. If industry carried on like this they would be out of business, pity JL does not do conveyencing, I am jumping at present but as CC are not acting for me I can do nothing except press my MP for the rules to change to the Scottish way. A very frustrated seller who would strongly advise other sellers to say to buyers they will not deal with CC under any circumstances. Going for a large scotch to calm my nerves:

davilown

baggage55 wrote: »

We are trying to exchange on the sale of our house to a couple who have made the big mistake of taking out a mortgage through HSBC. We have just three houses in the chain, our purchasers are in rented and our sellers are moving to an empty property. We have solicitors, our purchasers have solicitors, our sellers have solicitors and our purchasers mortage provider, HSBC, for reasons known only to them, have appointed Countrywide Conveyancing to act for them. THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE NIGHTMARE. CC want every box ticked several times over, they want two days to turn round any piece of information, they insist on 11 working days between exchange (if only we could get that far) and completion. We agreed the sale in the first week in January, and the people selling to us had already got some way with their purchase as our original buyer pulled out just before Christmas. As far as all parties in the chain are concerned we have been ready to exchange for nearly 3 weeks but still CC manage to find yet more questions that need an answer. Meanwhile our purchasers have deposited a hefty deposit with their solicitors which is no longer in their own bank account. PLEASE TELL ANYONE YOU KNOW WHO IS THINKING OF TAKING OUT A MORTGAGE TO AVOID HSBC AT ALL COSTS - if they ever want to actually move into the property they find. I have moved house many times during my long life, this has been the longest and most stressful process I have ever experienced. The solicitors on all sides are totally exasperated by CC's involvement and cannot understand what HSBC are trying to achieve. BUYER BEWARE is the saying here.

If you choose a solicitor who isn't on their register then that's your issue not HSBC's and they appoint a solicitor to act on their behalf. Pus you'll have to pay an extra £295 for the pleasure.

As to avoiding HSBC, they've been fine for us with 2 mortgage applications, valuations and surveys.

Surely you should be saying avoid Countrywide Conveyancing instead?

KickedbyKellard

I bought my first house more than 40 years ago. Since then I have moved more than a dozen times. My mortgages have always been with HSBC and I have always found them to be excellent providers.
HSBC give applicants the option and I have always used a solicitor authorised by them to act on their behalf. I have paid a small additional charge for the privilege. At no time have any documents ever had to be checked by Countrywide, nor have they had any involvement in any of my affairs.
That said, on this latest transaction, Countrywide were acting on behalf of another seller in the chain and they were unhelpful to other solicitors and agents and arrogant and rude in their approach to enquiries.

jeff_tolman

One of the worst conveyancing companies i have ever seen. They were acting for 1st party in a chain of 3. We were informed they had completed local searches and ready to exchange for their party. Turns out after 13 weeks they had never even submitted searches until 2 weeks back. They have now delayed our sale by over 4 weeks and lied about submitting them too. I called the Notts council who stated searches were done within 10 days, when i mentioned 13 weeks he was baffled. Stay away from these cowboys who cannot even organise a party let alone conveyance on housing. They will cause you more troubles than what they worth !!!!!

D_M_E

Countrywide have today announced another profits warnig - apparrently they are not selling enough in a weakening market - thei8r shares have shot down today as a result

Their lettings side is also feeling the pinch - probably looking for more ways to source fees from hapless tenants and landlords.

Lovedove

We recently had an appalling experience with countrywide conveyancing services. I have placed an official complaint and placed a bad report on trust pilot.
Avoid them like the plague they have cost us far more than a huge amount of money !
We were selling out house, our buyers were very keen to get things moving, we were buying an empty property with no mortgage . Only one other person in the chain but it still took them 3 months to complete.
Don’t go near them with a barge pole.
BE WARY
Bridgfords estate agents are part of the same group and are compelled to suggest ccs when selling/buying a property.

Lovedove

Here here 👍
I am currently fighting a similar very frustrating battle.