Billed for 3x original quote by Conveyancers

somethingcorporate

Suggest you read the full thread, it gives a very detailed explanation as to why costs are higher than the original estimate as covered in their T&Cs.

Simon_Eames

PLEASE READ THIS – It could save you a lot of grief

This is a copy of a review I posted on TrustPilot, shared in an attempt to save others a repeat of our terrible experience:

I was forced to edit this post following an email from the legal department of Convey Law sent at 1.27am the same night informing me that legal action will be taken if not withdrawn. This instantaneous strongly worded scare-tactic sent in the middle of the night perhaps explains the very surprisingly small number of negative reviews here, because such threats from a legal firm would surely be intimidating to most. Also I note with interest the brevity and language of some of the 5* reviews here and have drawn my own conclusion as to their authenticity. My edit here is to remove anything that could potentially be interpreted as libellous, and to ensure that everything remaining can if necessary be substantiated by written and email evidence. The only exceptions to this which I cannot substantiate are my honest recollections of innumerable frustrating failed attempts to get through on the telephone, and Convey Law’s repeated and consistent failure to respond to voicemails. The remainder here comprises my own personal views and impressions which I should be delighted to repeat in court if they really are silly enough to push this.

Having bought and sold over a dozen properties over the years I have never before made the ludicrous mistake of trying to save a paltry few pounds of solicitor's fees on a 6 figure transaction. We live and learn! Convey Law’s initially quoted fee bore no relation whatsoever to the complicated and convoluted schedule of fees and deductions eventually charged. I have to accept that these were all legitimate, but potential clients should be warned that anything less than a totally fastidious examination of every single word of the extremely complex (and to me impenetrable) Ts and Cs will leave most people with a woefully inaccurate expectation of the total eventual costs. The bottom line actual saving below a standard High Street solicitor will be surprisingly small if any, and in my opinion very definitely not worth the appalling waste of time and emotion, delays, frustrations, inefficiencies, consistent lack of communication and the absence of an accessible single point of contact (dealing with any one of a “team” not an individual conveyancer).

Throughout our very protracted transaction there were numerous unnecessary delays due to simple inefficiency at Convey Law, with myself and the purchaser's solicitor often waiting days and sometimes weeks for replies to emails and phone calls. The same applies to the repayment of a small post-completion retention against maintenance charges that was not actually paid until 17 months after initial acceptance of offer! That was 17 months of hassle, frustration and wasted energy. Yes explanations and excuses of a sort have often been given on the occasions when I have eventually been lucky enough to get through, but there have been far too many coincidences here. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck..... 17 months to put the papers finally away is simply too long.

However my main complaint that above all else has made my dealings with Convey Law such a total pain and frustration is that their communication from start to finish with me THEIR CLIENT has been quite appallingly inadequate. One of the few timely responses I ever received from them was their legal department’s email received within 6 hours of posting this review! It's a shame they couldn't apply a little of this prompt efficiency and diligence to actually doing the work they are being paid for. I have never in 4 decades of dealing with rental property received such atrocious lack of service and communication from MY solicitor whose salary I am paying. Convey Law has at least one very dissatisfied ex-client who has learned a painful lesson in paying peanuts and getting monkeys.

suet_pud

Just been through the same grief with two houses. Wish I'd read your posting first!