Online conveyancer

lydriver

Looking at the guide on here it says Easier2move, 1st Property Lawyers and Online Conveyancing are some that MSE users have had success with.
But it also says if time is an issue then maybe online/cheap is not the best idea.

What does it mean about time?
I'm in no hurry to move but if I see somewhere I'd like to get an offer in with minimum fuss And not risk losing out

Should online still be considered?

libf

Are you in buying in Scotland?

If not, then the solicitors have no involvement in you making an offer.

lydriver

Yup Scotland (I only just realised I needed a solicitor to do that for me last week!)

Surely even with online it must just be a case of contacting the conveyancers then they put the offer in straight away

kellaree

Personally, I've found it stressful enough dealing with the #1 local solicitor in my area. I'd imagine, no matter how good the reviews might be for the online ones, it will be even more stressful!

I'd rather have an office I can go into and people I can see.

Never choose a solicitor by cost either!!

libf

Then I would only go with a conveyancing firm that's used to dealing with Scottish property law. Hopefully someone who knows more about that will post soon...

http://www.mov8realestate.com/2014/07/simple-guide-conveyancing-scotland-long-take-common-problems/

G_M

with many online conveyancing outfits:

* solicitors do not do the day-to-day work. Low-paid admin clerks do (with a solicitor overseeing a whole bunch of them)

* no single person deals with the file. When an action is needed, then next available clerk picks up the file

* each file is dealt with in turn, so it is hard to escalate things if you're in a hurry. With, say, 20 clerks dealing with, say 200 files, your file will sit in a queue at each stage(hence the 'time' comment

* you cannot speed thing up by popping in to sign something - it has to be posted to you and back

* if you have a problem, you cannot pop in and ask for a face-to-face explanation

* many 'quotes' have hidden extras - always check carefully that the final bill won't be more than the basic quote led you to believe.

gld73

I've just bought my house (in Scotland) and used an online conveyancing company (Conveyancing Direct, based In Glasgow). All went fine - got in on the date agreed at the start of the process and it was all pretty quick. Neither I nor the seller were in a chain and so it was a very straightforward transaction in this case.

On the down side, it wasn't easy to contact them by phone (kept getting the answer service), though they were pretty good at replying to emails. If I'd been a highly strung person wanting constant updates and reassurance that it was all progressing okay I might have been tearing my hair out and wishing I'd gone with a local solicitor instead - but as it is, it all went fine for me, and it saved me money compared to a local solicitor. I'd use them again.

lydriver

I've never compared prices to high street solicitors but I got s quote from 1st property lawyers of £825 for a 90,000 property.
Just buying, nothing to sell
Does that still seem cheap?

RedheadFred

I'm not in Scotland but I got quotes ranging between 6-700 for buying an £85,000 property two weeks ago, made no difference whether online or local, so went with local.

fashionvictim

G_M wrote: »

* you cannot speed thing up by popping in to sign something - it has to be posted to you and back

* if you have a problem, you cannot pop in and ask for a face-to-face explanation

Generally you are emailed or download things to sign and either up load it again or if required you post it back (which takes 1 day !) I think this is quick

I do agree they don't have one person who knows everything about your file but it seems ok for the cost and you do get a lead (contact person.) However other admin people will contact you on behalf of your lead.

You can phone them and mine phones with and update every week, numerous emails etc and online tracking.

dc197

What G_M said.

If something goes wrong (and it might not), or you need to speak to someone, you will probably rue that £200 or whatever saving.

When I bought 6 years ago I used a cheapo online one, and I could never get through to my conveyancer, only his team of clerks (who all sounded young).
I ended up writing a letter asking why he was so slow. Finally I got a call from him.

This time around I am paying more to avoid all the issue G_M says and using a highstreet one recommended to me by a lifelong friend.