Solicitor Recommendations?

MidnightMoose

Hi all,

I'm in a similar position to the OP Junebug87, I have a help to buy ISA too and wondering on peoples thoughts about solicitors that can help arrange the additional money from the scheme as well. Does anyone have any experience with this? As I know the scheme is fairly new.

Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Moose

MrJB

MidnightMoose wrote: »

Hi all,

I'm in a similar position to the OP Junebug87, I have a help to buy ISA too and wondering on peoples thoughts about solicitors that can help arrange the additional money from the scheme as well. Does anyone have any experience with this? As I know the scheme is fairly new.

Any thoughts or suggestions greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Moose

Most solicitors should be able to assist - the Law Society provided briefing on it, the firm effectively signs up for a portal and submits the paperwork online I believe. From memory I believe the law society recommended charging a maximum of £50 for providing this service, but I cannot remember where I found that information!

househuntingmad

marksoton wrote: »

Do NOT use any services referred by the EA or lender. Be they legal or financial... :wall:

Sorry but I'm going to take exception to that. I had free legals as part of my mortgage and done via the lender. They were really good and I was extremely happy with them. They aren't all bad .

BUT I had a very straightforward transaction (freehold, no chain), and it wasn't one of the really big conveyancing factories.

AlanCD

Better Call Saul.......

Malmo

For solicitors, try the search below, which is through the Law Society's official database.

Law Society Search

Contact several of the firms listed, ideally with 2 or more senior partners, with your requirements. I sent an email to each requesting a quotation and heard back quickly. You can use the template below, which may be useful if contacting by email / webform.

Also, check that each firm's conveyancing practice is not a hotbed of formal complaints by reviewing the Legal Ombudsman's decision data - see this link, filter on "Residential Conveyancing" and sort by OMBUDSMAN REMEDY REQUIRED in descending order.

Then read this article to understand what "good" looks like for conveyancing quotations and what to expect from a good quotation.

=====
Hello,

Can you please provide detailed quotations for I]both sale & purchase[/I, split out by:
a) your basic conveyancing / legal fee (including VAT)
b) all itemised disbursements (please specify which searches are included) & other charges (including VAT where applicable & estimated SDLT)

We also have some questions to which we'd like responses to help us evaluate our options.

1) On what basis is your basic conveyancing fee for processing the transaction(s) payable? (fixed-fee OR scaled to the sale & purchase prices OR per hour)
2) Do you operate a "no move, no fee" policy?
3) What costs (if any) are payable upfront for both sale & purchase and at what point in the process? For example, what costs (if any) should I expect to pay prior to preparation of draft contracts and would there be any costs simply to open a file?
4) For our purchase, are you able to specify which lender's panels you are currently approved on (or not approved on, if that list is easier or shorter to answer)?
5) Are you available by email & direct dial number?
6) In the event that the solicitor representing our case is absent for any reason, would you handover to another representative at the firm?

Our Details
Number of Applicants: [X]

Purchase Postcode or Local Authority: [...]
Purchase Amount: [£...]
Purchase Tenure: [...]

Sale Postcode or Local Authority: [...]
Sale Amount: [£...]
Sale Tenure: [...]

I look forward to your response.
Many thanks,

[Your Name]

MidnightMoose

Thank you MrJB and Malmo, that's really helpful. I'll look at all you've recommended

Cheers

Moose

pathtofreedom

The benefit of a local solicitor is you can just pop round to sign something in your lunch break or after work depending on their opening hours, rather than having to wait a week for something to be posted to your house, then posted back, then posted on somewhere else. They might cost a little bit more as you're paying for the fact you do have somewhere local to go, but in my situation, if I hadn't picked someone I could do that with, the sale / purchase would have dragged on another month.