Conveyancing solicitors

Pammieh

Hi I know there are many posts about how awful online conveyancing solicitors are...however we are 3 sisters (executors and beneficiaries) of my mum's estate and are selling her bungalow. We all live about 30-45mins drive from mum's and about an hour from each other...having a 'local' solicitor we can just pop into wouldn't help? I would much prefer to be able to submit any docs online/use electronic signatures? None of us have used a solicitor in ages so we'd just base our choice on reviews - even for a 'bricks and mortar' ...can anyone advise? Many thanks

Wkmg

Bishopsgate Law seem good so far. 

Thrugelmir

Find a recommended local solicitor. Are you conducting probate yourselves? Might be easier for two of you to have power reserved. Just leaving one to deal with the paperwork in wrapping up the estate. 

greatcrested

Doyou all trust each other?

If so, far easier if one of you acts as Executer and the other 2 retain 'Powers Reserved'.

That way you don't need toconstantly get 3 signitures for everything. You can still discuss/agree on decisions, but the practicalities aremuch easier.

Then choose a solicitor close to whoever is acting as executer, ideally one who works with probate issues as well as conveyancing, in case probate issues arise.

Of course, if trust is not 100% this may not be appropriate, though the executers with 'powers reserved' can still re-activate their power.....

Pammieh

Hi thanks all - I've done everything in winding up the estate so far...mum didn't leave a will so I applied for letters of administration (I named all 3) and that's come through - so I'm a bit late on that now. And anyway - though I believe we do trust each other...they likely would've wondered why I'd want it that way (and at the beginning we were going to share the duties!) I'll take a look at Bishopsgate as a starting point... thanks again

Thrugelmir

Be prepared to either do some driving or post documents around!  Some will require witnessing as well. 

davidmcn

Post works fine for most people. Whether you use an "online" solicitor or a "high street" one, the vast majority of the work is done remotely. Obviously at the moment there's little point considering visiting their office anyway as people are largely working from home and doing everything they can to avoid face-to-face meetings.

Using a local (to the property) solicitor can occasionally help as they may have knowledge of local title quirks, practices of the council, etc.

Missy79

I used a local solicitor for my sale and now a largely online one for my purchase, recommended by a different more local one I wanted to use, who were not taking new clients due to an IT upgrade. Not impressed with the level of service from either to be honest but I don't think the online one having a more local office would have made much difference.

NameUnavailable

I used a local solicitor when I sold my flat recently, suggested to me by a neighbour. I never actually met them and dropped off some signed documents one evening through the letterbox. Being local had no benefit (apart from saving the cost of a stamp). I'm about to buy another place and will probably just go for the cheapest online service that comes up.

greatcrested

In most cases, where things go smoothly, it makes little difference whether the conveyancer is local, 100 miles away, or 'online' somewhere.

But where problems arise or you want/need a decent explanation there is no substitute for being able to go in and sit face to face with the the solicitor. Yes, that is rare, but it's only when you hit that need that you feel the lack of it.

I had a purchase where a number of ancient covenants referenced various different Plans, sme historic. It was only by looking togeter at the Plans/maps that I was able to explain to the solicitor what the covenants referred to, since I had visited and new the site whereas he of course had not. He was then able to advise on the potential impact of the covenants.

Just one example - admitedly not run-of-the-mill - but it was not till the documentation was produced that the complexities became clear.

simonp

Wished I used one of the online conveyancer. I thought choosing a local company would be better but they're so slow and backward (everything still comes out in the post second class!) - would be much easier filling in stuff or signing things online (those that can be).