Premier Property Lawyers (PPL)

[Deleted User]

Just wondering what other people's experiences of these solicitors are like recently?
Emails are always logged (by a different person each time) are not replied to.
Calls go to voicemail and are not returned.
The only way it seems possible to get a response out of them is to complain to our estate agent.
We only used them as our estate agent required us to use them.
I am dreading when it comes to exchange/completion, as I have no idea how it can even happen with their total aloofness.
Thanks

SPAT34

The sellers of the property I'm buying are using this company. Obviously I have a limited second hand view, but so far all delays with the paperwork appear to have been caused by them. Response times have likely been impacted by lockdown but their responses to our enquiries have been slow and incomplete. 

tasticz

Estate agent cannot require you to do x and x. You tell them you have your own solicitor, mortgage broker, etc. and use them. 

[Deleted User]

tasticz said:

Estate agent cannot require you to do x and x. You tell them you have your own solicitor, mortgage broker, etc. and use them. 

As part of the estate agent's "pay later" package, you must use their recommended solicitor as it's stated in their terms. Otherwise I think there was a £300-odd fee on top.

trex227

On your quote for legal fees somewhere (usually at the bottom) there will be noted a “referral fee” that the firm is paying your estate agent to get your business. Take the legal fee amount and subtract the referral fee amount. This is what you are paying for conveyancing......

Kyresa

As someone in the industry, every time we see this firm, or any of the bulk conveyancers are on the other side we let out a loud collective sigh!       You will speak to a different person every time and we only ever seem to speak to the person supposedly in charge of the case upon exchange!

Slithery

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5686373/premier-property-lawyers-ltd-are-useless-imo/p1
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6077738/premier-property-lawyers-do-no-use/p1

macman

labrajaws said:

tasticz said:

Estate agent cannot require you to do x and x. You tell them you have your own solicitor, mortgage broker, etc. and use them. 

As part of the estate agent's "pay later" package, you must use their recommended solicitor as it's stated in their terms. Otherwise I think there was a £300-odd fee on top.

Only if you agree to it: these terms are always negotiable.

TripleH

I don't know if these were the numpties  'competent and organised firm' our buyer used, sounds a similar name. The buyer came back wanting a reduction for something that came to light after their initial offer. At that point all detailscwe had were that everything else was okay and we were ready to exchange. We said yes if we complete in 10 days from x. 
The day before this deadline, the buyers solicitors come back to say no, we can't exchange because they didn't pass our response on until 2 days ago. 
They also spelt THEIR client's name wrong in exchange paperwork. (Whilst their clients name wasn't English, neither is mine and mine is much harder to spell but my solicitor managed it.)

Unicorn_cottage

I am using their services as part of a remortgage process. They have been OK so far but that is because I am on it. I spoke to the person that is handling my case and they were a bit rude. I have spoken to other people in the office and 1 was rude and the other 1 was fantastic. As always it is finding the right individual to use.