First time buyer - any recommendations for (or against) solicitors/conveyancers?

FTB_on_FIRE

Hi there everyone, 
My partner and I are first time buyers, and have just had an offer accepted for £218,500. We are trying to save money on a solicitor, as we're being quoted between £800 and £2000, which is quite a difference. We don't want to go with the cheapest though, and end up taking months longer than we should, or losing money with unprofessional companies. The cheaper ones are Home Legal Direct (£867), Lambert Pugh (£911) and PM Property Lawyers (£933) - anyone had any experience with them, or have any recommendations? My brain is swimming right now!
Thanks

csgohan4

are they on the panel for your lenders? Property lawyers has a thread on here, have a look

FTB_on_FIRE

We don't have a lender yet... should we do that first? Our estate agents told us to do this first, so we've just been going by what they said.

csgohan4

no point in getting a lawyer if they are not on the lender's panel, pick a lender and then see if the solicitors are on their panel

Estate agent doesn't work for you, I would take what they say with a pinch of salt, more so if their pegging services to you

FTB_on_FIRE

Thanks for that, will do! 

Mark_Michalowski

If anyone comes across this thread, years on down the line - stay away from PM Property Lawyers in Sheffield.

No communication, no emails returned, no calls returned.

Absolute cowboys - I've aged 10 years in the seven months my house sale and house purchase have taken, and it's not over yet.

Tiglet2

It's been some years now, but Lambert Pugh were very good at that time.

twoLou

You could always ask the estate agent if there are any they recommend, it should be in their interests to only recommend ones who they know are efficient. After all they like to keep the sale progressing.

In my experience the agent always asks who your solicitors are first so I’m not surprised by this but take your time and don’t feel you have to rush to a decision.

Noneforit999

twoLou said:

You could always ask the estate agent if there are any they recommend, it should be in their interests to only recommend ones who they know are efficient. After all they like to keep the sale progressing.

In my experience the agent always asks who your solicitors are first so I’m not surprised by this but take your time and don’t feel you have to rush to a decision.

This is exactly what we did. 

I actually had one in mind which had good reviews on 'Google' but our EA said they were hopeless.

Gave me a couple of suggestions so we went with one and they seem to be good so far.

TripleH

I would go by a friend's recommendation.

We used the firm my MIL worked for for a while until the partner she worked under retired and the service quality fell.

For our last purchase, we used a local to us firm recommended by one of my wife's best friends who lived locally to us.

jonnydeppiwish!

Go local or friends recommendations - this forum is full of those who chose the cheaper option only to find the ineffective and costing a lot more. 

Also, make sure the quote covers all the costs. The £800 one sounds just like the solicitors fees. £1200-1450 will be about the right amount iirc