Choosing a Conveyancer

Zerforax

We used solicitors (not conveyancing firm) that our estate agents recommended and they did a great job. Estate agent had a direct line so were able to chase a couple of times and help unblock issues.

The estate agent got a £225 referral fee and we also got a £75 discount. They were a bit more expensive but rather spend a few hundred more on good solicitors than have a painful transaction!

Megaross

Woolsery said:

Megaross said:

You're always better getting a well rated local firm even if it costs a little extra. Don't let an estate agent sell you one because they're just looking for comission.

'Just looking for commission.''? Surely they get a hellava lot more when they  sell?  While a good agent can hold a sale others might lose, the combination of a good agent and a can-do solicitor is best.

I meant with regards to recommending a solicitor - often they'll simply recommend whoever pays them comission, not who is good. Unless you really trust your agent to be giving a genuine recommendation not looking for an additional bit of income I wouldn't go with their recommendation.

A good EA is invaluable, I met with 15+ agents when I went to sell my property.

Woolsery

Megaross said:

Woolsery said:

Megaross said:

You're always better getting a well rated local firm even if it costs a little extra. Don't let an estate agent sell you one because they're just looking for comission.

'Just looking for commission.''? Surely they get a hellava lot more when they  sell?  While a good agent can hold a sale others might lose, the combination of a good agent and a can-do solicitor is best.

I meant with regards to recommending a solicitor - often they'll simply recommend whoever pays them comission, not who is good. Unless you really trust your agent to be giving a genuine recommendation not looking for an additional bit of income I wouldn't go with their recommendation.

A good EA is invaluable, I met with 15+ agents when I went to sell my property.

Maybe we've been lucky to an extent and I expect it's different in the rural areas, but all agents we've used in modern times  have been decent, non-spivvy types. We used the same solicitor for 30 years and only wanted a new one for our last move. The long term solicitor asked who we were using to sell  my father's probate property in 2006, and when I told her the reply was, "Oh, bloody hell, he's like a terrier, always snapping at our heels! "

I suppose that's what we wanted. She was OK, but  became quite set in her ways and not as acessible as when originally employed.

The agent who sold us this property has 35 years experience and a computer like memory. 13 years on he was still able to recall trying to push up our bid, with us resisting suggestions someone else was 'very interested' and might snatch it away. He wasn't lying because we met the someone else, but 'very interested' was as far as it went! We laugh about it now. It is all a game, but sometimes an expensive one.

RandomGuy87

Find out if they are on the approved panel for your mortgage lender. 

We went with a local solicitor but they couldn't get approved for the panel so we had to find a new solicitor. 

Ended up going with one through a conveyancing website and for ages, they were a nightmare to get a hold of, no responses at all and only excuses when I could get hold of someone. 

Megaross

Woolsery said:

Megaross said:

Woolsery said:

Megaross said:

You're always better getting a well rated local firm even if it costs a little extra. Don't let an estate agent sell you one because they're just looking for comission.

'Just looking for commission.''? Surely they get a hellava lot more when they  sell?  While a good agent can hold a sale others might lose, the combination of a good agent and a can-do solicitor is best.

I meant with regards to recommending a solicitor - often they'll simply recommend whoever pays them comission, not who is good. Unless you really trust your agent to be giving a genuine recommendation not looking for an additional bit of income I wouldn't go with their recommendation.

A good EA is invaluable, I met with 15+ agents when I went to sell my property.

Maybe we've been lucky to an extent and I expect it's different in the rural areas, but all agents we've used in modern times  have been decent, non-spivvy types. We used the same solicitor for 30 years and only wanted a new one for our last move. The long term solicitor asked who we were using to sell  my father's probate property in 2006, and when I told her the reply was, "Oh, bloody hell, he's like a terrier, always snapping at our heels! "

I suppose that's what we wanted. She was OK, but  became quite set in her ways and not as acessible as when originally employed.

The agent who sold us this property has 35 years experience and a computer like memory. 13 years on he was still able to recall trying to push up our bid, with us resisting suggestions someone else was 'very interested' and might snatch it away. He wasn't lying because we met the someone else, but 'very interested' was as far as it went! We laugh about it now. It is all a game, but sometimes an expensive one.

I found some terrible ones, the bloke from Connells I actually asked to leave after 5 minutes because he had his mask on his chin (during peak covid), and he was talking to me like I was mentally incapacitated trying to sell me thousands of pounds in extras on the sale of a £125k property.

That chains were all pretty spivvy tbh.

Went with a good local firm, 40+ years in the business and the owner was a sound bloke. Didn't charge the earth either - just absolute professionals.