Which conveyancing solicitor - online or in-person?

tony_baduk

As a FTB, is it best to get an online solicitor or somone we can see face to face?

I find the online idea a particularly good idea as it is all done on the phone or email.

Anyone have any recommendations on online solicitors?

Cheers.

dekh

Well, you could at least get instant quotes from some of the online ones and see how it compares to the local ones.

My last move was with a local solicitor and the only face to face was about 15 minutes in which he seemed to look at my file for the first time, said "yeah looks fine any questions? no? right tarra."

So I can't really see the difference doing it online will make.

Richard_Webster

If something has to be got to the solicitor quickly, are you going to get into your car and drive from London to Leeds, or whatever?

Sometimes the advantage is about being able to pick stuff up and drop it in quickly. Also local knowledge can sometimes be a help.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

through personal experiance (twice!) i would never EVER use a web based conveyance service...

mods by all means remove if needed, but a recent buyer of mine used Joslin Rhodes... Errgh! is all can say for them!

dekh

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain wrote: »

through personal experiance (twice!) i would never EVER use a web based conveyance service...

mods by all means remove if needed, but a recent buyer of mine used Joslin Rhodes... Errgh! is all can say for them!

Hi, which two did you deal with? What were the problems?

Flat_Eric

I would definitely recommend someone local. My mum sold and bought last year and I am sure it took so long (5 months) because the solicitor was up country. Nothing beats being able to go into your solicitors office to deal with the signing of any documents or to pass in a bankers draft for any balance owed.

Also if your solicitor makes a mistake on any of the documentation then this can be rectified must easier - again some of the documentation sent to my mum was wrong - we returned it in the post and when it came back from her solicitor, it was still wrong...

Also local knowledge is invaluable......

dbuk44

I choose a medium,....

Get a quote through http://www.ybs.co.uk/conveyancing/index.jsp

The firms it finds are mostly nationwide conveyancers, but it lists the distance they are from you.

I found one for a price competive with the online firms, but only three miles away. I also called them to check that they accept visits in person.

badgermonkey

We've gone for a very local solicitors on the grounds that I can walk past on the way home from work and drop things in/pick them up. It's nice to be able to go in and ask the receptionists what else needs to be done (they do mostly conveyancing so the secretaries are well up on the process) and it saves stuff spending 2/3 days in the post each time. It's also round the corner from the estate agent who we are both selling and buying through, and the bank who we have our mortgage with, so we can keep all parties updated on changes by popping in - went from the bank, to the solicitors, to the estate agent the other day in five minutes. Stops all those misunderstandings that holds stuff up.

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

dekh wrote: »

Hi, which two did you deal with? What were the problems?

A couple of years ago it was a company called Joslin Rhodes... more recently it was a company in Manchester (who's named escapes me despite being only about 3 months ago!) who i actually believe not long purchased Joslin Rhodes.

The building is shared with RBS in Manchester i think!

Both times it was my buyer using them and they were awful.... Conveyancing 'factories' ran by trainees, or worse, general admins. Get a 'real' conveyancor who actually understands the process rather than a box ticker who cant deal with anything that happens outside the 'norm'.. costs you more, but well worth it imo

TighterThanTwoCoatsOfPain

edit - double post

dekh

LOL, but Joslin Rhodes are the Informed Choice.

Apparantly.