[Brighton] Can anyone recommend a good property solicitor in Brighton?

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

I've used Mayo Wynne Baxter and Lewis Denley before and found both to be quite tedious to deal with. Each time things took way longer and were made more complex by constantly having to deal with different people within the company, rather than just one person who was on top of things resulting in multiple crossed wires, needless delays and mistakes.

I've done some online research and Sherwood Solicitors seem to be the stand-out ones in town, but unfortunately, they're not taking on any more work at the moment.

Can anyone recommend a good, small local firm?


Cheers!

 

[Eric the meek]

I've used Jane Cole, owner of Sussex Law here in Patcham several times. All good.

http://sussexlawsolicitors.com/

However, expecting a single point of contact may be aiming a bit high.

 

[Springal]

There is absolutely zero concept of customer service with property solicitors , go with whoever is localish and reasonable price

 

[BBassic]

We worked with Richard Woodley at Engleharts for our flat sale / house purchase:

Richard Woodley - Engleharts Solicitors

Richard is a Residential Conveyancer. He joined the firm in 2013 and has built up close links with many local estate agents and takes pride in looking after his clients. Richard has worked in residential conveyancing since 2007. Prior to joining Engleharts, he worked for other local firms...

www.engleharts.co.uk

Nice bloke, got the job done which was tricky as it was lockdown and then the stamp duty deadline and the poor sod caught COVID in the middle of it all.

Albion fan too.

 

[Zeberdi]

Dean Wilson LLP conveyed my property - Annie Fitzpatrick and Siobhan Cox 01273 249 200 - based at 7 Dials

I found them to be very thorough and reliable. You have to push all solicitors to get a move on but they were not bad at all (much faster than either of the other two firms on each side of the chain.)

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Dean Wilson LLP conveyed my property - Annie Fitzpatrick and Siobhan Cox 01273 249 200 - based at 7 Dials

I found them to be very thorough and reliable. You have to push all solicitors to get a move on but they were not bad at all (much faster than either of the other two firms on each side of the chain.)

I second Dean Wilson LLP. I have used them numerous times for a variety of property related issues; I wouldn’t use anyone else.

 

[keaton]

Yeah I'd recommend Dean Wilson LLP, we used them and recommended to others and they were fine.

And I'd always recommend David and David estate agents but you may be past that point

 

[GT49er]

I've used Jane Cole, owner of Sussex Law here in Patcham several times. All good.

http://sussexlawsolicitors.com/

However, expecting a single point of contact may be aiming a bit high.

I used her a few years ago. After my (now) ex-wife and I seperated, we did at least come to an amiccable agreement that I could stay in the house and buy out her share for a very reasonable price (there were reasons for this, taking into account our financial contributions towards paying off the mortgage while we were together - I'd pais all the repayments, and used my entire pension lump sum to finally pay it off).

Jane Cole, engaged by me to handle the conveyancing, and therefore acting for me nevertheless wrote to my wife to tell her she could take me for more money, and even when told by my wife that the arrangement was agreed and satisfactory, she still didn't seem happy - my solicitor, supposedly acting for me, still felt impelled to go back to the wife to check was she really, really sure she didn't want to rinse me some more? Instead of just sending back the signed documents, IIRC the wife finished up writing to her to confirm in writing that she didn't want my solicitor to to get more money from me!

Heaven help me if my then wife and I hadn't agreed the terms amiccably!

 

[Dinner with Gotsmanov]

I’ve used Wards in Hove a few times and always found them to be good

 

[Eric the meek]

I used her a few years ago. After my (now) ex-wife and I seperated, we did at least come to an amiccable agreement that I could stay in the house and buy out her share for a very reasonable price (there were reasons for this, taking into account our financial contributions towards paying off the mortgage while we were together - I'd pais all the repayments, and used my entire pension lump sum to finally pay it off).

Jane Cole, engaged by me to handle the conveyancing, and therefore acting for me nevertheless wrote to my wife to tell her she could take me for more money, and even when told by my wife that the arrangement was agreed and satisfactory, she still didn't seem happy - my solicitor, supposedly acting for me, still felt impelled to go back to the wife to check was she really, really sure she didn't want to rinse me some more? Instead of just sending back the signed documents, IIRC the wife finished up writing to her to confirm in writing that she didn't want my solicitor to to get more money from me!

Heaven help me if my then wife and I hadn't agreed the terms amiccably!

That's an interesting one!

My initial reaction was real surprise. But I then ran it past my wife (who also knows the solicitor) and she had a different perspective:

We don't know the sums involved, and perhaps Jane was alerted by the very reasonable price, and was being thorough and professional in checking (and getting it in writing) that your (now) ex-wife was happy with the arrangement, and there was no coercion. I'm not suggesting for a moment, that there was anything untoward, just that the solicitor was covering her rear. A solicitor friend of my sister was once (mistakenly) involved in a conveyancing fraud, and came close to being struck off. They have to be really, really careful.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

I've used Jane Cole, owner of Sussex Law here in Patcham several times. All good.

http://sussexlawsolicitors.com/

However, expecting a single point of contact may be aiming a bit high.

I've used Jane Cole over the years and generally thought her service was OK but did gradually get worse. I'm currently selling four properties and her service has been dire - so much so I've removed two of the sales from her when they feel through. If the other two fall through I will remove those from her as well.

She's often away and her locum is generally unavailable ( and that's when she bothers to put the locums details in her Out of Office ). I've had several queries on these sales and I often have to chase - and sometimes she says "please could you re-send your question as I can't find it". The selling estate agent almost cheered when I told them I was changing solicitor for two of the properties.

I'm now using Goodlaw - https://www.goodlawsolicitors.co.uk/ - and they seem pretty good. That said, I'm not the biggest fan of property solicitors anyway.

 

[Eric the meek]

I've used Jane Cole over the years and generally thought her service was OK but did gradually get worse. I'm currently selling four properties and her service has been dire - so much so I've removed two of the sales from her when they feel through. If the other two fall through I will remove those from her as well.

She's often away and her locum is generally unavailable ( and that's when she bothers to put the locums details in her Out of Office ). I've had several queries on these sales and I often have to chase - and sometimes she says "please could you re-send your question as I can't find it". The selling estate agent almost cheered when I told them I was changing solicitor for two of the properties.

I'm now using Goodlaw - https://www.goodlawsolicitors.co.uk/ - and they seem pretty good. That said, I'm not the biggest fan of property solicitors anyway.

I suspect she has taken a step back since she and her husband (the office manager) got Covid at the height of the pandemic.

But you are the second person on here with a different opinion than mine. I'll have a house to sell in the next tax year and you've got me thinking.

 

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Thank for all the tips guys

 

[B-right-on]

From the opposite side, we sold a house last year and they used Nigel Brazier at GWCA Lancing and found him on the ball and dealt with matters fairly quickly. For a solicitor that is.

 

[rippleman]

This might be the time and the place to remind those selling residential property (eg BTLs, Investment properties etc) that you MUST file a Capital Gains Tax Return AND pay any CGT due within 60 days of the completion date.

These arrangements do NOT apply to the sale of a property that has been your main residence.

Report and pay your Capital Gains Tax

How to report and pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT).

www.gov.uk

 

[Springal]

From the opposite side, we sold a house last year and they used Nigel Brazier at GWCA Lancing and found him on the ball and dealt with matters fairly quickly. For a solicitor that is.

He was a shocker in my last property sale, needed constantly chasing and difficult to get hold of. Chain nearly collapsed due to his lack of proactiveness

 

[Half Time Pies]

Based in Eastbourne but I have used Stephen Rimmer a couple of times over the past year once for a residential sale in Hove and another time for commercial lease renewal.
Roy Bridge dealt with the residential sale and Stephan Banks with the commercial lease renewal. Both seemed good.

Solicitors in Eastbourne, East Sussex - Stephen Rimmer LLP

From our two offices in Eastbourne, our friendly, expert solicitors provide a range of legal services for individuals and business all across East Sussex, including in Hastings, Bexhill-on-Sea, Hailsham, Polegate,...

www.stephenrimmer.com

 

[cheshunt seagull]

I used ODT Solicitors in New Rd, Brighton for the sale of my mother's house last year and they were really efficient and easy to deal with.

 

[Justice]

I used her a few years ago. After my (now) ex-wife and I seperated, we did at least come to an amiccable agreement that I could stay in the house and buy out her share for a very reasonable price (there were reasons for this, taking into account our financial contributions towards paying off the mortgage while we were together - I'd pais all the repayments, and used my entire pension lump sum to finally pay it off).

Jane Cole, engaged by me to handle the conveyancing, and therefore acting for me nevertheless wrote to my wife to tell her she could take me for more money, and even when told by my wife that the arrangement was agreed and satisfactory, she still didn't seem happy - my solicitor, supposedly acting for me, still felt impelled to go back to the wife to check was she really, really sure she didn't want to rinse me some more? Instead of just sending back the signed documents, IIRC the wife finished up writing to her to confirm in writing that she didn't want my solicitor to to get more money from me!

Heaven help me if my then wife and I hadn't agreed the terms amiccably!

Sounds like a man hater

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I used her a few years ago. After my (now) ex-wife and I seperated, we did at least come to an amiccable agreement that I could stay in the house and buy out her share for a very reasonable price (there were reasons for this, taking into account our financial contributions towards paying off the mortgage while we were together - I'd pais all the repayments, and used my entire pension lump sum to finally pay it off).

Jane Cole, engaged by me to handle the conveyancing, and therefore acting for me nevertheless wrote to my wife to tell her she could take me for more money, and even when told by my wife that the arrangement was agreed and satisfactory, she still didn't seem happy - my solicitor, supposedly acting for me, still felt impelled to go back to the wife to check was she really, really sure she didn't want to rinse me some more? Instead of just sending back the signed documents, IIRC the wife finished up writing to her to confirm in writing that she didn't want my solicitor to to get more money from me!

Heaven help me if my then wife and I hadn't agreed the terms amiccably!

assuming you asked her why she engaged with your ex wife in this manner when not instructed to do so? Bizarre behaviour and I wonder a liability event had your ex wife taken her unsolicited advice.