Conveyancing services

[gasgull]

Has anybody any advice or recommendations for solicitors or conveyancing services mid Sussex area,
we are looking to sell and buy in the HH / Newick area.
We have been told that online conveyances are a lot cheaper ,but is it better to use a local company although they are more expensive..
We will probably need solicitors rather than just conveyances as there are a couple of legal issues to tie up with the purchase.
Any advice appreciated.

 

[brightonian]

Biggest investment of your life - worth spending a couple of hundred pounds extra legal fees to ensure (a) you have effective purchase due diligence and (b) should it go wrong, you have. More effective recourse to the legal services firm. This really is a no brainier.

As part of this process I would strongly recommend that the law firm you instruct undertakes thorough searches including flood risk. Did you know that it can flood up a hill - no joke. Residents in certain roads in Bevendean will tell youbthat

 

[brightonian]

.....damn iPad and touch screen technology!

Suggest you point your selected solicitor in the direction of GroundSure combined environmental and flood risk searches.

In terms of law firm you may wish to consider a firm that is accredited by the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).

Good luck!

 

[Weststander]

I have no connection with them, but have always found Griffith Smith solicitors to be efficient, with no ballsups on home buying or selling.

Their fees seem low (set by Law Society?).


There are one or 2 Hove and Portslade single office solicitors firms that are repeatedly awful and slow (including right now, a colleague is having trouble with one), but obviously, cannot mention names.

 

[middletoenail]

I can recommend my sister, she works at Rohan & Co who are Haywards Heath based.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

My advice is to go with a local firm. In theory a company from any corner of the country or an online business can do it. But, a local firm will have local knowledge which can only help as well as experience when it comes to dealing with the local authorities which can be a little idiosyncratic at times.

 

[Ozymandias86]

For my sins, I am currently training with Cripps Harries Hall. Bias aside, they are CQS-accredited and will give you a very realistic quote if you give them a ring.

 

[bravohotelalpha]

I would definitely recommend using a local firm as opposed to an online conveyancing outfit

I definitely would not recommend using Griffith Smith

All the best

 

[Chicken Run]

Another vote for a local firm, these online Legal Execs are an accident already happening. When the chips are down you cant plonk yourself down in the reception and not budge until somone comes and deals.

 

[sjn]

Has anybody any advice or recommendations for solicitors or conveyancing services mid Sussex area,
we are looking to sell and buy in the HH / Newick area.
We have been told that online conveyances are a lot cheaper ,but is it better to use a local company although they are more expensive..
We will probably need solicitors rather than just conveyances as there are a couple of legal issues to tie up with the purchase.
Any advice appreciated.

Most parts of conveyancing are electronic now so no need for a local solicitor
There are some very good deals around for solicitors who are not local (they are solicitors so the legal part will be fine)
With a lot of locals they will charge c£575 for sale and same again for purchase- this should really be c£100 cheaper for each - all covered by law society so no risks
I got a cheap solicitor via Clearwater mortgages in rustington - email contact details on Internet they were not local but very good

 

[surrey jim]

I used an online company (/www.conveyancingdirect.net) couldnt say enough bad things about them. Never returned calls/ replied to emails, didnt keep us informed of progress. When we did speak to case manager (Jodanna) she was rude and unhelpful.

In short I would definatly stump up a few more pounds in future and save the stress!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Used Jane Cole from this firm many a time and I can highly recommend :

Home

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I've just twigged who the OP is. How are you?

 

[strings]

My only advice is read the solicitors contract. When we moved house, a solicitor told us there was a flat fee that would not change. When we got the solicitor's contract there was a list of extra charges.

Needless to say we decided not to sign the contract and went with the services of a more honest firm.

 

[Lush]

I've just twigged who the OP is. How are you?

Michael Owen!!!!!

 

[Eddiespearritt]

Definitely stay away from online services - and shop around amongst local firms with a good reputation for the best price. We're going through the same process, and the range of charges and costs does vary significantly. Certain banks won't let you make your own choice anyway, if there is a mortgage involved.

 

[Arthritic Toe]

One piece of advice, whoever you choose... Make sure you always check their arithmetic at all stages and especially on the completion statement. Do not assume that because they do this sort of thing for a living, they cant make simple mistakes. With all the large numbers flying around it is very easy for an error of a few hundred or even thousand quid to go unnoticed.

I have gone through exactly 2 completions in my life and both times this has happened. Funnily enough, both times the error was in the solicitors favour. They always get laughed off as "oh silly me" sort of errors, but I am genuinely beginning to wonder if some of these guys are supplementing their fees by sneaking in a few ""accidently on purpose" arithmetic errors.

 

[gasgull]

Hi Herr Tub,
I'm good,
PM sent

 

[pauli cee]

I would definitely recommend using a local firm as opposed to an online conveyancing outfit

I definitely would not recommend using Griffith Smith

All the best

haha, same here, (with regards to GS)
tho i could probably make a long list of solicitors i wouldn't recommend,
as for ones that i could recommend.....zero

(sorry, bit bitter towards solicitors, so not very helpful)

 

[therealdsg]

I used Charlotte Clarke from GFSW last year. She was fantastic and really helpful - the vendor used a conveyancing agent rather than a solicitor so in a nutshell it was a scouse call centre where a solicitor came in once a week to sign off on work. Bloody slow but Charlotte sped everything up doing our work and their work for them.

She's now at Adams and Remers in Lewes and I couldn't recommend her more highly. I also work for an estate agent and she's handled 5 sales for us too with minimum fuss!