[Closed] Selling my house, online solicitors?

I used an on line one years ago to buy my flat, it was ok until something needed signing urgently and realising their office was 100 miles away. Since then always used a local solicitor. So, imho, if it is going to be easy and not time dependant crack on

I guess the added complication is that the house is in the south and I live in the very north

I've used online/remote solicitors for my last two moves. Both were fine.

Last ones were Oliver and Co, based in Chester. I'd use them again.

I used a local solicitor recently for a couple of transactions and the prices where around £350. At that price I don't think its worth any risk of using an online firm.

Our buyer used an online solicitor.

I, our solicitor and our buyer all hated them by the end of it.

They were useless and highly ineffectual. And slow.

Using an online one who've been good, but its for a new house so theres no urgency.

Would prob go local if I wanted it done quicker.

Online ( Beaumont legal) were 50% cheaper than our local ones so its dependent on area.

I'm with igm, my buyer used them and they were totally useless. If I sold again I would refuse offers by anyone using them.

Remember most online solicitors are anything but. You will actually be dealing with a member of a pool of admin staff, with a solicitor overseeing the whole thing.

[i]Remember most online solicitors are anything but. You will actually be dealing with a member of a pool of admin staff, with a solicitor overseeing the whole thing. [/i]

That's the same of 'local' solicitors; it'll be a conveyancor doing the grunt work within the basic oversight of an actual solicitor.

[i]They were useless and highly ineffectual. And slow. [/i]

Ths was the case of our vendor's solicitor, who's office was 500 yds from the property being sold.

It's a case of some solicitors being crap and some not, independent of location.

I would go online/national company next time.

We used a local bloke, incapable of communicating or dealing via email/phone when in some circumstances it would have saved delays over weekends etc, everything had to be in paper.

When he was busy in meetings or phoned in sick (as he did a few days before our transaction took place) we had no backup even after speaking to his senior who clearly didn't want to step on his toes.

A complete 'mare.

IHN - Member
It's a case of some solicitors being crap and some not, independent of location.

That's true. I spoke of my direct experience. There may well be excellent online solicitors - I didn't deal with them.

That's the same of 'local' solicitors; it'll be a conveyancor doing the grunt work within the basic oversight of an actual solicitor.

Not if you use a small firm, most times its just the solicitor and a secretary, if the secretary cannot answer the question then its straight through to the solicitor.

I've used a friend of the family solicitor for 2 of my moves, relatively expensive, even with mates rates. I'd rather pay for quality service for something so important rather than risk dealing with a budget offering. Mostly things don't go wrong but when they do you want a decent guy.

I very recently used http://www.1stpropertylawyers.co.uk for the sale of my house. They were excellent. The web access to your case file is very slick you can see all documents & letters sent & received online. I was assigned a specific person for the conveyancing and never had any problems calling them when needed.
My buyer's high street solicitors were useless, starting with getting the addresses mixed up so that I got all their documentation sent to me. They didn't improve from there.

Rather than a local solicitor I would opt for a licensed conveyancer - they will be cheaper, and because it is all that they do quicker and more knowledgeable.

Interested in recommendations of good ones, as we will be selling in the next 6 months or so and I'm keen to keep costs down.

The whole process of buying and selling really needs a massive revamp, if someone could come up with a half decent reliable and cheap service they'd make millions.

I used an online conveyancer - f******* awful and created an enormous amount of stress for me, whilst complaining about doing the work I was paying them to do.

Local solicitor every time for me now.

I'm not sure we're helping 🙂

Not all online conveyancers are poor. Get a personal recommendation.

I have found you get what you pay for with Solicitors. Paying a posh lawyer has saved money and time in other areas. This is Scotland though where the legal system and buying/selling is different.

You'll get good and bad, regardless of where they're based. We did our last re-mortgage via post/online and they were very efficient, unlike the High Street firm that we used originally

"Or should I go local?" Local to you, or to the house that you're selling? If you're selling in another country (Scotland to England??) then I'd be tempted to consider an English company that may be more used to the quirks of law, whether online or not

I used comveyoncing direct a year ago , who were brilliant and ran rings round the local firm appointed to do a re-mortgage on another property at the same time.

I had direct number to solicitor, everything was emailed, I could scan and email all the documents after witness signed, only a couple were posted.