House move. Solicit...
 

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[Closed] House move. Solicitors. Home or away?

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Hoping to move from Kent to Suffolk and wondered if it was best to use a solicitor close to the area of our new property so the process can benefit from local knowledge or stay with our local solicitor for their knowledge of our area. WWSTWD?


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 4:23 pm
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Home. You need to be able to drop off/sign things.

Get recommendations -DO NOT GO WITH THE ESTATE AGENTS OWN ONE, ESPECIALLY IF IT IS COUNTRYWIDE.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 4:43 pm
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My recent experience:

I'd sell with a local estate agent who knew the local market.

I'd use a solicitor who understood how email worked and was in convenient kicking distance.

I'm not sure what if anything solicitor at the remote end would add as value.

I'd be wary of advice written with caps lock.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 7:54 pm
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I’d be wary of advice written with caps lock.

But in this instance, it's probably correct. Stay away from ****rywide Legal Services with someone else's bargepole.

FWIW I've just sold my parents' house using the EA's recommended conveyancer. And they were very good, professional and competent. The buyer used a solicitor and they were shit. As in, sending everything by post, lots of blaming, no advice, etc.

Personally I'd always use a specialist conveyancer.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 8:01 pm
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My mum is mid house move. She was talked into using their conveyancers (part of countrywide) who have been a disgrace. Never answer the phone. Don't reply to emails. No advice, just send lists of questions that don't make sense. One day before proposed exchange they now tell us there is a problem with the title deeds which will take 6 weeks to fix.

Go ahead and ignore, but I promise you will regret it.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 8:01 pm
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A specialist conveyancer will be a lawyer. They just have a sweatshop of paralegals doing their legwork.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 8:03 pm
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Geographical location is irrelevant. I’ve just moved 200 yards in Winchester and my conveyancing solicitor is based in Oxford. Key is to find a lawyer that uses emails and isn’t “in meetings” all day every day.

If you have access to a printer there is no need for you to see your solicitor in person or go anywhere near their office.


 
Posted : 18/05/2021 8:57 pm
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A specialist conveyancer will be a lawyer. They just have a sweatshop of paralegals doing their legwork

Not really. I mean, the conveyancer will be legally trained and may be a solicitor. But a typical local solicitor's office will have a conveyancing person in it - the main job of the solicitors is other legal stuff.

What I mean is find someone who specialises in conveyancing. Best one we've ever used was only a conveyancer. And they were amazing. The most recent was definitely a bit of a sweatshop (large law firm with large conveyancing dept), but still very good.


 
Posted : 19/05/2021 4:53 am
 tomd
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No need for the solicitor to be local, there's nothing you need to do in person. If I didn't have any positive recommendation or past experience with a local company I'd go with one of the better regarded larger firms. At least you'll find they can typically use email, apps, answer the phone and provide cover for staff absences.


 
Posted : 19/05/2021 5:54 am
 icic
Posts: 91
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We used RMNJ, found them on the web, this was 7 years ago and had no issues.

All online but could call if needed.

https://www.rmnj.co.uk/conveyancing-solicitors/home.asp

They were not local to where we were or are now but had great reviews at the time.


 
Posted : 19/05/2021 6:31 am

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