“So misleading and a con! I found this company through Conveyancing Index looking for a conveyancing company. Berkeley Law or Berkeley Legal(?) but they did not mention that they were acting as a broker and put me in contact with a conveyancing company after I paid what was supposed to be a 'deposit' which is then taken from the final completion? This hasn't happened and the solicitors themselves said this had nothing to do with them and of course didn't need to have a search if I didn't want one???
Why would a broker do a search when it is the job of the conveyancing company. The conveyancing company also wanted to initially charge me for a search.
there was also supposed to £50 taken off the completion bill, but again that did not happen! The whole thing is just a con!”
“BLG,
Further to my email below as I have still heard nothing back from you.....
I have still not received my refund as I had previously been advised by Ms Jane Green, BLG Account Manager on 13 May 22 was being organised by your finance department,
Your failure in adequate communication in response to my request and re-requests (by phone, email and using your online request portal) has been totally unacceptable. It is almost impossible to reach anyone by phone and emails/ online submissions are rarely if ever responded to. I am therefore now forced to raise this as a formal complaint.
I will report this complaint to the Solicitors Regulation Authority if I do not receive by close of play Friday 1 Jul 22,proper feedback and a full refund.
Yours,
Janette L Cooper”
“I was initially directed to Berkeley Legal Group through Conveyancing Index, their quote came up much cheaper than the initial quotes offered to me through our Mortgage Broker and other services. Berkeley passed the case onto PCS Legal, who were moderately to severely ineffective. Despite our mortgage company being known at the point of instructing the solicitors (both Berkeley and PCS Legal had this information in February 2022), it has taken until this month for the firm dealing with our case to realise that they were not approved to handle the transaction with our Mortgage lender and advise that we needed a different solicitors.
I attempted to contact Berkeley on that day to seek resolution and for them to instruct a firm who actually could see the case thorough as we were under the impression we were nearing completion! What then occurred was a shambolic lack of communication from Berkeley with their website being unavailable, their phone lines cut off, and no replies to any of my many frantic emails trying to salvage the purchase of my first and dream home which was falling to pieces. I even resorted to threatening further costly legal action and approaching the Ombudsmen regarding this!
In an attempt to salvage the purchase, I have since had to instruct another firm entirely, pay out for the works to be duplicated and face a significant delay at this stage. The new firm that we have instructed has been PHENOMENAL, and for that bit more money you get competency and the ability to relax somewhat in this terrible ordeal. Now on the brink of completing and moving into my dream home. WITH NO THANKS TO BERKELEY FOR THAT.
ABSOLUTELY DO NOT RECOMMEND - Vital lesson learnt as a first time buyer, the one thing you DO NOT scrimp on is the solicitors!”
