“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!”
