Avoid!! (Countrywide Property Lawyers)

Member Name: Lady1981

Product:	Countrywide Property Lawyers
Date:	19/07/09 (147 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ummm.... none

Disadvantages: EVERYTHING

Having worked as a conveyancer previously, I have had many dealing with Countrywide Lawyers, who deal with residential conveyancing within England and Wales.

CPL are a subsidiary of Countrywide Plc and Countrywide Plc also own estate agents, lettings agents, surveyor and mortgage advisory firms.

The first time I called CPL I needed to discuss an issue with a Lease with the case handler. Unortunately, when calling CPL you are initially put through to a call centre where the people on the other end of the phone appear to be young, without any conveyancing knowledge and are simply reading updates from the computer.

After getting nowhere with the call centre I was told they would need to put my call through to the legal department. I find it mind boggling that I wasn't able to talk to the legal department in the first place! Grr!

Upon speaking to the case handler (after advising the call centre that I would stay on the phone until I could speak to the case handler) it soon became apparent that they knew nothing of the case and even if they did they were too busy to deal with it in the next 2 weeks, even though exchange was required by the chain imminently.

I was in the unfortunate position of having to deal with CPL on a regular basis as one of the agents who recommended me to clients had to also recommend CPL (it was a sackable offence in his firm not to). Very frustrating!

In my experience, CPL were at their worst when they took 4 months to reply to some enquiries which I had raised. My clients (the buyers) thankfully realised that I was not at fault and even the agents hated recommending CPL but it was compulsory for them to do so.

About a year ago a friend of mine used CPL to buy his house. I advised him not to but he was of the opinion that as they were the cheapest quote, they would also be the best. I dread to think how he will get on when he comes to sell his house but unfortunately he wouldnt listen to my advice.

I can only hope that now that conveyancers are not so over worked as they once were, perhaps CPL have upped their game... but I doubt it!

If you are looking for a conveyancer, do NOT look to CPL!

Summary: An unprofessional slapdash job