HERRINGTON CARMICHAEL LLP

Recommended by the Developer, Not Recommended by a Client
My experience with Herrington Carmichael has been disappointing, particularly in relation to communication, organisation, and the overall value of service provided. Although they were a recommended solicitor through a new build developer panel, the experience did not reflect the standard you would reasonably expect from that position. There was a consistent lack of proactive communication, with key updates frequently only provided after repeated chasing, significant contractual errors raised by us as Client, and avoidable urgency created through very short deadlines and limited warning.

More significantly, there was a lack of clear direction at critical stages of the transaction. Rather than acting as a proactive, value-adding conveyancer, the process often felt reactive and disjointed, leaving us to chase for basic updates and clarity. For a new build purchase in particular, this level of service created unnecessary stress and uncertainty at key points in the process.

Based on this experience, I would strongly caution others to consider whether expectations around communication, responsiveness, and overall service can realistically be met before instructing this firm. In hindsight, we would have chosen an alternative solicitor who could have provided more structured guidance and genuine value throughout the transaction.

We used this firm for our first house sale/purchase several years ago and they were fantastic, super efficient, communicative and proactive throughout the whole process. Because of that experience, we came back to use them again for our recent move.

Unfortunately, I won’t be making that mistake again.

What should have been one of the simplest chains possible, us with no onward chain and a first-time buyer purchasing our property, still took just over 16 weeks to complete. The process felt painfully slow from start to finish.

One of the biggest frustrations was the constant change of people handling our case. We seemed to have several trainees involved throughout, which only added delays and confusion. Communication was also incredibly poor compared to our first experience. We were constantly chasing for updates rather than being kept informed proactively.

It’s such a shame, because five years ago I would have highly recommended them without hesitation. Sadly, the level of service now feels completely different, and their reputation at least from our experience, has really suffered because of it.