WARDS SOLICITORS LLP

our solicitor (Claire Blackman) gave us regular advice and information regarding our property sale and purchase (our purchase is still ongoing) in a professional manner.

I have used Wards for well over ten years for a number of different things and they have always been very good.

We recently used Wards Solicitors in Portishead to deal with my late father's probate, and I cannot recommend them highly enough.
From our very first contact, the team were absolutely fantastic. They were not only incredibly professional and efficient but also wonderfully supportive and understanding during what was a really difficult time for our family.
They explained everything clearly, kept us updated throughout the entire process, and made a potentially stressful situation feel manageable.
Thank you so much to Wards for your kindness and excellent service.

Beware! If I could give less than one I would. They did our parents wills and failed to give appropriate advice resulting in an appalling mess after they died. They were then appointed as administrators ( not by me! ) and subsequently had to be removed, after repeated letters from another solicitor explaining to them in the most basic terms, they were conflicted. I wish I could say more, but due to confidentiality I can not. Do not touch Wards with a barge pole! They are utterly abysmal! Especially Portishead and Bristol!
They also charge a percentage on the estate to administer it, most solicitors do not do this now! It is an old outdated practice and just money for old rope.
To be avoided!
I should also add, in amongst their many failings, that Wards made a school- boy error on the IHT return ( despite giving the estate “specialist” tax advice of course charged for on top of their already rapacious fees ) this mistake would have cost the estate 10s of thousands, had I not spotted it and flagged it up to Wards repeatedly. My emails were ignored for 6 weeks, until I finally complained to a partner. Wards then changed the estate for making the correction with HMRC. I should add the correct tax information is available by google search on a uk. Gov website!
I notice Wards has now posted a rather disingenuous generic response . Wards know full well what the issues are, as stated above. It took repeated correspondence from another solicitor to point out the facts of their abysmal failures and their subsequent conflict. They had to be removed as administrators.
Portishead and Bristol.
At a time when you have suffered the loss of your parents, to have this so called legal firm create further unbridled misery and make a bad situation much much worse is unforgivable.

I have recently used Wards for the sale of my house and purchase of a new one, both in Portishead. It's possible to find cheaper quotes for conveyancing but with something this important I valued their reputation and local knowledge. I wasn't disappointed. Everything was handled professionally and promptly, I felt listened to and was always updated. I felt really reassured and happy that things were safe in their hands and this helped the sale and purchase go through smoothly. I particularly want to mention Jane whose communication, kindness and efficiency was outstanding. Thank you Wards. Highly recommended.