Flying Solo

Centralised conveyancers receive more coverage than they merit (see [2002] Gazette, 5 April, 16).

'Outstanding customer service'? Are they joking?

From my experience, they are hopelessly slow with paperwork and correspondence, difficult to get hold of, have no local knowledge, employ too few legally qualified staff, and regularly fail to identify the real legal and practical issues.

Perhaps if it were not for their tied estate agency referrals they would not exist at all.

While they employ hundreds of people and spend millions on technology, ten specialist sole practitioners with two staff each could easily match their profit of 1.3 million and the service would be superior.

The larger an organisation, the worse it is.

Sole practitioners offer true economy of scale.

Darren Cook, Henry & Company Solicitors, Swindon