Where do I start? First impression was that they are very antiquated…initial paperwork to sell my house was in writing and through the post! Why not electronic as quicker for me to complete plus cheaper for them?! Secondly about halfway through the process I was chasing a response to an email I’d sent and got no reply. Ended up phoning to be told that my legal representative wasn’t in…tried their other office and eventually found out they’d left…surely out of professional courtesy I should have been informed when I’m paying for a service?! Was then assigned Helen who I found quite unapologetic and very abrupt. When it came to signing the contract etc nothing was explained, just handed a couple of bits of paper and told to sign them! Again very unprofessional. I really do know how this company is still operating!

Great service

Unprofessional. Slow response times to any sort of contact (if any response at all). Sheer lack of interest or compassion to circumstances. Had to correct them on no end of basic issues. Didn't work with a single business in the area that had a good word to say about them from the get go. Categorically wouldn't use EVER again. Save yourself the headache and avoid at all costs.

Used PBS to buy our house. We’re brilliant to start with, chased all the necessary parties, responded almost immediately etc, we couldn’t fault them. Buying our house took 8 months. About 2-3 months into that 8 months, our solicitor Helen at the Ripley branch started to ignore us, she wouldn’t respond to emails or phone calls. We rang numerous times a day for it not to be answered to then be told we never rang - we always kept a log of the times and dates we rang and still got accused of lying. I rang a few times and the very few times they answered, they put the phone down on me. We followed their advice to postpone our searches to be done which then cost us a month whilst waiting for them. We found the Ripley branch to be very unprofessional. The way the dressed was just like they were dossing about - not professional at all, we went for a meeting (the first appointment at opening) to be at the solicitor there to then have to wait 15 minutes for her to gather our file rather than preparing it the day before when the meeting was arranged. We feel all this had a negative experience on buying one first home. We asked for the complaints email numerous times and they either ignored our request or refused to give it to us. After our house sale went through we asked for advice about the condition of the house as it wasn’t left like it was meant to be (due to contracts etc) and we were basically told to deal with it and leave it. We definitely won’t be using PBS again, I’d avoid at all costs.

It's with great sadness I write this. Helen Brown has been my go to solicitor for many years around 20, to the point of considering her as a friend (in loose terms). I've used her 4 times personally,plus once by my daughter and once by a partner, unfortunately the last 3 dealings have had a lot to be desired... As a person, Helen is a lovely lady, although I do feel like, with hind sight, there comes a time in our lives when it's time to move on. I feel this should have been done around 6 years ago. I last used Helen 4 years ago, and things were missed, recently coming to my notice having now sold my home, the deeds to the property were in 2 parts, something I've very recently been made aware of, after 6 weeks of unanswered emails from my new, fantastic solicitor a visit was in order, not only did these deeds still belong to the previous owner, and ignored 6 weeks of emails, she'd also lost my entire file with no records on any computerised system. The offices are a mess, files everywhere, an obvious lack of order and array and are dank, dingy and smell of mould... Having already lost my files from 4 years ago, and now hugely delaying my new purchase and move, I can only now say... PLEASE AVOID AT ALL Costs! Its will be a mistake to even for a split second consider using...

As of this day we are "trying" to sell a house the buyer are using this company. The buyer said he wanted a 5 week turnaround (we thought this would be to fast in the market we are in but hay great) two months after his deadline we are still waiting for a completion date and both his solicitor and the buyer has gone quiet. Do not use them (this is the first time I have put this)

Friendly and prompt service

My solicitor has been great, really thorough, and worked quickly. I haven't needed to chase her at all. Ive had a great experience and I would recommend these people to anyone.