HS Legal Solicitors Ltd

By far the worst conveyancing experience of my career I am an estate agent with several years of experience in the property industry, and I can confidently say that dealing with Jawad Mahmood and his team at HS Legal was, without question, the worst experience I have had with a conveyancing solicitor. I genuinely struggle to identify a single positive aspect of the service I experienced throughout this transaction. The communication was absolutely appalling. Throughout the transaction, I attempted to contact Jawad by telephone on at least 30 occasions. Not once did I manage to speak with him directly. Even more concerningly, the sellers, who were his own paying clients, were also unable to speak with him directly over the telephone. I was provided with a number to contact him personally. After one WhatsApp response at the beginning of the transaction, my subsequent attempts to communicate through that channel went unanswered. I appreciate that solicitors have demanding workloads, but there is a considerable difference between being busy and being consistently inaccessible throughout an entire transaction. The handling of deadlines was particularly concerning. The sellers were purchasing another property through the modern method of auction, meaning they were working towards strict contractual deadlines. At one stage, HS Legal was communicating an incorrect deadline relating to their onward purchase. The situation became so frustrating that I accompanied the sellers on a journey to HS Legal’s office in Colchester to seek clarification in person. When we arrived, we were informed that Jawad was not available. Following our visit, it was subsequently acknowledged that the deadline they had been working towards was incorrect. What made this situation even more baffling was the apparent lack of urgency as the incorrect deadline approached. Even when the date they believed to be the deadline arrived, there appeared to be little urgency in resolving outstanding matters. Given the potential financial consequences associated with missing an auction purchase deadline, I found this handling of the situation extremely concerning. The lack of proactivity was equally frustrating. During the transaction, an outstanding restriction on the property’s title needed resolving. Although we were repeatedly informed that the matter was being addressed, I personally spent considerable time tracing relevant individuals, contacting third parties and chasing information to help progress the matter. I genuinely felt that I was making more progress through my own investigations than I was receiving from the solicitors responsible for handling the transaction. As an estate agent, I fully understand that sales progression is part of my responsibility. However, there is a significant difference between assisting with a transaction and feeling compelled to investigate legal obstacles independently because of the apparent lack of progress. Perhaps most concerningly, the sellers themselves submitted a formal written complaint during the transaction. Their complaint raised serious concerns regarding communication, unanswered requests for updates, delays, conflicting information and uncertainty surrounding proposed completion dates. They also highlighted the potential financial consequences of further delays to their onward auction purchase. HS Legal did respond to the complaint, and in my experience, this was one of the few occasions where there appeared to be a meaningful effort to address the concerns being raised. However, the fact that their own clients felt compelled to submit a formal complaint during an active property transaction speaks volumes about the experience they were having. Throughout the process, obtaining meaningful updates remained an ongoing struggle. I repeatedly found myself chasing information, trying to establish what had been done and attempting to understand why matters were not progressing. The transaction eventually completed, but completion alone does not excuse the standard of service experienced along the way. I have deliberately waited until after completion before leaving this review, allowing myself time to reflect on the experience in its entirety. My opinion remains unchanged. I cannot identify a single positive aspect of my experience dealing with Jawad Mahmood. Having worked alongside numerous solicitors throughout my career, I appreciate that conveyancing transactions can be complicated and that delays are sometimes unavoidable. However, communication, accountability, accurate information and a proactive approach to resolving problems should be basic expectations. Unfortunately, my experience fell significantly short in every one of these areas. I would not recommend Jawad Mahmood to anyone based on my experience, and I would be extremely reluctant to deal with him again in any professional capacity. Without question, this was the most disappointing experience I have had dealing with a conveyancing solicitor.

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Mr Jawad Mahmood

I would strongly advise anyone not to use this firm based on my experience. What should have been a straightforward transfer of equity turned into a 6–7 month ordeal due entirely to their lack of care, organisation, and urgency. This process should have taken 1–4 weeks. There were no negotiations required, no legal advice needed, and all documentation was already in order. Despite this, progress was painfully slow and communication was consistently poor. From the outset, I made it clear that my situation was urgent and sensitive. I was buying the property from my ex-partner, and delays were putting me at genuine risk due to an ongoing history of intimidation and abusive behaviour from her and her family. I explained this several times, yet the firm showed no urgency, no empathy, and no effort to prioritise the matter. Their delays had serious financial consequences. My mortgage term expired during their period of inaction, causing my repayments to double overnight. My ex refused to contribute, leaving me to pay nine months of double mortgage payments entirely on my own. Throughout this time, the firm failed to make any meaningful progress. They also misplaced my paperwork, denied it, and created unnecessary stress, financial loss, and emotional hardship. It became clear they were not capable of handling even a basic transfer of equity. I eventually left the firm and appointed a new solicitor, who completed the entire transfer in 7 days — clearly demonstrating how avoidable these delays were. Despite delivering an incomplete and unacceptable service, the firm still demanded payment. I ultimately paid around 90% of their fees, not because they had earned it, but because after two exhausting years dealing with the property situation, the loss of my father, and nearly losing my mother, I simply had no strength left to challenge them further. In my opinion, this firm fell far below the standards expected of a competent legal practice. If you value your time, money, or mental wellbeing, I would strongly recommend avoiding this firm. Please avoid mr Jawad Mahmood

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Mr Jawad Mahmood

Cash Sale purchase that took almost 3 months,should have been a lot quicker, had to chase HS Legal every step of the way.The whole industry wants a remake,council searches still done manually in 2026 is a absolute joke.No survery cash sale both ways so should have taken 4-5 weeks maximum.

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Mr Jawad Mahmood

I would strongly advise anyone considering HS Legal for conveyancing to look elsewhere. HS Legal was recommended to us by Conveyancing Index. Following our experience, I have asked Conveyancing Index to review whether they should continue referring clients to this firm. My initial impression of HS Legal was positive because they offer an app which supposedly allows you to track the progress of your transaction. Unfortunately, this proved to be virtually useless. The app was rarely updated and still showed our purchase as only 13% complete when the transaction had already completed and we had collected the keys. If you are relying on the app to keep you informed, don’t. We instructed HS Legal on 19 February 2026 and completed our purchase on 22 May 2026. Whilst the transaction eventually completed, the level of communication throughout was one of the most frustrating customer service experiences I have encountered. Our file was handled by Jawad Mahmood and, despite numerous attempts to make contact over a period of approximately 9 weeks, I was unable to speak to him on a single occasion. The reception staff were always polite and friendly, and I have no criticism of them whatsoever. However, the process became painfully predictable. You would call, explain that you needed to speak to someone on Jawad’s team, be told you would be put through, fail to get through to anyone, and then be assured that the matter would be marked as urgent. If you were lucky, you might receive a response several hours later. More often than not, you were left continuing to chase for an update. Emails frequently went unanswered or received significantly delayed responses, leaving us constantly wondering what was happening with our purchase. To make matters worse, incorrect financial information was repeatedly requested. We were asked to provide a 10% deposit despite only proceeding with a 5% deposit. We were also repeatedly asked for funds despite explanations already having been provided regarding the source of those funds. It often felt as though our file had not been properly reviewed before requests were sent. Buying a home is stressful enough without having to spend weeks chasing your solicitor for basic communication. The legal work may have eventually got us over the line, but the lack of responsiveness, poor communication and repeated errors caused a huge amount of unnecessary stress throughout the process. I would encourage prospective clients to read reviews carefully and pay attention to which area of law they relate to. My experience relates specifically to residential conveyancing. If you value being able to speak to your solicitor, receive timely responses, and have confidence that your case is being actively managed, I would recommend looking elsewhere. Based on my experience, I would not use HS Legal or Jawad Mahmood again.

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Mr Jawad Mahmood

I had a very disappointing experience using HS Legal Solicitors Limited for the purchase of my property in Manchester. The overall process was extremely slow, poorly communicated, and unnecessarily stressful from start to finish. Communication was one of the biggest issues throughout the transaction - emails regularly went unanswered for extended periods, updates were unclear, and key information was either miscommunicated or not communicated at all. I was led to believe we were in a position to exchange, only to later find out that outstanding information was still required. This lack of clarity ultimately delayed the transaction and pushed the exchange date back unnecessarily. Had updates been communicated properly and proactively, much of the stress and uncertainty could have been avoided. There were also issues surrounding fees and costs. Final completion figures had already been agreed, yet additional charges were later introduced unexpectedly, which added further frustration at the end of an already difficult process. What made the experience particularly disappointing was the complete lack of accountability or apology despite the repeated issues encountered throughout the purchase. Buying a property is already stressful enough without having to constantly chase for updates and clarity. I attempted to log a complaint with them to express my stress and inconvenience and they had the audicity to then request more money off me to settle a bill they hadnt quoted in the invoice! The main solicitor and team I dealt with was Jawad Mahmood. Unfortunately, I would not recommend HS Legal based on my experience, and I genuinely hope future clients receive a significantly better level of service and communication than I did.

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Mr Jawad Mahmood

I've just completed a sale and purchase through HS Legal. Considering I was selling to a first time buyer and purchasing from someone without a chain, it took a little longer than expected at around 4 months, but that was partly due to some slight delays on the purchase, so let's call it three and a half months altogether. Taking into account just how affordable they are as conveyancers, there's nothing really to complain about and we're grateful for the service. One piece of advice would be to pick up the phone to your clients, as this is so much quicker than relying on email where things get lost in translation. The only person I actually spoke to over the entire process was the legal receptionist (presumably). The standard of written communication was also somewhat lacking, but nothing drastic. I found that I had to do a bit of the legwork on more complex issues like mortgage exit fees and porting, which was a shame. Overall, I'd recommend HS Legal if speed isn't your key driving factor. Everything will get done, it'll just take a little longer, but that's the trade-off for a cheap price. I also found there were no hidden fees.

I highly recommend HS Legal Solicitors to anyone looking for a Conveyancer. I have used to them to sell 3 properties and buy 1 in the last couple of years and all members of the team have been fast, efficient, friendly and helpful throughout. My main solicitor who I had the most dealings with was Mamed Larsanov. He is a fantastic solicitor. I am a very anxious buyer/seller and Mamed answered all of my emails and phonecalls within a couple of hours reassuring me throughout the process. He is so kind, understanding and easy to deal with. After having dealt with other conveyancers in my life, I can honestly say that Mamed is the best Conveyancer I have ever dealt with for a smooth and efficient sale or purchase. He gets the job done and at a much more fair rate than some other companies I have used. He is a huge asset to his company and deserves all the recognition.

I had a great experience with HS Legal Solicitors from start to finish. The team kept me informed throughout the entire conveyancing process, providing regular updates and responding to my queries in a timely manner, which made everything feel smooth and stress-free. Their fees were very competitive, especially considering the high quality service they delivered. I would highly recommend HS Legal Solicitors to anyone looking for reliable and professional conveyancers. A truly outstanding service from beginning to end. I'm pleased I worked with them.

Has been the best experience we have had with conveyancing. Always responds promptly and completely looked after our interests. Excellent customer experience, thank you HS Legal.

1 Star – Completely Unprofessional, Extreme Delays, and Zero Communication ​I strongly advise against using HS Legal Solicitors (specifically Jawad Mahmood). ​Communication was a nightmare throughout the entire process. He consistently ignored emails for days, declined my phone calls, and even switched off his mobile phone entirely when I tried to reach him for urgent updates. ​My offer on the property was accepted in late March, and I was assured that completion would take place by late May or mid-June. Instead, it was dragged out until July 31st, leaving me stranded and forcing me to pay out-of-pocket for two weeks in a hotel. ​To make matters worse, in mid-September, when I contacted the management agency for permission to let the property, I was shocked to discover that completion formalities were STILL not finalized. Due to outstanding documents (Deed of Covenant) and unpaid fees (£500+) caused by his incompetence, the management company refuses to recognize me as the owner and has blocked me from renting the flat out. ​Because of this ongoing negligence, I am now losing £200 every single week in rental income. Shocking lack of professionalism, zero accountability, and complete disregard for the client. Avoid at all costs.