Ackroyd Legal (london) LLP

I would not use this firm again. Buying a property is stressful enough without having to constantly chase your own solicitor for answers. Despite what the firm claims, our experience was one of confusion, poor communication and a complete lack of proactive support throughout the transaction. This was an auction purchase, yet it often felt as though we knew more about the process than the solicitor handling the file. We were left extremely concerned shortly before completion when it appeared we needed to find an additional £10,000, causing unnecessary stress at a crucial stage of the purchase. The problems didn't end after completion either. Months later, both ourselves and the management company were still chasing matters that should have been dealt with as part of the conveyancing process. The management company had no idea we had even completed and moved into the property, and repeated attempts to contact the firm went unanswered. What disappointed me most was the response to our formal complaint. Rather than acknowledging our experience, the firm chose to count the number of emails sent and effectively tell us that our expectations were unreasonable. Communication is not measured by the number of emails sent; it's measured by whether clients are kept informed, understand what is happening and feel supported throughout the process. The fact that I felt compelled to raise a formal complaint says everything about the service we received. Also the fact that Ackroyd Legal finished the complaint off with 'Please note that this reply closes the complaint.' On who's terms? Definitely not mine.

I had an extremely disappointing experience with Ackroyd Legal, who were appointed by LSM. This is the second time I have had a poor experience with this firm, which makes it even more concerning. The service was consistently unprofessional, careless, and at times shockingly incompetent. I was repeatedly given incorrect and misleading information. Each time I called to follow up, I was given different answers, which only added to the confusion and lack of confidence. They also failed to switch the mortgage product on the agreed date and did not inform me of the delay. I only discovered this after chasing them myself more than two weeks later. This lack of communication and accountability caused unnecessary delays in transferring my mortgage product from Skipton to Leeds. As a direct result of their errors, I ended up paying additional interest, which should never have happened. Communication throughout was poor. Responses were irregular and often came at odd hours, sometimes around 3am, raising serious concerns about whether my case was being handled by staff outside the UK who may not be fully familiar with UK legal requirements. At no point did I feel confident that my case was being managed properly. The entire experience was frustrating, stressful, and entirely avoidable. Based on my experience, I would strongly advise others to think twice before using this firm. The level of service falls well below what any client should reasonably expect.

I usually do not leave negative reviews, but my recent experience with this firm has been so distressing, time‑consuming, and financially damaging that I feel compelled to share it so others can make informed decisions. 1. Serious mishandling of my remortgage process In my opinion, the firm demonstrated a concerning lack of competence in handling a very straightforward remortgage. Basic steps that any professional conveyancer should know — such as requesting a redemption statement, checking lender instructions, and redeeming the correct mortgage account — were either overlooked or completely ignored. As a result, the wrong mortgage account was redeemed, and the correct one was left active. 2. I was left paying two mortgages in the same month Because the firm failed to redeem the correct mortgage account in line with the lender’s instructions, I was charged an additional full mortgage payment on my old mortgage. This caused significant financial strain, all of which could have been avoided had the process been handled properly. 3. Poor communication and lack of accountability Despite raising concerns early, my initial complaint was closed without explanation, even though senior members of the firm were copied into the communication. This left me with no confidence that my case was being taken seriously. There were long delays, unanswered emails, and a complete lack of clarity. I found myself constantly chasing for updates while the situation worsened. 4. Incorrect information provided to the lender Even after a Barclays mortgage advisor personally contacted the solicitor to explain the correct process, the solicitor still acted incorrectly. In my opinion, this demonstrated either a lack of understanding or a lack of attention to detail — both unacceptable when dealing with clients’ finances. 5. Unexpected fee increase with no explanation My quoted solicitor fee was suddenly increased from £495 to £555 without any notice, justification, or invoice. This added to the overall lack of professionalism and transparency. 6. Severe stress and emotional impact The errors made by this firm caused weeks of unnecessary stress, uncertainty, and disruption. At several points, I felt completely lost and unsupported — especially when the person handling my case was unresponsive or dismissive. 7. Escalation became necessary Due to the lack of proper response, I felt I had no option but to escalate the matter all the way to the firm’s CEO just to get someone senior to take ownership. I do not take such steps lightly, but the experience left me with no confidence in the internal handling of my case.   ⭐ Conclusion Based on my personal experience, I cannot recommend this firm. What should have been a simple remortgage became a highly stressful and costly ordeal due to repeated mistakes, poor communication, and a lack of accountability. I hope no other client has to go through what I experienced.  

I wish I'd seen the many other t*rrible (not permitted to write that but it's very appropriate) reviews which reflect the experience I have had. Thoroughly unprofessional and have not delivered the service I paid for almost a year after I first instructed them and continuing to hold on to fees I have paid to them that need to be passed to my leasehold management company. This company has not fulfilled the basic requirements, and are impossible to get hold of. They have been awful throughout and after finally completing on the purchase in July 2025 (having missed my planned completion date for entirely avoidable reasons on the part of the solicitor, despite me telling them months before I was effectively homeless) I learned in November that the standard post-completion requirements to transfer the deeds of ownership to my name have not been delivered and fees which I have paid to the law firm have not been transferred to the management company. I raised this and requested this (basic requirement!) work was completed. It is now February and no action has been taken. It is impossible to speak to anyone at the company as the reception desk fobs you off, no-one ever calls back, and they do not respond to emails. I put in an official complaint in early December which has been acknowledged but not responded to. I have now referred my complaint to the Legal Ombudsman however since that can take 4 months to review and in the meantime the work remain incomplete so the apartment I have purchased is not legally in my name and as such I am not receiving leaseholder updates nor am I able to pay the service charge due. Other issues throughout the process: *Every document I received from them had a different purchase price, it was not once the correct figure. *Systematic lack of communication, I have had to chase for every step. I had hoped to complete in 3 months as there were no chains involved, it took 5 months and post-completion requirements are outstanding 6 months after the completion date). *Sent me badly scanned, illegibly document to sign for the Land Registry which I queried and was told to sign and it would be fine - 3 months post-purchase I was asked to sign and backdate a new version as Land Registry would in fact not accept it. *Most employees have a severe attitude problem. *No legal advice was provided, they delivered the bare minimum and I have checked and chased the work myself throughout. This caused and is continuing to cause substantial stress and anxiety and with their continued refusal to act or provide updates I am at a loss what to do to get my apartment fully in my name and the fees this company is holding sent to the management company they are owed to.

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Peter Simon Benjamin

I instructed Ackroyd Legal for the conveyancing sale of my property in late December 2025. Unfortunately, the experience was deeply disappointing. Despite instructions being acknowledged and my case being assigned to a named caseworker, there were significant delays in onboarding, repeated failures to respond to emails and portal messages, and a complete lack of clarity around next steps — despite the transaction being time-critical. I completed all onboarding requirements promptly, including ID checks and payment of the initial fee. However, I was later told by the assigned caseworker that I was “not a client” and that no duty was owed to me, which was both confusing and concerning given the circumstances. When I raised legitimate concerns about progress and timelines, I was asked to seek alternative representation instead of being offered reassurance or a clear plan forward. As a result, valuable time was lost and unnecessary pressure was placed on the sale of my property. I would strongly recommend that anyone considering Ackroyd Legal seeks clear written confirmation of timelines, responsibilities, and communication expectations before proceeding.