First-time house buyers in Croydon have lost thousands of pounds by getting inadequate legal advice from solicitors offering special rates, it was revealed this week.

Investigations by Croydon Central MP, Geraint Davies, have shown that the enticement of lower fixed-interest rates for first-time buyers has sometimes led to a lower quality of service from legal firms.

Ms Jo Wood, an NHS employee from South Croydon, lost her job due to the stress of property problems and was left to pay almost £3,000 in fees because of legal incompetence.

As a first-time buyer two years ago, she purchased a first floor flat in a converted house on Brighton Road, with reduced rate advice from a leading high-street solicitor her estate agent recommended. She was given a copy of the lease, but the terms were not adequately explained.

It was only when she came to sell in April 2000, that the buyer's solicitor pointed out she had no access to the loft.

She said: “The way the lease was worded, I was trespassing if I went up to the loft and the freeholder could have access through my flat. I was totally unaware of this when I bought it.”

To complete the sale, she had to pay £2,500 for a deed of variation and extra additional costs. She also claims the stress of the situation caused her to under-perform at work and lose her job.

Despite writing eight letters to the firm, a year later she has yet to receive an explanation or apology.

Mr Davies added: “First-time buyers may only get half of the story from solicitors too busy to go into all the small print.

“No one can expect a person with no training to be able to read contracts composed entirely of complicated legal terminology.”

The Office for Supervision of Solicitors (OSS) regulates 8,000 solicitors in the UK, mediating when disputes cannot be settled amicably.

A spokesman said that first-time buyers should choose a solicitor carefully, using friend's or colleagues recommendations if possible.

OSS helpline 0845 608 6565.