Top tips when looking for a conveyancer or property solicitor

If you’re buying a home, you’ll need an experienced solicitor or conveyancer who can take care of all the legal aspects on your behalf.  For the uninitiated, Belgravia estate agent, Best Gapp explains what it’s all about- “Conveyancing is the legal act of transferring a property from one party to another, and it requires skill, knowledge and experience. “

The best people for the job are those who will maintain regular communication and keep you up to date with every step of the process, so look for someone with good reviews and word of mouth recommendations if you can.

M&M Property warns against cutting costs: “Buying a new house can be expensive so many new buyers look for the cheapest possible option. This is understandable, but price and quality don’t always go hand in hand and taking shortcuts is never a good idea”.

What do conveyancers and property solicitors do? 

Conveyancing covers every aspect of transferring ownership from the seller to you, the buyer. Your property solicitor or conveyancer will undertake a number of tasks, including:

·         Legal advice

·         Contract writing and exchanges

·         Council searches for planning permission etc

·         Land registry

·         Transfer of funds

Who should I choose? A solicitor a conveyancer?

This is really your call. Conveyancers tend to be cheaper than solicitors because they specialise in property only, whereas a qualified solicitor will be able to advise you on a broader range of issues.  If it’s the straightforward purchase of a standard home a conveyancer should be sufficient, but if the sale is more complex and there are other things to take into consideration you may want to consider a solicitor instead.

Your estate agent will probably have recommended legal professionals you can use, however you are not obliged to go with them and it’s always advisable to shop around first if time allows.

When choosing a solicitor or conveyancer there some important things to look out for:

·         No sale no fee- companies who offer this are usually a safe bet because it means you won’t be forking out your hard earned cash for nothing and there’s an argument that they’ll work harder and more quickly.

·         Fixed fees- companies who offer a fixed fee service are always preferable to those who tag on hidden extras. It means you’ll be able to budget more effectively without having to factor in last minute add-ons.

·         Availability- this is a bit of a vicious circle. You want to find someone who has enough time to handle your case efficiently and get the contracts exchanged on time, but you probably don’t want anyone whose diary is completely empty. When you start making enquiries, give your potential conveyancer or solicitor as much information as you can about preferred completion dates and check they will be able to meet them.

·         Price- as mentioned above, cheap doesn’t always mean a great deal. If you find a price that seems to be too good to be true it probably is, so choose someone who knows what they’re doing. Cutting corners now will almost certainly lead to issues further along the line.

LDG Central London estate agent summarises,  “Choosing a solicitor or conveyancer may not be the most exciting thing on your to do list, but it’s one of the most important. Take your time to find the right one for you and it can make a huge difference in minimising the stress of moving house.”