If you have and an offer has been accepted you will now need a Conveyancing Solicitor to support you through your move, moving is not an easy process, in fact, it’s one of the most stressful things you will do in your lifetime, “don’t panic”
You will need a solicitor you can trust to provide you with a quality service, one that will understand any concerns you may have and communicate with you effectively from start to finish, and one that will endeavour to meet any deadline you may have.
So how do I go about finding the right conveyancing solicitor:
There are various options you can choose from contacting a local Conveyancer, using a comparison website, using the estate agent’s nominated Conveyancer or instructing your own conveyancer online.
Whatever way you decide to choose a conveyancing solicitor, think about some of our tips for choosing the conveyancer that is right for you.
- You don’t need to use a local Solicitor. Most property conveyancing transactions are now dealt with by post, phone, email and even Zoom or Skype. Some law firms also have extended opening hours to meet their client’s needs and are available later in the evening or even at weekends. If this type of flexibility is important to you, ask the question before you make a final decision.
- Ask for a full fee breakdown. Your quote should list and outline all items included in the conveyancing fee. Check there are no hidden extras and the fee you are quoted is the fee you pay. This is also known as a fixed fee, but be aware that some Conveyancers can add hidden fees on top of your initial quote. These can include fees for:
- Buying with a mortgage
- Buying an unregistered property
- Completing a Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) form
- Purchasing a new build property
- As well as verifying your identity and identification
- Make sure you give the Conveyancer all the necessary information when asking for a quote and ask for confirmation no additional fees will be charged on top, such as stamp duty, always ask the conveyancer if there is stamp duty to be paid. Don’t get caught out halfway through the transaction or before exchanging with a bill you haven’t budgeted for.
- It’s also very important for you to fully understand what your Conveyancer will do for you and also what they won’t do for you. Take time to understand what you are being charged for and ask if there is anything is excluded from your quote.
- Do your research. Choose a firm that either specialises in conveyancing or who has specialist Conveyancers to work on your transaction. You should also make sure they have a good market reputation. Ask them about how many conveyancing transactions they handled last year as this will give you a good feel of their expertise. You should also find out if you will have your own experienced Case Handler to manage your transaction. Check that your Case Handler will be available throughout the whole transaction and doesn’t have any holidays booked. You don’t want to build a rapport with your Case Handler only to find out the day before the exchange they are going on holiday for two weeks.
- If you have an unusual property purchase or need specialist advice because you are buying additional land or need an extension to the lease, make sure you ask the Conveyancer for confirmation they have enough time in their caseload to manage the additional workload, but also that they have the technical experience to manage your transaction.
- If you are buying with a mortgage, ask the Conveyancer to confirm whether they are on the lender’s panel of Solicitors and if they are, check that they can act on your behalf as well as your mortgage company’s behalf.
- Making a decision on who to use can be quite daunting, you don’t have to use a local solicitor, technology has come a long way go to https://www.conveyancing-online.co.uk/get-a-quote/ here you will receive a competitive quote directly online and someone will then call and explain the procedure so you know exactly what is best for you.
How does a solicitor work out the costs?
There are two types of costs in conveyancing quotations: the legal fees (which are the fees charged by the solicitor or conveyancer for their time spent doing the work), and the disbursements, which are the unavoidable 3rd party costs undertaken by the solicitor but paid for by the client such as Searches, Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty.
Some solicitors or conveyancers offer a ‘no move, no fee guarantee, which means if your purchase falls through before the exchange of contracts for any reason, you will not pay the legal fee. Solicitors might offer fixed fees, charge by the hour, or take a percentage of the property value so it is important to know what the fees are likely to be from the beginning to avoid an unexpectedly high bill at the end.
The cost of the work should be taken into consideration, but you shouldn’t let this completely govern your decision. A fully qualified reputable conveyancing solicitor in London charging a fixed fee is likely to come in between £1,000 and £2,000 depending on their seniority and experience. If additional legal work is required beyond the remit of the standard conveyancing process additional fees would be payable. A good rule of thumb is a solicitor who itemizes the bill right at the beginning so you don’t experience any unforeseen shocks on completion conveyancing quotations can be difficult to understand at best and misleading at worst so make sure the quotes you get are fixed and include everything.
