It’s not an easy task to find a conveyancing solicitor that will make dealing with the property transfer process smooth and hassle-free. Should you rely on family or friend recommendations? Go for the cheapest fees? Or look up customer ratings online? For help making this difficult decision, take note of our 10 things to consider when picking your perfect legal specialist;
What is conveyancing?
Firstly, it’s important to understand what the role of the conveyancer actually is. Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring the ownership of property from the seller to the buyer. It starts when your offer on a house is accepted and finishes when you have completed the purchase and receive the keys. There are key elements that a conveyancer is responsible for, and these are;
- Drafting a contract, completing supporting documents/forms and raising enquiries with the other party’s solicitor.
- Advising on the technical aspects of buying a leasehold property and the challenges that can deliver
- If the property survey identifies any substantial problems, you might want to renegotiate the price and include your conveyancing solicitor to ensure that everything is agreed to in writing.
- Conducting legal property searches, which should highlight any issues with a property that wouldn’t be evident from just viewing. These property searches include:
- Local authority searches will highlight any changes planned for the local area (eg, new roads being constructed, or issues with utilities)
- Checking the ‘title register’ and ‘title plan’ at the Land Registry
- Checking flood risk
- Water authority searches
- Chancel repair search – to ensure there are no potential leftover medieval liabilities on the property to help pay for church repairs.
- Environmental Search
- Your solicitor will review the conditions of the mortgage offer after receiving a copy from the lender.
- Exchanging contracts at a mutually agreed-upon time and date. To ensure that the contracts are identical, both conveyancing solicitors typically read them out over the phone (which is recorded), after which they send them in the mail to one another.
- By lodging an interest in the property, the deeds will be frozen for 30 working days, allowing your lawyer to handle the seller’s payment and submit your application to the Land Registry to have the deeds transferred into your name.
- Confirming the transfer of funds on completion day
Each step is critical to the house-buying process, so you must select a conveyancer that you trust has your best interests at heart, is experienced enough to tackle any issues as and when they arise and will be proactive in driving the process forward. So what should you look for?
Accreditations
When purchasing a property, you must ensure your appointed solicitor is registered on the mortgage lender’s panel of solicitors. Otherwise, there may be unexpected delays or even refusals that could delay completion and create havoc in this time-sensitive market. Ask them to register with that lender if they are not already registered. Please be mindful that registration can be time-consuming, which is problematic in a market where timing is crucial.
Fees
House purchases are an unavoidable financial strain, so budget carefully when it comes to your conveyancing fees – the lowest isn’t always the best. The price you can expect will vary depending on location and reputation of your solicitor; shop around for a knowledgeable professional offering reasonable costs.
You should also consider your conveyancer’s fee structure, and ensure that it is clearly established before enlisting their services. A percentage-based payment plan may be favoured by some estate agents; however, this can risk increasing your fees in comparison to fixed rates. Any solicitor chosen must provide an itemised breakdown of costs from the outset – having everything laid out transparently will give peace of mind to both parties throughout the process.
Recommendations
To confidently select a qualified solicitor to handle your house-buying process it’s imperative you consider feedback from former clients. Thoroughly read reviews and testimonials, as they are essential in gauging the quality of service you can expect when entrusting someone with such an important task.
Asking your friends and relatives could also be a good idea because they have probably gone through the home-buying process themselves at some point. You can get a reasonable notion of what to expect if your relatives can recommend a conveyancer. In the same way, if someone had a bad experience, you would know to cross them off your list.
You should be cautious of blindly accepting the recommendation of your Estate Agent, however, as in many cases this won’t be strictly impartial. It is not uncommon for Estate Agents to have a financial agreement with certain conveyancers, through which they will get a fee for passing on recommendations. This could result in you receiving a poorer service than you would have if you had hired your own conveyancer, so it’s always prudent to cross-check any recommendations made in this way with your own research.
When selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing, don’t underestimate the importance of experience. Ask about their qualifications and what kind of background they have – a reputable firm will be proud to showcase their capability in this area and provide references if requested.
Think Local
Don’t be deceived by attractive rates from non-local conveyancers – their lack of specialised knowledge can hinder the completion process. Opting for an experienced professional who focuses on the area you are purchasing from gives them key advantages over those outside of it – they’ll be up-to-date on developments that could potentially impact your purchase and are likely to speed up completion time.
The most crucial decision you make during the home-buying process may be selecting the best solicitor. A skilled, eloquent, and knowledgeable solicitor can reduce your stress and free up your time so you can focus on other things like selecting a moving company and setting up your new home. Communication is key to this, so be sure to establish your expectations with regard to keeping in touch, considering the frequency and the methods used to make contact.
Property buying doesn’t have to be a confusing, arduous journey. With the right conveyancer by your side guiding you through each step in the process, it can become manageable – even if you are a first-time buyer. Investing in professional support ensures that all of those hassles associated with homeownership are handled efficiently so that nothing is left to chance.
Should you wish to discuss your conveyancing needs in greater detail, our experienced property team would be happy to help. Please do not hesitate to contact us to arrange an appointment.
