How to choose a conveyancer

Once you reserve or make an offer on the property you want to buy, the next step is to find a solicitor to help you through the legal process. Lesley Price FCILEx of CGM Hampshire runs through some of the frequently asked questions about who to choose

DO I NEED TO CHOOSE A LOCAL SOLICITOR OR ATTEND THE SOLICITORS’ OFFICES?

Unless you feel you would like specifically to see your solicitor face-to-face during your transaction, then new methods of electronic ID verification mean you can pick a solicitor wherever you are in England or Wales. Your transaction can be dealt with online or via phone and post, depending on that firm’s systems, without you having to visit in person.

HOW MUCH DOES CONVEYANCING COST?

Most conveyancing cases are dealt with on a “fixed fee” basis so you should be able to get an idea of the overall costs at the outset.

However, these can vary between firms depending on the experience of the person working on your case and whether it is done online or face-to-face. It is always worth getting a range of estimates and asking questions as to how your case will be dealt with before you make a final choice.

The cheapest quote will not always guarantee the best service.

HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE ME TO MOVE IN?

That can vary from weeks to months, depending on whether you are buying a flat or a house and whether the property is complete and ready to move into if you are buying a newly built home.

Keep your timescales flexible and inform your solicitors as soon as you instruct of any dates you cannot do. Once they have the legal pack for the property and a brief overview of what will need to be checked, your solicitor should be able to give you a rough timescale for your move.

But bear in mind that things can crop up that require further investigation and that the more people involved in your property chain then the more complicated it will be to find a date that everyone can do.

DOES “NO COMPLETION, NO FEE” REALLY MEAN NO FEE?

Yes, but “fee” has a narrow definition when you come to look at your conveyancing quotation. Fees are those aspects of your quote that are based on the solicitor’s time doing their work.

Disbursements or costs are those things we pay out for to third parties such as searches, ID checks and copy documents. Check any “no fee” agreement carefully, but you will usually find you will still pay for these costs even if your fees are waived.

DOES CONVEYANCING COST MORE FOR A FLAT THAN FOR A HOUSE?

Yes. It will almost always cost more to buy a flat than a house. This is because flats are sold under leases which require more complex investigations than a freehold title and there will also be a landlord and managing agents or a management company of whom enquiries need to be made. Your solicitor will not only need to check the title, but the responsibility for things like repairs and maintenance, service charges and insurance costs. Because the work involved is more detailed, then the legal fee will almost always be more.

But it is important that all these checks are done properly to ensure you can live in the flat happily without issue and that you will not face unexpected bills.

WHEN SHOULD I INSTRUCT A CONVEYANCER?

As soon as you know the type of property you are looking for and your budget it is worth starting shopping round for estimates. That way you have plenty of time to review the type of service offered and fees and ensure you have instructed the solicitor whose method of working and of communication is the right fit for you.

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