How to Choose the Right Property Solicitor
Handy hints and tips on how to choose the right solicitor or conveyancer for you.
When you are buying or selling a property you will need to instruct a solicitor or conveyancer to act on your behalf. They will be looking after the legal process for you so it is very important you make the right choice as this will determine the type of experience you have. It is important that you can trust your solicitor and that they communicate effectively so you aren't spending endless hours chasing them up.
What do you need a solicitor for?
- They will handle the contract paperwork for you
- Carry out Local Authority Searches
- Give you legal advice and guidance
- Deal with any legal enquiries
- They will transfer the property to you or your new buyer with the land registry
- They will deal with the transfer of the sale or purchase funds
How to choose the best solicitor for you?
- Ask for recommendations- Talk to family and friends about the experience they have had with firms and specific solicitors/conveyancers within them. Their insight can be very helpful as it gives you a first hand account of a recent experience. We can help you choose a solicitor as we have worked with lots of them in our time, we will refer you to local companies with good local knowledge. Check online and see if you can find good recent reviews of the firm that help you feel confident in your choice.
- Research their Credentials- check what governing bodies they are affiliated with. In specific if they are a member of the Law Society, the Council for Licensed Conveyancers or the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
- Location- If you think a local solicitor is best for you then check where they are based. Whilst much of the process can now be done online they may have more local knowledge and may be able to see you face to face to discuss certain elements of the process.
- Fees- Whilst we certainly wouldn't advise you to choose a solicitor based solely on the fee we would recommend that you make sure they give you a full breakdown of the costs. Additional costs can occur from time to time depending on the complexity of the case but make sure there aren't any hidden fees and you know exactly the service you are paying for.
- Check them out online- check out their website and social media pages to find out a little bit more about the type of company you are choosing. Those who embrace technology are likely to be more effective at communicating with you.
There are lots of fantastic solicitors out there but its important to find the best fit for you.