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How to instruct a conveyancing solicitor


Anyone who’s brought or sold property knows it can be a stressful time. Getting the right help is vital to making the process as smooth as possible.

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By instructing a conveyancing solicitor, you can relax while they take care of the legal work so you can get to exchange and completion as quickly as possible.

How to find a good conveyancing solicitor

It’s not enough to instruct any old solicitor these days, and you probably won’t go with the first one you contact. People often make the mistake of just hiring the cheapest or most local firm to handle their conveyancing needs, but even if a solicitor looks like a great deal, they might not be!

Checking online reviews, included services, and whether the price is fixed or an estimate, can save you loads of hassle. You might also want to consider a non-local firm as so much is possible online or over the phone these days as the best solicitor for you doesn’t need to be local.

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You should also be wary of cheap solicitors offering too-good-to-be-true deals. An offer that looks unbelievable often comes with other conditions that make it more expensive in the long run. Check out https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/news/conveyancing/conveyancing-for-99-the-scam-of-cheap-conveyancing-289 for things to look out for when considering cheap solicitors.

When to instruct

You should always instruct your conveyancing solicitor as early as possible. For sellers, instruct your solicitor as soon as you put your property on the market so they can gather essential documents such as house deeds before buyers start asking for them. Buyers should ideally have a solicitor instructed before making an offer.

Solicitor or conveyancer?

Although a licensed conveyancer will be suitable for the sale of most properties, if there is anything complicated to consider you may be better off instructing a solicitor – https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/articles/find-the-right-solicitor-or-conveyancer. A compromise could be a conveyancer doing most of the day-to-day work, with a solicitor on-hand should anything unusual crop up.

Starting the process

Once you’ve found a conveyancing solicitor you trust, the next step is getting them on board. This starts with a letter including their terms, conditions and fees. Once you’ve agreed to the terms, they’ll start the process of gathering the required paperwork and liaising with the other party’s solicitors to get you moved as quickly as possible.