How to choose a conveyancer

So you’ve found the house of your dreams and had your offer accepted. Now it’s time to find a conveyancer. A conveyancer takes care of the transfer of the legal title of the property from the seller to the buyer – usually called the conveyancing process. Sound complicated? It’s not really, but it is important that you choose the right conveyancer to act on your behalf.

So how do you choose who should take care of this process for you? 1st Property Lawyers have put together 10 questions to ask to make sure you get the right conveyancer for your move:

1. How much are your fees?

Fees vary from company to company but you should ensure that you are offered a ‘No move, no legal fee.’ Property transactions can and do fall through. Fortunately, this doesn’t happen very often but, if it does, then this approach means you won’t have to pay a penny for legal fees you no longer require.

2. What do the fees include?

Always ask to be told about ALL costs up front so that there are no nasty surprises later on. You should ensure that they include all telegraphic transfer fees and I.D fees. Always ask to see a copy of their Terms and Conditions and read the small print. Be VERY wary of fees that look unusually cheap - if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.

3. Who will my conveyancer be?

You’ll definitely want to make sure that you’re given one single dedicated conveyancer to look after your move. Try and avoid conveyancers who pass you around a “team” as this can hold up the conveyancing process and leave you feeling like no one cares about getting you moving. It is also worth asking how many years experience your conveyancer has and how many cases they look after at any one time so that you can be assured that they will be working in your best interests.

4. Will you help me to complete on time?

Unfortunately it’s hard to guarantee a time scale for the conveyancing process at the outset as there are a number of factors that could potentially hold things up. However, the conveyancer you are speaking to should be confident that they will be proactive in chasing other parties and keeping you regularly updated. You should not have to chase them!

5. Who are you recommended by?

Word of mouth is often the best way to find a conveyancer. Ask your family and friends who they have used before and what experience they have had. Check out consumer websites like Moneysavingexpert.com too in order to get recommendations from real people who have been in your situation.

6. Can you work with my mortgage lender?

Thousands of smaller solicitors and licensed conveyancers have been removed from lender conveyancing panels. This means that the solicitor or conveyancer you would like to act on your behalf may not be allowed to carry out the legal work relating to your mortgage. It’s always best to check with your conveyancer that they’re on your lenders panel early on in the process to avoid disruption further down the line..

7. How will you keep me informed?

It is worth asking what type of service is on offer and consider what will best suit your lifestyle. If you’re always on the go then a conveyancer who will email you updates and text you to let you know how things are progressing is going to be more useful to you than one who insists on dealing with written letters. Also, if you work 9-5pm you may want to speak to someone out of office hours, so it is worth asking if they will do this.

8. Will you help me understand the jargon?

Conveyancing jargon can be pretty confusing! Choose a conveyancer who will speak to you in plain English as you do not want to be bogged down with bewildering language.

9. Where are you based?

Is location an issue to you? It’s not vital for you to have a conveyancer on your doorstep – as long as they’re proactive, keep in regular contact and get the job done properly then it doesn’t matter where they are based.

10. Finally, a question to ask yourself! – Do I like them?

Always trust your instincts and if you have a bad feeling about a company or person representing them, look elsewhere!

Mark Montgomery, Commercial Director, 1st Property Lawyers comments: “Buying a new home is one of the most stressful things you can do so you want to ensure you choose the right people to help guide you through the process. At 1st Property Lawyers we have been working hard to develop a system that makes it quicker, easier and more transparent for our clients. By using the latest in cutting-edge technology coupled with our highly skilled, experienced staff we can ensure that your home move is as smooth as possible.”