Moving house is a complicated and stressful time, but making sure you have the right conveyancer is one way to help manage the process. Conveyancing may seem confusing at first, but there are a few basic questions that should put you on the right track.
Firstly, conveyancing is the process of transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another. A conveyancer is responsible for preparing and organising the legal documents involved.
Are they recommended?
The most obvious way to evaluate the performance of a conveyancer or a solicitor is to consult those who have already used that provider. Ask friends and family about their own experiences to find opinions you trust, or research online. Estate agents will be able to offer recommendations, but they are also primarily motivated by their own commission.
What is the difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor?
A conveyancer, as regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, is a specialist in property. They should be able to handle all the most basic aspects of buying and selling a house. Solicitors, as licensed by the Solicitor Regulation Authority, are lawyers who are qualified to manage more complex cases such as if there is any kind of boundary dispute, but they are also likely to be more expensive. Not all solicitors specialise in conveyancing, so ensure you choose one with the right experience.
Do you need a local conveyancer or solicitor?
In recent years there has been a rise in online conveyancing firms that may make your conveyancing process quicker and cheaper. Most correspondence can be handled by email or telephone and many online firms will have some form of office for handling paperwork. An online firm may not have the same level of local knowledge as a bricks and mortar conveyancer or solicitor, but they should still be able to manage your conveyancing. Some national providers, such as https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/login make an effort to accumulate local knowledge in all parts of the United Kingdom.
Does your mortgage lender approve of your conveyancer or solicitor?
Most lenders will have a list of approved conveyancers and solicitors, and if you choose a representative outside of that list you may face extra costs as well as complicating the entire process. The Solicitor Finder and other online databases may have lists of your lender’s approved conveyancers and solicitors.
