It is important to ask the right questions of potential conveyancers to make sure your purchase goes as smoothly and quickly as possible. Conveyancers are an important part of the whole process. A quality conveyancing lawyer can help things run smoothly, but it really depends on who you choose to work with and what services you get from them.
- How much would you charge?
Yes, it is a question that is quite obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people fail to ask this at the beginning of the process. It’s important to get quotes from several different conveyancers to make sure you get a good deal. For more details on Conveyancing Solicitors Cheltenham, visit a site like Dee & Griffin, a firm of Conveyancing Solicitors Cheltenham
- Who will handle my case?
Most likely you will get a quote from a senior member of the company, but often you will find junior team members assigned to your case. That does not mean it’s a negative thing. For straightforward conveyancing, junior conveyancers are well-equipped to guide you through the process.
- Are they a member of a professional body?
Conveyancing firms should always be a member of a professional body like the Law Society or Council of Licensed Conveyancers. Be sure to find out their professional body membership status before appointing them.
- Do you deal with many cases like mine?
Not all cases are equal. There are a number of factors that can make things a little more complicated and if the conveyancer is not familiar with your case, it could hold up the entire process and means you do not get the level of service you need.
Specialist conveyancer or high street solicitor
One useful question is whether the person handling your purchase deals only with conveyancing. A specialist conveyancing firm handles nothing but the legal side of buying and selling homes, while a traditional solicitor’s office also covers family, criminal and business law. At a general practice, conveyancing may rest with one person, possibly part-time, and your sale can slip behind more pressing cases.
At a specialist firm, all staff work in this area and every client gets equal priority, so transactions often move faster. Licensed conveyancers do not need a full solicitor’s qualification and tend to charge less for the same work. Many work largely by phone and email, and some operate entirely online.
Ask too about experience with niche areas such as buy to let, which matters if your purchase is complex.
Checking accreditation and the type of quote
Before asking anything else, check who is regulated to do the work. In England and Wales, conveyancers are regulated by either the Council of Licensed Conveyancers or the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and some firms are also accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Licensed conveyancers are not necessarily solicitors, and in most cases there is no advantage to choosing one over the other. Ask who your named conveyancer will be, so you know whose experience you are relying on.
When it comes to cost, ask for a quotation rather than an estimate, because an estimate carries little weight if a dispute arises. Find out whether the price is a fixed fee, which covers your particular transaction and will not change, or a flat rate, which is the same for any property and is less likely to include everything.
Also ask what is excluded. Costs can include surveys, Land Registry fees, local authority searches, stamp duty, bankruptcy searches and bank transfer fees, and leaseholds add extra charges.