Moving home is an exciting time, but it comes with lots to sort out. A crucial part of the moving process is hiring a conveyancing solicitor.
These expert solicitors handle the legal paperwork that property transactions bring and are needed whether you’re buying or selling.
If you need to appoint conveyancing solicitors for an upcoming property transaction, going local is usually best. Using a local firm means you have specialists in the local area working for you that are up to date with local developments. This puts them in a much stronger position to carry out the conveyancing process as quickly as possible and with less hassle.
But what should you consider when picking a good local conveyancing solicitor?
Check their reputation out
One essential thing to look for is what kind of reputation any conveyancing solicitors have in the local area. The best place to start is simply asking friends and family who live near you. If you have a particular firm in mind, you will usually find someone who has used them and can give an honest view of what their service is like.
Even if you do not have a particular solicitor in mind, asking locally can throw up some trusted options to consider. In addition, you could look on the conveyancing solicitors’ own website for positive customer testimonials and do a general search on the internet for client feedback.
Get a handle on fees
The next major thing to look into when making your choice is the fees any solicitors you might use charge. While all firms will charge for their services, the fees involved can be wide-ranging. It, therefore, makes sense to look around at what fees local conveyancing solicitors in your area come with and what the total cost might be to use them. This ensures you stay within budget and have full clarity on the financial cost of hiring them. Just remember that picking the cheapest option is not always the best decision! It is key to balance the service you get against the overall cost.
Look for specialists in the field
Many people think that any solicitor can handle conveyancing duties when it comes to property transactions. While you could hire a standard solicitor to do this, it is not a good idea. Conveyancing is a specific skill within the sector, so a specialist local firm of solicitors is required to tackle it. With this in mind, make sure that conveyancing is a service that the firm in question offers specifically or that they are dedicated conveyancing specialists. This will ensure you get the best results and have total peace of mind that it is being handled properly.
Check their experience and qualifications
It is also worth choosing conveyancing solicitors who have some experience of helping people in the local area. This will give you confidence that they know what they are doing and have the right skills to deal with local property conveyancing successfully. As you would expect, any conveyancing solicitor should also have the right credentials to practice. It is therefore key to check that the solicitor handling your case has relevant qualifications like an LLB degree or LPC course certification.
Weigh up their customer support
While asking for recommendations and searching the internet for feedback is worthwhile, it also pays to get a first-hand feel for the service local conveyancing solicitors offer. The best way to go about this is by contacting them personally with an initial enquiry. This might mean popping along in person to their offices near you, or by emailing them or calling them. Doing this will give you the chance to see how professional they are, how well they explain things and how confident you feel about using them.
Find one that is on your mortgage lender’s approved panel
This is a great tip to take on board – but one not many people know about! Trying to find solicitors that are on your mortgage lender’s approved panel is wise because it should reduce any delays or complications. The best way to check is simply by asking any solicitor you may use if they are on your bank’s approved panel.
Picking the right local solicitors for conveyancing is vital
There is no doubt that going local when choosing conveyancing solicitors is a smart move, but you may find this a little overwhelming if there are many solicitors in your area to pick from. If this is the case, hopefully, the above tips will make it a bit easier to find the right one.