Conveyancing Solicitors
Conveyancing Solicitors - How To Choose
By John Tighe
Good Conveyancing Solicitors are vital for a successful property transaction, but with so many to choose from how do you make the right choice?
The answer is to look for one that meets these 3 criteria:
1. They offer a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee
2. They give "Fixed Fee" quotes
3. They will "match any quote"
Let's look at these in a bit more detail to see why they're so important:
1. "No Completion No Fee"
This means if your sale falls through you don't pay a penny.
Mistakes or laziness by solicitors are a key reason for sales to fall through so safeguarding yourself is important.
A firm offering a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee doesn't get paid if the sale falls through. And law firms like to get paid, so this is a great incentive for them to do a good job!
Most firms of solicitors will never make this offer so what does it say about a one that does? It says that they are confident that they will do a good job and that the transaction will be successful. In other words, even though they can't guarantee the transaction will complete, they don't expect there to be any problems as a result of their legal work.
2. "Fixed Fee" Quotes
The next thing to look for is a firm that offers "Fixed Fee" quotes. In other words, however long your transaction takes you know how much you'll have to pay.
Legal costs can skyrocket very quickly - it doesn't take many letters at 50 pounds a time to add up - so it's vital to cap your costs.
As a bonus it also incentivises your conveyancing solicitors to get everything right quickly and first time, since if they drag things out they are costing themselves money. Since speed can often be vital in getting your sale or purchase through successfully this is a real advantage.
Make sure as well that your quote includes "disbursements". This is the term solicitors use to describe expenses such as search fees. On a conveyancing transaction they can add up to almost as much as the legal fees. Most are known in advance so make sure they are included in your quote.
3. They will "match any quote"
This way you'll get the best price you can. No need to worry about finding a better deal elsewhere once you're committed.
A "match any quote" guarantee plus a "Fixed Fee" quote are the best way to get a great deal. You cap your liability, while taking advantage of the best possible price.
Now not all firms of solicitors will offer these things up front. It is often the larger firms that have the confidence to do so. However, this doesn't stop you asking.
And what if you can't get all three? Well the most important thing is to make sure that you cap your costs, therefore, you should insist on a "Fixed Fee" quote. Next on your list should be a "No Completion No Fee" guarantee and finally a "match any quote" offer.
February 28, 2011
11:29 am
many solicotors are notoriously incompetent and slow. the job isn’t that demanding and hence the quality of staff is low grade.
they are going to receive a very small fee from the conveyance on your flat, so it’s really not in their interests to be fast. they are doing other more money making things.
sign another lease and this time send all correspondance recorded delivery.
May 14, 2011
5:23 pm
When to pay Solicitors Deposit for Conveyancing? Wait till notification of sale?
The estate agent has given verbal approval that my offer has been accepted and now I need to leave a deposit with the solicitor, should I wait for written confirmation first?
I’m a FTB in the UK.
May 24, 2011
9:21 am
I would wait…
July 2, 2011
11:06 am
my conveyancing solicitors are too slow and never contact me, can they charge me any money if i sack them?
i am dealing with a firm of solicitors called lawcomm and am unhappy with their service, it has took over 4 months so far and it is still ongoing to complete a standard right to buy flat from my local council and they never contact me i have just contacted them again because i signed my lease and sent it back to them a month ago and my rep said it must be in the sorting room, how can i change solictor and will i have to pay them any monies for work they have claimed to to, thanks.
July 25, 2011
11:12 pm
How do you get the solicitors to hurry up with the conveyancing?
they’ve taken 2 months already!!! fair enough its shared ownership so theres three parties instead of the normal two but why is he taking so long? i ring up once a week religiously what else can i do??
its a fixed quote so he’s getting no more than he quoted…and i dont even think he’s worth that, lazy man!
July 27, 2011
1:51 pm
http://www.lawyer.com
July 27, 2011
11:21 pm
I think bunging them a few hundred is the standard procedure
July 28, 2011
1:45 pm
Can anyone recommend a good conveyancing solicitor either in Bristol or Wales?
My partner and i are buying a property and we have been quoted £650 for a solicitor via the estate agent ( so the solicitor is not independent). This amount is apparently fixed and if the sale does not go through we do not pay anything. I have asked around family and friends for a recommendation but everyone i know has had bad experiences with solicitors. Can anyone recommend a good conveyancing solicitor either in Bristol or in Wales and advise if this amount is a good quote, the house is £69,000 and freehold and we have no other property to sell???
July 29, 2011
3:19 pm
Is it wrong for a conveyancing clerk to gain access to criminal files in a multidisciplinary legal firm?
Is the personal secretary to the conveyancing solicitor, permitted to assess criminal files, belonging to another solicitors department, just because the file is about her daughters partner? Is it not also wrong to read criminal files and publicly discuss your thoughts with civilians outside the firm, before the case goes to trial? If I am not wrong who can help me stop this? I find closed doors where ever I look, this woman is also a Justice of the Peace.
July 29, 2011
3:40 pm
Data protection act applies here. You need to contact your local Data Protection Officer. This is an illegal act.
The Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998, data protection policy – ICO
The current version of the Data Protection Act was put into practice in 1998. … What do I need to do under the Data Protection Act? …www.ico.gov.uk/what_we_cover/data_protection.aspx – Cached