Choosing Your Lawyer
Style or budget?
Although it’s a good idea to ask your conveyancer for an estimate of his/her costs before instructing them to work for you, many people make the mistake of asking several firms and then selecting the cheapest. It should be remembered that the only way that a budget firm can keep afloat and make low charges is by processing very high volumes of business. Experience suggests that the result is often poor service.
Do bear in mind that buying a property is one of the biggest transactions that many people make in their lives. Make a wise choice.
If you want your solicitor: -
- to process your transaction quickly,
- to be available to you when you call, or to always call you back when they are not available,
- to answer your questions thoughtfully and not "brush you off",
- to explain the contract that you are signing and to report comprehensively upon its Title,
then don’t choose a budget solicitor unless they promise in writing that they will honour their promises to do all of these things.
Local to me, or where I’m buying?
There are good arguments for both. Selecting a solicitor whose office is close to where you live now will mean that, if needs be, it will be more convenient to visit them and to deliver documents/deposit etc by hand; where speed is of the essence this can be most helpful. However, if you are moving to an area that you don’t know, then selecting a lawyer from that area can sometimes be beneficial. Local knowledge can on occasion prove invaluable and prevent you from making an expensive mistake. There is, however, no right or wrong choice - just make the choice that suits you best.
Where can I get advice?
The best way to find a good conveyancer is through recommendation. Personal recommendation by friends, or by other property professionals such as (if you know and trust them) your mortgage advisor or estate agent – estate agents are generally conscious of which solicitors perform and which of them procrastinate and are usually anxious to avoid the latter.
Woking: 01483 773773