You will want your house purchase, or sale, to move as quickly and smoothly as possible. You should think about instructing a specialist solicitor before you put in an offer. The faster the paperwork can be handled the more quickly you’ll exchange and you can move home!

As quickly as possible. Look for Conveyancing Solicitors that offer a fixed fee, and compare quotes from different firms to get the best deal for you. The best deal may not be the cheapest price and you should consider online reviews and the quality of service offered.

Ensure you do your research. The best place to start is to ask friends, family and colleagues for recommendations and then you can read online reviews from previous clients. A Solicitor doesn’t necessarily have to be local as so much of the work be done by phone or email. You should request a quote with a full breakdown of costs and written confirmation of this and that no additional charges will be made.

If the property you are buying is unusual or you need to arrange for an extension of the existing lease, then a Conveyancing Solicitor will be best placed to give you expert advice. It may be that your matter will be dealt with on a day-to-day basis by a Conveyancer but that there is a Solicitor on hand if required.

Once you’re happy and you have chosen the Solicitor for you then you are ready to instruct them to act on your behalf. Your Solicitor’s job is to work for you in the legal process of transferring ownership from the seller to the buyer. They will start by sending you an initial letter with their terms and conditions and once this is agreed they can start the process and get the relevant paperwork start which will include searches and preparation of contracts so you can get moved as quickly as possible.