Choosing a conveyancer can be a difficult and confusing process, and knowing who to trust and who is just seeing pound signs can be challenging. Not only that, but there are so many factors involved that it can be difficult to keep them all straight, making the decision all the more difficult. That’s why we’ve put together this quick guide to help you remember the 6 key things you need to ask yourself and your conveyancer to make sure you’re a good fit before you go ahead.
Cost
This sounds like an odd thing to think about first, but working within your budget is essential. Don’t be afraid to ask about all costs up-front before you even start, including any hidden or final costs they might not tell you about right away. You should expect a fair and reasonable rate from a professional conveyancer, so anything too low or too high should be ringing alarm bells. You can quite often find very cheap quotes that might look fantastic on paper, but these options often come with hidden catches, and through concealed fees or just bad service can end up blowing your entire budget.
Qualifications
Becoming a conveyancer is no walk in the park, and most of us are very proud of the qualifications we gain along the way. In fact, you’ll often see them mounted on the walls of our offices. However, not every conveyancer can do everything, so it’s important to find one who specialises in what you need. Ask your conveyancer questions about their training, their team and some of their past experiences in the area. Many good quality conveyancers will happily indulge you to put your mind at ease.
Availability
You might have found the most fantastic conveyancer in the world, but if they can only answer the phone to you on the 3rd Friday of every month between 3 and 4pm, they are pretty much useless. So instead of finding out the hard way, ask your conveyancer if they will be easy to get in touch with should you need them, and what the best ways are to contact them. Check that, should you have an urgent question, they will be available to help you. After all, that’s what you’re paying them for. Don’t be afraid to ask about their policies regarding staff holidays and sickness too – and ask to be notified if you will be dealing with someone else during these periods.
Digital Vs Physical
We may have warned against it earlier, but there are a lot of solutions online for finding your own conveyancing conveyancer. These are often a lot cheaper than traditional conveyancers, and can yield some good results, but there is a price. These online brokers are often run by outsourced call centres that deal with thousands of customers every day. This makes it highly unlikely you will ever speak to the same person again, even if you get their name, and you will certainly never meet them face to face. For some people, this works perfectly, but bear in mind that you are essentially sacrificing the personal service and knowledge of an experienced conveyancer for a reduced fee.
Location, Location, Location
If you are looking to move or buy within the area you already live, it makes sense to choose a conveyancer based in that area. It’s convenient, easy to reach for document exchanges and they are more likely to know about developments that will affect your purchase. But if you are moving far away, how does this affect your choice? Would you still choose someone local that you can meet and speak to regularly, or would you opt for a conveyancer based in the area you are looking to buy in? There’s no right or wrong answer here, but it is something to consider! We’ve got more advice on this one here.
Recommendations
Finally, there’s nothing better than a good old-fashioned recommendation. Talk to friends and family about who they’ve used in the past and their experiences. Reach out on community groups on social media for candid opinions about service and abilities. Don’t always trust your estate agents on their recommendations – remember, they get a commission for recommending certain local conveyancers! Look online for business reviews and scour their website thoroughly for evidence that they really do know what they’re talking about.
And there you have it! These few tips will help you make sure the conveyancer you chose is right for you. If you need help with your property purchase, or need your own conveyancer, please just get in touch, and we’ll be happy to help.
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