Best Conveyancing Solicitors in Birmingham

How do I choose a good conveyancing solicitor in Birmingham?

When you compare conveyancing quotes, look for a property solicitor with strong credentials, positive client feedback, and experience within the Birmingham property market. Birmingham’s diverse property landscape, from new build apartments in the Jewellery Quarter to suburban homes in areas like Harborne or Moseley, can present unique legal considerations that local solicitors are better equipped to handle.

It is important to look for transparency regarding their conveyancing fees and services. Firms familiar with Birmingham City Council's local authority searches, regional planning nuances, and popular residential zones may offer a smoother, more informed experience.

Make sure the conveyancers you are considering are fully accredited, either by the CLC or SRA.

You can contact them through their website, phone, or visit their office. Many will offer an initial consultation to discuss your conveyancing needs.

It’s also helpful to select a conveyancing solicitor that is already on the panel of approved firms set by your chosen mortgage lender, as this will help things go quicker. You can check your lender’s website or ask them directly to find out if your conveyancer is on their panel.

While it’s not essential to use a solicitor based in Birmingham, as many aspects of conveyancing can be handled remotely, a local solicitor's knowledge can be especially helpful when navigating issues such as regional planning constraints, flood risks near canal-side properties, or dealing with the Birmingham City Council’s planning department.

You should engage a conveyancer as you start looking for a property or before you list one for sale, to ensure all legal aspects are promptly addressed.

How do Birmingham property solicitors work?

It is a conveyancer’s job to act on your behalf, managing the legal aspects of property transactions and administrative work associated with transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another. Their tasks will vary depending on whether you are buying, selling or both.

Your conveyancing solicitor will conduct conveyancing searches, particularly relevant in Birmingham, where issues like historical land use, contaminated land in former industrial sites, or proximity to infrastructure developments like HS2 may arise. They will handle contracts, and property laws specific to Birmingham and the wider West Midlands, which may involve local planning policies or property rights unique to certain areas like Edgbaston or Selly Oak.

According to reallymoving data, the average cost of conveyancing fees is around £2,368 including fees and disbursements. For a First Time Buyer, the average cost is £1,478.

Your money is protected when you use a conveyancer. Conveyancing solicitors must hold client funds in separate accounts, ensuring security and compliance with regulatory standards.

It is possible to do your own conveyancing, if you are a cash buyer, However, given the complexities of the Birmingham property market, such as leasehold issues in city centre apartments or conservation regulations in areas like Bournville, it’s strongly advised to hire a qualified solicitor. Hiring a conveyancer minimises the risk that something will go wrong, and your purchase will not go through.

What questions should I ask my property solicitor?

Start by enquiring about their experience in the Birmingham property market. While your solicitor doesn’t necessarily need to be based in the city, they should have solid knowledge of the local market, including potential issues like Leasehold flats in city centre developments, Victorian and Edwardian properties with complex titles in areas like Moseley or Handsworth and regional planning or zoning regulations from Birmingham City Council.

Ask them about how much their fees will be and what they include, such as disbursements, expenses and Stamp Duty. Ask if they charge extra for handling leaseholds or complex transactions (which are common in parts of the city and may be part of your purchase).

Ask about the timeline for how long the conveyancing process will take, and how they plan to communicate updates to you. Typically, conveyancing takes 8-12 weeks, and your conveyancer will need your input to fill out forms and provide documents throughout the process. Since Birmingham is a busy urban market, it’s especially useful to have a conveyancer who keeps you in the loop about potential delays, such as local authority search times. They should also be available to contact whenever you need to ask questions or request updates.

You may want to see if they offer no sale, no fee agreements. This means you will not have to pay the conveyancing fees if the purchase falls through, but you may still have to cover the cost of disbursements.

Make sure they are part of a regulated professional body and are approved on your chosen mortgage lender’s conveyancing panel. All conveyancers/ conveyancing solicitors on reallymoving are regulated by the SRA or CLC.

Is it better to use a solicitor or conveyancer in Birmingham?

You can use both conveyancing solicitors and conveyancers to carry out your conveyancing in Birmingham. There are differences between the two, but both will perform your property sale or purchase in the same way, and should have knowledge of the property regulations set out by Birmingham City Council, so who you decide to use is up to you.

Conveyancing solicitors will have been trained in a variety of legal fields, ranging from family law through to litigation or criminal law. They have then chosen to specialise in  property law

Licensed Conveyancers are specialists that have specifically been trained in property law and this is their sole focus.

Conveyancing solicitors practising in the Birmingham market must be registered with the Law Society and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), whereas Licensed Conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

Both regulatory bodies will have a public register where you can search an individual or a firm to check if they are regulated. All property solicitors and conveyancers quoted by reallymoving are regulated by one of these bodies. 

Your decision about whether to use a solicitor or conveyancer may come down to whether you prefer to have someone with expertise in other legal fields you may need help with, or someone trained specifically in property law. But you should ultimately choose a conveyancing firm based on what they can offer you that best suits the unique complexities of the Birmingham housing market, from new-build contracts in areas like Digbeth to leasehold flats in Selly Oak or Edgbaston.