Best Conveyancing Solicitors in Surrey

How do I choose a good conveyancing solicitor in Surrey?

When you compare conveyancing quotes, look for a property solicitor with strong credentials, positive client feedback, and experience within the Surrey property market. Given the county’s mix of historic towns like Guildford and Farnham, commuter hubs such as Woking and Epsom, and rural villages within the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, local expertise can make a significant difference. A solicitor familiar with Surrey's planning regulations, conservation areas, and local council processes can help avoid delays.

It is important to look for transparency regarding their conveyancing fees and services. Some firms offer fixed-fee conveyancing in Surrey, while others may have add-ons that aren’t clear upfront.

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 by visiting their offices in towns such as Leatherhead, Reigate, or Camberley. Many will offer an initial consultation to discuss your conveyancing needs.

It’s also helpful to select a conveyancing solicitor who 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 Surrey, as many aspects of conveyancing can be handled remotely, a local solicitor may offer added value by understanding typical timelines with your local Surrey council, local property trends, flood risk zones (particularly in Thames-side towns), and common issues in older or leasehold properties found in the area.

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 Surrey conveyancers 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 (e.g., local authority, drainage, environmental), review the title deeds, and advise on any property regulations or restrictions laid out by your local Surrey council (e.g. Guildford Borough Council, Woking Borough Council, Mole Valley District Council), such as those associated with conservation areas or listed buildings, which are prevalent in parts of the county like Farnham and Dorking.

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 it is advisable to always use a conveyancing solicitor as they will have the knowledge and expertise necessary to complete a property transaction. Surrey's property market includes complex transactions such as leaseholds in flats, shared ownership, and chain-linked sales, where professional support is invaluable. Engaging a conveyancing solicitor reduces the risk of costly errors or delays that could jeopardise your transaction.

What questions should I ask my conveyancing solicitor?

Start by enquiring about their experience in the Surrey property market. Whether or not they’re physically based in the county, a good conveyancer should demonstrate familiarity with local planning regulations, common property types (like period homes in Guildford or modern apartments in Woking), and issues such as estate rent charges and unadopted roads present in new developments across towns like Horley, Addlestone, and Farnham.

Ask them about how much their fees will be and what they include, such as disbursements, expenses and Stamp Duty.

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, though this can vary depending on the local council’s search turnaround times or the complexity of the chain. Your conveyancer will need your input to fill out forms and provide documents throughout the process. They should 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. This can be particularly valuable in Surrey’s competitive market, where chains sometimes break down.

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 Surrey?

You can use both conveyancing solicitors and conveyancers to carry out your conveyancing in Surrey. There are differences between the two, but both will perform your property sale or purchase in the same way, 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. This broader legal knowledge can be useful if your transaction is part of a larger legal matter, such as a divorce or probate sale, common scenarios in property hotspots like Esher or Reigate.

Licensed Conveyancers are specialists who have specifically been trained in property law and this is their sole focus. This can be advantageous for more straightforward transactions, especially in Surrey’s competitive and fast-moving markets like Woking or Epsom.

Conveyancing solicitors practising in the Surrey 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), providing peace of mind wherever in Surrey you’re buying or selling, whether that’s a riverside home in Walton-on-Thames or a cottage in the Surrey Hills AONB.

Both regulatory bodies will have a public register where you can search for 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. Either way, make sure the firm has experience with the Surrey property landscape, understands local nuances like Green Belt restrictions and leasehold complexities, and is transparent about their fees and services.