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How Do I Find a Good Solicitor?

  1. Lizzie from London
  2. Legal questions and answers

Question

I am a first time buyer and have finally taken the plunge - I have found my perfect starter home. I have been receiving advice from plenty of willing friends and professionals; especially about surveryors and solicitors. My estate agent has recommended a solicitor, but I am also being told to find my own, as I may get a better deal. Have you got any tips for finding a good solicitor?

Answer

Dear Lizzie,

Conveyancing can be done by most firms of Solicitors in England and Wales and they do not necessarily have to be local to you as the majority of communication tends to be my email, phone and post. There are plenty of deals around due to Solicitors being very cost conscious in the current market and the web is a great resource with which to find those deals. 

You should ensure that you read customer reviews for the Solicitors and ensure that you get a full quotation. Some Solicitors will charge additional fees as a matter of course for such items as I.D. verification or for completing the Stamp Duty Land Tax form or dealing with a mortgage lender. You need to ensure that these charges are listed or included in the overall quote. 

Please note, however, that should something unexpected arise during the course of the transaction, such as the discovery that the property is unregistered or is part of a shared ownership property it can cause a great deal of additional work and most Solicitors will have an additional charge for dealing with that aspect of the transaction.

To help avoid unexpected matters arising it is best to provide as much information as possible to your Solicitor from the outset.
 
reallymoving comment:

Get a few quotes for solicitors so you can compare their costs. However, only use a solicitor that confirms they are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and who sends you a proper Client Care letting which sets out their fees, disbursements, Stamp Duty and expenses. You need to know the full picture when you start, and not to have costs per email or phone call added on. Some conveyancers quote very low fees then add VAT etc onto the bill at the end.

reallymoving.com provides quotes for up to 4 quality solicitors who are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, so when you receive quotes for conveyancing through reallymoving.com you know you will be provided with a skilled and experience service.

You can also view customer feedback for all the companies in our directory.

Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson

Mark Thompson

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