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If you plan to use the festive break to hunt for a new home, then you might also want to spend some time looking for a conveyancer to help you move once you are ready. 

There are a lot of providers to choose from, but as everyone offers something slightly different here are our top tips for selecting the right conveyancer for you. 

• Think about the type of service you want 

Is it important to you that you are able to meet your conveyancer face-to-face and that they have a physical office you can visit to drop off documents and to sign paperwork?

If so, you should steer clear of online providers who offer a ‘remote access only’ service and instead focus your efforts on trying to find a local conveyancer with offices that are conveniently located close to where you live or work. 

We have offices in Crewe and Stoke-on-Trent where in-person appointments are always available, and where you are unable to travel to us (for example, due to Covid restrictions) then appointments can also be arranged over the phone and via Zoom.

• Think about whether you want to deal with the same person throughout

Is it important to you that you have one point of contact who looks after you from the beginning of your transaction right through until the end?

If so, you will almost certainly be better suited to a conveyancing firm that is geared up to provide a personalised service rather than one that is highly standardised. 

In particular, you will want to steer clear of large scale providers that operate a bit like conveyancing factories, i.e. by using junior members of staff to conduct transactions with the help of computer software, and who will usually have to transfer your file to someone else in the team if a problem arises or if a matter becomes more complex than expected. 

At Step Legal, we will always ensure that you have your own dedicated conveyancer who will be responsible for dealing with your transaction from start to finish, and who you can contact whenever you like via a direct dial telephone number or email address. 

• Think about how experienced you want your conveyancer to be

Is it important to you that your conveyancer has the skills and expertise needed to progress your purchase, irrespective of how tricky it is or how challenging it becomes?

If so, you should try to find a provider with experience in a broad range of matters and who has a proven track record in overcoming any unexpected bumps in the road.

Take a look at the websites of different firms to get a feel for what they do, and check out any blogs or case studies they have posted to demonstrate their knowledge and success in handling transactions that may not have gone according to plan.  

You may also find it useful to visit online client review platforms, which can be good in giving you insight into how well a firm performs when the going gets tough.   

Our conveyancers are consistently five-star rated on review sites like Trust Pilot, Google Reviews and SolicitorsReview and regularly deal with both straightforward and complex transactions involving a variety of property types, including:

• New build homes;
• Historic and listed buildings;
• Properties with land;
• Shared ownership flats and houses;
• Auction properties; 
• Buy to let investments; and
• Retirement homes.

We also deal with residential remortgages, equity release, the sale of property following someone’s death and the sale of matrimonial property following divorce or separation.

In addition, we have a comprehensive catalogue of blogs and case studies, which we use to keep clients informed about recent legal developments and past client successes.

• Think about how quickly you want to proceed

Is it important to you that your conveyancer can speed things up if required?

If so, you should look for a firm with the resources needed to complete the conveyancing process more quickly than the 2 to 3 months it normally takes, should the need arise.

This is particularly important if you are buying a property from someone who is in a chain of linked transactions and there is pressure on everyone to complete on the same date. 

We regularly turn things around in record time.  For example, we recently undertook the legal work needed to enable a client to buy an auction property in less than 24 hours. Earlier this year, we also dealt with multiple purchases in a matter of weeks to enable clients to complete their transactions before the end of the Covid-related stamp duty holiday on 30 September, thereby saving them thousands of pounds in land tax.

• Think about how much you want to pay 

Is it important to you that you know at the outset exactly how much you will have to pay and that the price you are being charged is fair?

If so, you should find a firm that is prepared to give you a fixed quote that includes all relevant fees and which is competitively priced, both locally and nationally.

Take care with providers who advertise extremely low rates in order to reel you in, as these tend to be subject to extra fees that you will almost certainly end up having to pay and which only become apparent when you read the small print. 

At Step Legal, our pricing policy is completely transparent and you can get a fixed price quotation before you instruct us by calling freephone 0800 195 6412 and asking to speak to the head of our conveyancing team Anees Khan, or by using our online conveyancing costs calculator.

Need our help?

If you are thinking about moving home in 2022, why not ask us for a quote now?  

And if you want to find out what past clients think of our service, why not also check out the testimonials section of our webpage.