Why it’s important to choose the right solicitors?

A solicitor needs to be right for you and the home of which you are buying or selling. A solicitor is ultimately your legal representative in buying or selling your home, and if they haven’t been recommended, then how can you have ultimate faith that they are going to work in your best interests, your potentially investing your life savings into buying a home, are you sure you want some computer generated system in control of an asset?

Communication is key in any walk of life and especially from your solicitor, above all, you do not want your chosen solicitor to hide behind their secretary.

My key suggestions when looking for a good solicitor are:

• Shop Around –  Don’t spend too long on this but get a few quotes from Local solicitors, ask for recommendations from friends, family or your estate agent may be able to put you in contact with a solicitor, but be aware some of the larger estate agents use their own conveyancing service to make money, there are no guarantees that they are good!
• Talk to them – Talk with the solicitor who could be acting for you, if you get “fobbed off” with the P.A. or Secretary, then it could well mean that what’s going to happen throughout the property transaction. When you finally get through with speaking to the solicitor make sure he/she understands what your needs are and find out what he/she can do for you. You have to be happy with the person working for you on what could be the most important transaction of your life!
• Ask for a Quote – Asking for a quote to be sent out allows you work out how they do business. If you ask for a quote and they send one out in the post and you receive it two weeks later then you probably want to think twice about using them. If a quote comes thick and fast, then generally they will probably be on the ball throughout your sale or purchase. Asking for a Quote should outline the costs involved so that there are no nasty surprises at the end. We recommend that you obtain three individual quotes.
• Local is Better – Local is better is not always the case but when dealing with property it means that the solicitor is familiar with the local area, they could have the upper hand when dealing with the local authority or having experience of the local area – it can generally help, but is not a necessity.
• Lending Panel – If you are obtaining a mortgage, a good thing to check out is that your chosen solicitor is on the panel of lenders. Not all solicitors are and this can save you money in the long run, it could be a bit tricky otherwise.

To summarise this, you need a conveyancer/solicitor that has good communication skills, it helps to know the area and that they are on your lending panel should you be obtaining a loan. Ultimately, you want to feel that you are making the correct choice and that they are working for you and not the other way around.