Whether buying or selling a home, conveyancing can feel overwhelming and a lot to get your head around. A conveyancer is someone that deals with the purchasing of a property once an offer has been accepted. With legal matters, financial arrangements and regulations to comply with, getting a headstart on your conveyancing is always advisable. Our simple guide should help take the mystery out of the process and help you have a smooth journey.
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What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another. Before the exchanging of contracts, there is much legal administrative work, including acting on your behalf if you are obtaining a mortgage. To help create a smooth process, you must provide your ID and fill out any forms required as soon as possible. The average time it takes, national reports state, is 8 to 10 weeks for exchange and 12 to 14 weeks for completion. At Wellington Evans we effectively manage sales and chains to ensure as little time is wasted as possible, managing as much of the chain as necessary. We have recently exchanged and completed a two house chain in only six weeks…. If the right conveyancers and mortgage contacts are used the time (and related stresses) to exchange can be dramatically reduced when an effective agent is overseeing the process.
How do you choose a conveyancer?
Your estate agent will probably refer conveyancers for you to consider. We only refer solicitors we truly recommend and trust at Wellington Evans. As a general rule, you will not need to meet with your solicitor in person, so their office location shouldn’t be a primary concern. Choosing a solicitor your estate agent already has a good relationship with will help with communication, keeping your sale/purchase running far more smoothly.
What does a conveyancing solicitor do?
Your solicitor will carry out a great deal of legal administrative work including, but not limited to:
- Organising searches of the property and checking the house title
- Working with all parties solicitors to progress the transaction
- Making enquiries on behalf of their client
- Dealing with anything related to mortgage applications
- Arranging dates for exchange of contracts and completion
- Preparing for completion
- Submitting your tax return and transferring funds for stamp duty
- Registering your ownership with the land registry
Searches and cost
There are quite a few searches that can be carried out regarding property sales. Your conveyancer will specify any outside the mandatory searches that you may need. Mandatory searches are Local Authority, Water and drainage and Environmental. Conveyancing service fees will vary depending on the property's price, etc. Your searches will be added on top of your conveyancing fees. You can request quotes from any solicitors you are considering, but be sure to confirm what their quotes include.
Can I speed up the process?
Your solicitor or conveyancer should always try to progress your property sale as efficiently as possible. If you want to help speed up the process, make sure to provide everything when you are asked for it. Some easy ways to help things along are:
- Provide ID when asked
- Provide financial evidence when asked
- Fill out and return documents as soon as possible
- Keep in contact with your estate agent to ensure they are working effectively and checking the chain progression (as you cannot do this yourself, and nor should you).
You should find that your conveyancing process should be quick, thorough and without issue. For more advice on choosing the right conveyancing solicitor for your sale, give us a call to chat through our recommendations.
