Instruct your solictitor as early as possible
We would always recommend that you instruct solicitors as soon as possible. This gives you the time to look around properly and make sure that you are absolutely happy with your choice of firm. Too many people choose the first solicitor that provides a reasonable quote, and this can lead to problems further on in the transaction. Remember you are will be dealing with them on almost a daily basis for several weeks, so it’s important to make sure that you’re totally happy.
Is the estate agent's recommendation really the best?
Don’t automatically opt for the firm recommended by the estate agents, as they are probably paying a referral fee and some agents may recommend the firm paying the highest fee. It’s worth bearing in mind though that paying a referral fee doesn’t necessarily mean the firm should be ignored. Most estate agents will only recommend solicitors that meet their standards and the firms themselves will try and provide a top class service to agents, as they hope to get more business from the agents.
Personal recommendation is always the best
Remember that you will spend a lot of time dealing with your solicitors during the course of your matter and it is vital that you feel comfortable. The best way to find a conveyancer is by personal recommendation, as there is no better way to find out what a firm is like than by talking to someone who has used their services. If they were happy then you should be too.
Ask for a complete estimate so you can compare
Contact the solicitors and ask them for a written estimate. Be sure to ask if this includes all the costs of the transaction, as some solicitors will add on costs additional to your fees, making it hard to compare different estimates. Ask what will happen if the transaction turns out to be more complex and make sure that they will ask you before carrying out any work that incurs additional fees.
The cheapest is not always the best choice
Bear in mind though that fees are not necessarily the most important factor. Generally speaking, it would be fair to say that you get what you pay for. If you go for the cheapest possible estimate then you will get the cheapest possible service. This will usually be a bulk conveyancing team based approach, where you are merely a number rather than a client, unqualified staff deal with your case and you can’t ever speak to the person who knows what is happening and they don’t return your calls.
Alternatively you can get a sole practitioner who, while qualified, will usually have far too many cases to handle, and will not be up to speed with the latest legal and technological developments. Either way your transaction will inevitably take longer and be more problematic than if you had instructed a firm that charged a more realistic fee. If cost is the only thing that matters to you then this won’t be a problem, but in our experience most people would rather pay a little more for a quality service. This doesn’t of course mean that you shouldn’t compare estimates. Some firms will charge a much higher price, but don’t do any more to justify this.
Paying a lot more doesn’t mean that your transaction will go any smoother or quicker. In general terms we would always say that the most expensive and the cheapest quotes are usually the ones to avoid.
Get a firm feel
It is important to spend a bit of time talking to them to get a better feel of what the firm is like. Ask the firm to explain what will happen during your transaction. If they seem rushed and don’t take the time to explain things when they are trying to win your business, then ask yourself whether they are likely to be better when they’ve already got it. It is also important to ask if they have any additional features such as on-line case tracking, SMS text updates or even whether they use e-mail to write to other parties and to you. They may seem small things, but they can save a phenomenal amount of time during the course of the transaction, which means you can move that bit quicker.
Location, location, location
The location of the firm is not necessarily important. It is worth bearing in mind though that if you are up against a tight deadline or are expecting any last minute problems it might be wiser to choose a local solicitor so that you can easily get to their office if you need to.
