Kerry Sharples, senior case manager at Gorvins Solicitors, looks at the benefits of using a solicitor when buying a property.
With the recent storms, floods and strange weather spectacles we’ve seen hit the British shorelines since the end of last year, it’s no surprise that homeowners and prospective owners want their property to be in the safest hands possible, after all your property is likely to be the greatest asset that you will own.
With the likes of Storms Desmond, Eva and Frank wreaking havoc, especially across the North of England, homeowners are rightly concerned that their property or potential property isn’t occupying any flood plain areas where further heavy rain may cause catastrophic damage like we have seen.
We all know that buying and selling a home can be a highly stressful period, so when it comes to getting the searches done, transferring the legal rights and completing the conveyancing process you want someone who knows what they are doing to make this procedure as friction-free as possible.
Using a trusted, experienced solicitor is really the only option you’ve got if you want your transaction to be smooth, cost-effective and efficient.
The trouble with online portals
The internet has undoubtedly been great in opening up the service world to the masses, giving people more choice and power. There are now many, many online portals who offer to do your conveyancing at very low prices, which always does have to be questioned. Firstly, the initial, headline price they quote you isn’t always the final cost you pay once those pesky extras and hidden costs have been included. Secondly, speaking to the same person dealing with your property transaction is often a problem. What you want is someone you can contact and talk to who understands your transaction.
When it comes to something as important as the home you own, it can be a dangerous ask to use these online firms who aren’t qualified nor specialised in what they do, who could possibly overlook something vital.
Choose your solicitor wisely
Choosing the correct conveyancer is an important decision to make; it can even be the difference between your property transaction being completed or falling through. An expert in the residential property field will tell you exactly what you need to know. Importantly, a solicitor will conduct a set of thorough property searches that will tell you far more about the property than you will have found out when viewing it with the estate agent or even from a survey.
The aim of these legal searches is to protect the buyer and ensure that there are no other factors that should be brought to your attention before you are the legal owner of the property. Some of the searches that may be done include:
Local authority – Usually takes 1-2 weeks but can take longer. These searches report back on things that may impact upon your property and the surrounding area in the future, such as are there any roads planned to be built, perhaps a big office block on the street corner. You need to know exactly what you are buying and the current and future state of the location before you commit.
Title register – This is done at the Land Registry and are the legal documents to prove that the seller does actually own the property.
Environmental – This report will give you information in regards to: contaminated land, landfill sites, ground stability issues and industry usage. This search will also give you detailed information in regards to flooding predictions and the potential flood risk including maps.
Water authority – Will tell you how you get your water supply and if there are any public drains that may affect building work or extension plans on your property.
Location specific – These are extra searches for specified areas, for example mining searches in former mining areas.
What you should look for when choosing a solicitor
There are four recommended criteria when choosing a conveyancing solicitor to ensure your property is in the safest hands possible and with someone who knows what they are doing:
1. Offer a “no completion, no fee” policy.
2. Provide you with a complete and final price from the outset with no hidden costs.
3. All quotes are based on a fixed-fee basis and not per hour rates.
4. A real solicitors law practice with real people; not an online ‘conveyancing farm’.
Stick to these top tips and your property will be in safe hands.
