It is recommended to instruct a property solicitor as early on in the process as possible. It is a good idea to instruct a solicitor before you are ready to put an offer in on a property. That way if your offer is accepted, you are in the position to start the legal process of transferring ownership straight away.

Look to hire a solicitor that offers a fixed fee – a no completion no fee conveyancing service. That way, should anything go wrong with the transaction i.e. the seller decides at the last minute to take their property off the market, you will not have to pay any of the legal fees (just third party disbursements that have already been paid).

Before you instruct a solicitor, do your research, ask for recommendations from family and friends, and read reviews of the solicitors’ service from past clients online. Solicitors are required by the SRA to be upfront with their fees and will display their fee structure on their website or provide a conveyancing calculator to give you an estimated quote.

Once you are happy to instruct your chosen solicitor you can do so by calling the office directly, submitting an enquiry via their website or through engaging in a live chat.

Once you have instructed a solicitor, they will start the legal process of transferring the ownership of the property from seller to buyer. They will explain to you their terms of service and start the process by setting out their terms and conditions and details of their fixed costs – which you will need to formally agree to. They will also verify your identity by obtaining a copy of your ID.

Read our Complete Guide to the Conveyancing Process for more information.

As it isn’t necessary for your conveyancing solicitor to be local to you this means that documentation will be sent to you via email and post. Most firms will send you a link so you can complete all necessary paperwork online and upload ID documents.