You do not have to use a solicitor to buy (or sell) your house but there are many reasons why the vast majority of people do engage a solicitor. Here we look at the advantages of using a solicitor to safeguard your purchase and highlight some kinds of transactions where you should always get conveyancing advice.
Why use a Solicitor for conveyancing?
Here is why you should use a solicitor when buying property:
- If you are getting a mortgage to fund the purchase you may have no choice. Most lenders will require a qualified lawyer to certify the legal title of the property before the release of mortgage funds. This is the most effective way lenders can ensure their asset is protected.
- Your home will often be your largest asset. Getting legal advice on all aspects of the transaction will give you and your family the reassurance you need that your ownership is legally watertight.
- Attempting DIY conveyancing is often a false economy. Land law and conveyancing is complex. Your solicitor is trained to efficiently and cost effectively investigate the title of your property and will ensure that the seller is legally able to transfer the property to you. Often people who try to do the conveyancing themselves incur expenditure rectifying mistakes they have made. Often these issues only come to light when they come to sell the property.
- Your solicitor will coordinate all aspects of the transaction, dealing with the seller, the Local Authority, HMRC, the Land Registry and others. He or she will also have experience of managing a linked ‘chain’ of property sales and purchases.
- Your solicitor is required to hold professional indemnity insurance so if something does go wrong with your purchase you will have a straightforward legal remedy to ensure you are not disadvantaged.
- The increase in online fraud and scamming is always a risk when large amounts of money such as the funds for a purchase are being transferred between banks. Your solicitor will have sophisticated protocols in place to minimise the chance that you fall victim to fraud.
- Certain property purchases are particularly complex. You should always get legal advice for example if the property you are buying is unregistered (i.e. the legal title is not registered with the Land Registry), if the property is a leasehold flat or building or if you are buying from the estate of a deceased person or from a couple who are getting divorced.
How do Gamlins Solicitors LLP deal with house purchases?
If you instruct us, we will guide you through each step of the process. This will include:
- Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
- Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase
- Advising on contract documents, including the Property Information Form
- Carrying out local authority searches about the land on which the property is situated
- Obtaining planning documentation
- Making any necessary enquiries of the sellers solicitor
- Giving you advice on all documents and information received
- Going through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you
- Sending the final contract to you for signature
- Agreeing a completion date (the date from which you own the property)
- Exchanging contracts
- Arranging for all monies needed to be received from your lender and you
- Completing the purchase
- Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Dealing with the application for registration at the Land Registry
At Gamlins Solicitors LLP we have a large team of conveyancers based in our network of offices across North Wales. You will always be able to find a solicitor that is local to the property you are buying – adding value with our detailed local knowledge. We are committed to offering value for money and are transparent about our costs. You can read full details of the costs involved in buying a property on our costs information page. This also gives details of the fees payable to third parties like HMRC (stamp duty), the Land Registry and the Local Authority.
Contact Us
For advice on your house purchase or sale and for a bespoke conveyancing quote please call us on 01492 860420 or email us at
