Finding a Conveyancer

You'll need to find a conveyancer (a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer) to complete all the legal work for you. This is one person you can and should depend on throughout the whole process, so take your time finding someone you feel you can rely on. This trusty individual is the key person in making your purchase a reality.

Your conveyancer will check all aspects of the legal title to the property to make sure it is good and marketable.

This will include:

• Carrying out searches such as the local authority search and land registry search.
• Advice on the contract and raise enquiries with the seller's conveyancer with regard to legal aspects of the property.
• Looking into legal terms that affect the property.
• Complete all the legal work involved in the transfer of ownership, preparing the transfer document that you will sign.
• Advise you on the mortgage and prepare the mortgage deed.
• In many cases they act for the lender too, approving the legal title.

All in all, your conveyancer will handle all legal work from the start, through the exchange of contracts to final completion.

The contract

The contract contains all the terms of the transaction, is prepared in duplicate and one copy is signed by the buyer and one by the seller. When both sides are ready, the two signed contracts are exchanged by each side's conveyancers. At the same time your conveyancer hands over the agreed deposit you've paid to them.  The contract usually provides for this to be 10% of the purchase price but it can be less if the seller agrees. The contract is not binding until the actual exchange has taken place. Once that happens, the agreed date for completion is set and the transaction can proceed towards that.

Costs of conveyancers

Cost can differ quite remarkably from one conveyancer to another, and depending on the price of your property. The best way to find a good one is through recommendation, so ask around and remember, sometimes it's worth paying a little bit more for the peace of mind it brings.

Insurance

Some conveyancers now offer an insurance policy with their work, which covers you financially should your offer fall through. It protects you from that bad (though uncommon) predicament known as gazumping. This is when you are out-bid by a rival buyer. As well as losing your desired home, you lose money already spent on the conveyancing process. It doesn't happen often and there is cover available to you. Ask your conveyancer for more details.

Whoever you choose, don't be afraid to chase them - especially to get your paperwork moving!

Halifax offer a conveyancing service that allows you to track your house purchase online.  To help you know exactly what you are paying upfront you can get a guaranteed fixed price quotation. Don't forget to add this cost to your To Do List.