Is it Better to Use a Local Solicitor for Conveyancing?

Even the simple phrase ‘we’re moving house’ is enough to send shivers down the spine. What’s supposed to be an exciting time – a new, fresh phase in your life – often boils down to weeks (if not months) of anxious waiting, flustered sessions over the filing cabinet and printer-scanner, and countless repeated conversations as the cups of tea turn cold.

Of course, it doesn’t have to be this way, and the right conveyancer can make all the difference. Plenty of house moves have taken place with the least possible resistance, and your next move could too.

But, before that happens, you need to decide whether or not you’re going to work with a local conveyancer, or take the online route. Here’s everything you need to know.

What is a conveyancer?

A conveyancer is a solicitor with specialist understanding of the legal process of selling and buying a home. Firms like willans.co.uk offer conveyancing as part of a wider offering of legal services, working alongside estate agents and the buyers’/seller’s conveyancers to facilitate the exchange of documents, ensure that all of your obligations (and the buyer’s or seller’s obligations) are met, and to safeguard clients against any unpleasant surprises down the line.

In the past, it was normal for buyers and sellers to turn to local conveyancers – but, with the rise of the internet, more and more legal firms are offering nation-wide conveyancing services.

Local Conveyancers: the Pros

While it may sound obvious, it’s important to remember that local conveyancers have a keen understanding of the area – and that this can really make a difference when it comes to liaising with other local solicitors and, of course, estate agents. Those pre-existing relationships mean a lot, and can expedite the process significantly.

Working with a solicitor who is local to you also makes it a lot easier for you to drop into the office with documents, or to offer up your signature. Yes, these days, a lot of that (if not all) can be done online, but this is rarely faster than popping in for a quick catch-up with your solicitor. Emails and unreturned phone calls can be their own bugbears.

Local solicitors also tend to take a more personable approach to their job. When you’re working with a much larger firm with a nationwide reach, you’re likely to be treated like a number – someone to be dealt with as quickly as possible – and it’s highly likely you’ll never speak to the same conveyancer twice. During a time as stressful and mentally taxing as a house sale or purchase, that personal touch can go a very long way.

It’s inevitable that, during the process, you’ll have questions. It’s a lot easier to get those questions understood and answered face-to-face – or, in the very least, over phone or email from someone who really knows you, and not just your case number – than it is by someone who has no idea who you are.

Online Conveyancers: The Pros

The one thing that online conveyancers tend to talk-up is the ease and efficiency their service offers. Rather than getting caught up in meetings and phone calls, their portals break the process down into a series of (generic) steps, and require very little input from you.

In reality, this pro is let down by plenty of pitfalls. Without that personal relationship, important details can be missed – buyers and sellers can be let down – and things can grind to a halt without anyone at the helm to ensure otherwise. It’s a big risk, and one that is rarely worth taking.