7 Questions To Ask About Your Conveyancing Quote

Published: 8th June 2015

Shopping around for the best deal on conveyancing can save you hundreds of pounds, but only if you know what factors you need to compare and the right questions to ask about the service.

At Liddy’s Solicitors, we make things as straightforward as possible for you by offering conveyancing on a fixed-fee basis. The fee we quote will be the sum you pay for the conveyancing on your house move.

Not all solicitors and online conveyancers take the same approach and in some cases there are additional ‘hidden’ charges that do not appear in their quotes. That makes it very difficult to compare the costs of the variety of quotes you request, so you may need to ask some additional questions to get the full picture.

Among the things you need to know are:

Is the fee fixed or is the figure in the quote an estimate that may rise?

Many solicitors and licensed conveyancers charge by the hour, so the bill can increase sharply if there are any complications or unforeseen delays. With a fixed-fee quote, the amount you pay will remain the same and any problems in the conveyancing process will just be frustrating rather than expensive.

Does the quote include acting for the mortgage lender?

Some conveyancing solicitors charge an additional fee for acting for your mortgage lender in the purchase, which may not be included in their initial quote. If the firm does not act for lenders or is not approved by your mortgage provider, you need to find out what the lender’s legal costs will be.

Which searches are included?

While drainage and local authority searches should be standard in any conveyancing service, you may also need mining or contaminated land searches, depending on where the property you are purchasing is located. Ask whether these are included in the initial quote or whether there would be an additional charge for them.

How much stamp duty will be payable?

Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) can add a significant sum to the final cost of your move, so you need to know how much it will be. It is also worth checking that your conveyancing quote includes the cost of completing and submitting the SDLT return and making the payment.

What is the full breakdown of the charges?

A good conveyancing solicitor will provide a quote with a detailed breakdown of the charges, which will allow you to check that it includes everything you need and to easily compare the fees. If any of the quotes you receive don’t have a full breakdown, ask for one and don’t be afraid to query anything you do not understand.

A conveyancing quote usually has two parts, the legal fees (what the solicitor charges to carry out the work) and the disbursements (things the solicitor pays on your behalf, such as stamp duty and search fees). Make sure you compare the total sum, as well as just the legal fees section, as it is not unknown for some online conveyancers to separate out basic tasks and include them as disbursements in order to make their legal fees appear lower.

Are there any additional charges at all?

It is always worth checking whether or not there is any possibility of additional charges and in what circumstances they may be incurred.

Who will do the conveyancing?

Find out whether the person who would handle your conveyancing is a qualified solicitor or not, and whether they specialise in conveyancing. You may think it is worth paying a little extra to have the work undertaken by an expert who can complete it as quickly as possible.

A related question you may wish to ask is whether you will deal with the same individual throughout the process. Having a dedicated solicitor handling your conveyancing helps to improve communication and is usually much less frustrating than dealing with a call centre set-up.

Liddy’s Solicitors’ property team have vast experience of conveyancing work and can handle any freehold, leasehold, remortgage, buy-to-let, matrimonial or transfer of equity work anywhere in England or Wales.

Call us today on 01924 366 896 or contact us via the website to request a fixed-fee conveyancing quote.