Buy or sell a house – Solicitors Near Me run it down
It can be tempting to look for ways to save money. But when you’re selling or buying a house, Solicitors Near Me recommends you definitely use a legal expert. And we’re not the only ones…
If you are buying using a mortgage, your mortgage lender will insist on it. They probably won’t lend to you at all if you don’t have professional legal representation.
If you’re buying a leasehold, the freeholder of the property will probably insist on it too.
This means that – even if it wasn’t a smart idea anyway with so much money on the line – you need a solicitor when buying or selling a house. Here’s what else you need to know:
To be connected to a specialist house solicitor near to where you live, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.
What Type Of Solicitor Do I Need To Buy A House?
Conveyancers or conveyancing solicitors are the type of legal specialists you need when buying a house. These two job titles are sometimes different things. Not every conveyancer is also a qualified solicitor.
This sometimes means you can access the services of a straightforward licensed conveyancer at a slightly lower price (though not always) compared with a conveyancing solicitor.
This is because conveyancing solicitors are qualified to deal with all the legal problems you might encounter when buying or selling a house. They can give you legal advice too. A conveyancer usually can’t.
Do I Really Need A Solicitor To Buy A House?
The good news is that representing yourself in a house sale or purchase is legally allowed. The bad news is that few people are ever able to because of the aforementioned mortgage lender rules.
In general, most people say you need a solicitor to buy a house because:
1) Lenders Require It
Unless you are lucky enough to be able to afford to make a house purchase in cash, any mortgage lender involved in the process is likely to insist that you use a solicitor or conveyancer.
2) The Tasks Involved
Conveyancing isn’t a simple process. It involves dealing with a huge variety of different people and organisations, including but not limited to:
- The buyer or seller’s solicitor
- Estate agents and surveyors
- Mortgage lenders
- HMRC (to pay Land Duty Stamp Tax and so on)
- All the organisations (including the Land Registry) needed for property searches
3) There Is A Lot Of Money Involved
It’s often said that you cannot put a price on peace of mind. Picture a situation where you buy a property and only discover a legal issue (perhaps small print in the lease between yourself and your leasehold freeholder) that would make it very difficult to sell your house later on.
This is a fairly simple example. But with such a large investment involved, it’s always a good idea to have a legal expert look everything over. Even if you aren’t legally required to.
What Does A House Solicitor Do?
In addition to liaising with all of the various people and organisations above, your conveyancing solicitor will need to:
- Do the property searches – these checks involve reaching out to your new Local Authority, the water authority, checking for mining activity in the area, and a dozen others should the local area require it.
- Raise legal issues – your house solicitor will examine all contracts, deeds, and leases and notify you of any potential issues outside of the ordinary. If questions crop up as the buyer, they can enquire with the seller’s solicitors.
- Transfer funds – telling your mortgage lender when to send the funds, handling the transfer, and redeeming any mortgage involved (depending on whether you are the buyer or seller).
And that’s far from all! They also need to handle paying the Stamp Duty Land Tax, registering the new owners on the title deed of the property, managing and scheduling the exchange of contracts and completion date and more.
How Much Will A Solicitor Charge To Buy A House?
Depending on where you are in the country and the solicitor you are using, you can expect to pay anywhere from £700 to £1500 in solicitors’ fees when you sell or buy a house (possibly with VAT added on top).
You may be able to find “no move, no fee” conveyancing where you won’t pay – or pay less – if your move falls through, as many do.
Buying Or Selling A House? Solicitors Near Me Can Help You
What if you could get paired with the ideal friendly and helpful legal expert when buying or selling a house – for FREE and with no obligation to use their services?
House Solicitors Near Me
To be connected to a specialist conveyancing solicitor near to where you live, please either call us now on 0845 1391399 or complete a Free Online Enquiry.
