Choose a conveyancer

• Looking at reviews is helpful, but we've found that some conveyancing firms are faking 5 star reviews on review websites such as Trustpilot.
• Take a look at the bad reviews of a conveyancing firm instead, as those are more likely to be genuine.
• Even a very good company will have one or two 1 star reviews.
• But if you see lots of 1 star reviews saying "avoid this company at all costs", that's not a good sign.
• A good company will generally reply to bad reviews with an explanation of what happened with that particular customer, so look out for that too.

• Your total legal costs are made up of the fees for the conveyancer’s time, and the disbursements (costs they pay to other people on your behalf).
• Total legal costs can vary from £1,000 to £3,000. The UK average is ~£2,200.
• Any conveyancer that quotes a price lower than £1,000 is not telling you the total legal cost, but only part of it.
• The total legal cost depends on how complicated the legal side of your home purchase is, and your choice of conveyancer.
• It’s also worth remembering that the quote you’re given may be lower than the final cost you end up paying if things turn out to be more complicated than expected.
• You can't tell how good a conveyancer is from the price - looking at bad reviews is the best way to understand that (see "reviews" section above).
• Finally, consider looking for a “no sale no fee” conveyancer. 1 in 3 house sales fall through, so this could save you money if things don’t go perfectly the first time. Alternatively, you could get home buyer's insurance.
• For more information we have written a comprehensive guide to the legal costs of buying a house.

• Conveyancing can be done exclusively via post and email, so you don't need a conveyancer local to you or where you are buying.
• However if you do want to meet your conveyancer in person or drop off signed documents in person rather than via post, consider whether the conveyancer has an office you can visit, and their location.

• Qualified conveyancers should be members of the CLC (Council for Licensed Conveyancers) or the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority).

• If you’re getting a mortgage, your mortgage lender will only let you use a conveyancer that they have approved.
• You may hear this being referred to as “being on their mortgage lender panel”.
• Ask the conveyancer which mortgage lender panels they are on. If you know which lender you plan to get a mortgage from, make sure to ask specifically about that lender.

If your purchase will involve anything “non-standard”, ask if the conveyancer has had experience with that aspect before to make sure they will know what to do.

“Non-standard” purchases might include:

• Buying a new build or listed property
• Buying a property with share of freehold
• Making use of shared ownership or a Lifetime ISA

• Avoid choosing a recommended conveyancer without first looking at their reviews, and getting other quotes to compare price.
• The estate agent, your lender or the developer may suggest a conveyancer.
• Bear in mind that they often get a fee for referring you, and their suggested conveyancer may not have the best customer reviews, price, or the appropriate knowledge needed for your purchase.
• For conveyancers suggested by the estate agent or developer, the conveyancer may struggle to give impartial advice if they are representing the seller or developer as well as you, so this situation is best avoided.