A solicitor checks his watch. SAM Conveyancing answer: When to Instruct a Solicitor When Buying a House
Are you ready to instruct a solicitor to buy a house?
Get a free No Obligation Quote to handle the purchase.

Fixed fee, no sale no fee, concierge service.
Get a No Sale No Fee Quote
 
 

When to Instruct a Solicitor When Buying a House

Caragh Bailey, Digital Marketing Manager
Last Updated: 21/03/2023
3,749
3 min read
Our clients often ask us 'At what point should I instruct a conveyancing solicitor?' You will always need a conveyancing solicitor (or licensed conveyancer) on both sides of the following property transactions:


We recommend that you choose a conveyancing solicitor, even though some transactions only require a licensed conveyancer. They can be a little more expensive but solicitors are more strictly regulated and can handle more of the complex legal aspects of a property transaction, which can save you having to have both a conveyancer and a conveyancing solicitor.


Feeling Stressed About Buying a House?

How To Buy A House Without Killing Anyone could be the difference between every mover’s dream.

Buying and moving into your new home stress-free, or, stress, missed deadlines, legal disasters, building defects, and possibly the collapse of the whole transaction.

(Costing you a small fortune, a head full of grey hairs, and, driving you to threaten the life of your solicitor, lender, co-owners, family, partner, or some combination of all five).

Available on Amazon | Kindle | Paperback


At which stage of conveyancing should I instruct my solicitor?


    A

    You've found a house you want to buy and you've made an offer

This is when to instruct a solicitor when buying a house, if you're really serious about the property.

Your offer will be better received by the seller and estate agent if you have already instructed a solicitor. It means you are serious about buying the seller’s property and have most likely sent your ID and proof of funds evidence to your solicitor plus paid them your instruction deposit. This will be extra helpful to anyone who is looking for a quick sale.

If you are serious about buying a property then you should have your solicitor instructed and on standby. However, some buyers are reluctant to instruct a solicitor for fear that their offer is not accepted in case they lose the money they've paid to the solicitor on instruction.

Make sure you choose a conveyancer who offers a no sale no fee guarantee, such as ours. This means that if your first purchase fails to go through, your initial deposit on instruction carries through to a different purchase. Terms apply.

The only downside to instructing early is if you aren’t really interested to buy that specific property and are likely to either pull out all together or wait to find another property.

Or;

    B

    Your offer has been accepted

You must instruct a solicitor now if you haven't already. You need a solicitor from the point your offer is accepted by the seller because the estate agents need to issue the sales memorandum to both solicitors so that draft contracts can be issued, and the conveyancing process can get underway.



Frequently Asked Questions
Required
Docs
After
Caragh Bailey, Digital Marketing Manager
Written by:

Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.
Andrew Boast of Sam Conveyancing
Reviewed by:

Andrew started his career in 2000 working within conveyancing solicitor firms and grew hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of conveyancing challenges and solutions. After helping in excess of 50,000 clients in his career, he uses all this experience within his article writing for SAM, mainstream media and his self published book How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone.

People also searched for

What does a solicitor do for the buyer

What does a solicitor do for the buyer

16/10/2017
4,294
A conveyancing solicitor with grey sleeves inspecting an official document with a magnifying glass. SAM Conveyancing answers 'can I use a conveyancer instead of a solicitor?'

Can I Use a Conveyancer Instead of a Solicitor?

18/10/2018
189
A couple looking at a phone screen with their next house displayed, the words 'select house' as a button is at the top and plants surround them in their home. SAM Conveyancing provides tips when hunting for a house

Hunting for a House: Top Tips

25/08/2023
58
 
 
SAM Conveyancing in the News and Media