- 17 Jan 2017
- •
- 2 min read
Speed up your house move
How to quicken your property sale/purchase by around 4 weeks…
As with any service provider, quality can be a real issue and can range dramatically depending on who you choose.
For example, when you move home you will be asked to choose a solicitor to handle the legal work (conveyancing). To maximise your chances of securing a high quality law firm you should ensure that before you agree for them to act for you, your conveyancing solicitor can show you they committed to avoiding the following typical scenarios which, from our experience, can slow down a transaction in some cases, very dramatically:
SALE
Not producing the contract papers within 24 hours of being instructed via downloads from the Land Registry website, but instead, waiting for the seller to return every bit of signed paperwork = typically a loss of 2 weeks
Not forwarding the buyer’s enquiries to the seller via email or obtaining telephone replies = typically a loss of 1-3 weeks
Not having the seller sign up to the necessary legal documents until the buyers are happy with all replies to their enquiries and they come knocking for an exchange = being on the back foot, typically a loss of 1 week
Not realising the need to secure a repayment statement of the seller’s mortgage until the day the buyers want to exchange contracts = typically a loss of 1 week.
PURCHASE
Not reviewing the legal contract papers within 48 hours of receipt but making leisurely review = typically a loss of 2-3 weeks
Not reporting to the buyer on all the legal papers until every last search result arrives = typically a loss of 2 weeks
In both cases the lawyer not promoting their personal email or direct telephone number on their website and letterhead = perhaps a loss of 1-3 weeks through having to adopt far slower means of communication.
Whilst there are other potential delays in any home move (e.g adverse surveys or searches, mortgages declined, or parties not really fully committed) securing an efficient conveyancer is one task you can take better control over, as they are your lawyers, working for your hard-earned money.
What can a buyer or seller do to ensure a more efficient process?
- Sign and return documentation requested by your conveyancer as quickly as possible;
- On a purchase, instruct a surveyor as soon as possible;
- Discuss timescale (i.e completion dates) from the outset via the Estate Agents so all parties know to work towards a particular date;
- Take an interest in why your Estate Agent is recommending a particular conveyancer to you, and even more importantly, to your buyer – is it quality (check a review on Google) or their head office dictates they must, in return for a cash payment?
If you are looking for conveyancing services in the South, our expert residential property solicitors based in Salisbury, Southampton, Poole, Bournemouth and Winchester are on hand to provide you with the legal help and guidance you need. Don’t hesitate to contact Partner and Conveyancing Solicitor Tim Higham, on 01722 426985 or contact us here.
