Residential conveyancing services

What can residential conveyancing solicitors do?

The residential conveyancing services provided by your solicitor will depend on the type of transaction you've hired them to help with. Your conveyancer can deal with all the legal aspects if you're moving home. From searches, exchange of contracts and everything in between, you can trust their knowledge and experience will make the whole residential conveyancing process a lot smoother. 

If you're buying a property, the primary role of residential conveyancing solicitors is to:

• Confirm your identification documents and ask to see a mortgage offer (if you are purchasing with a mortgage)
• Request searches that will provide information on the property and surrounding areas
• Agree a completion date between the parties involved
• Exchange contracts with the sellers
• Transfer funds on completion day and liaise with parties involved for the collection of keys
• Register you as the new owner with Land Registry and pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (in England) or Land Transaction Tax (in Wales) on your behalf

If you're selling a property, the role of residential conveyancing solicitors is to:

• Draft up the sale contract and let the buyer know what is included in the sale
• Confirm with the buyer's residential conveyancing solicitor that funds are in place ready for completion
• Agree a date for exchange of contracts and ensure everything is in place ready
• Pay off any outstanding mortgage once the sale is complete
• Deduct their fees before sending the remaining funds to you

Are a solicitor and residential conveyancer the same thing?

Simply put, no.

There are two main differences between a solicitor and conveyancer, the first being their legal expertise. Solicitors are likely to have a greater knowledge of property law, whereas a conveyancer will specialise in the paperwork, contracts and finances when you're buying or selling your home. 

The second is who regulates them. Those who offer residential conveyancing services must ensure they make it clear to the public who they are regulated by. Solicitors, for example, should make clear they are regulated by the SRA. For a licensed conveyancer, it's the CLC. 

It's important to remember that when instructing someone to act on your behalf for your property sale or purchase, you can trust both solicitors and residential conveyancers to get the job done. 

You can also read more about the differences between a conveyancer and a solicitor.

Who would need to hire residential conveyancing solicitors?

Whether you're buying or selling a property, you're likely to need the help of residential conveyancing solicitors to assist with the legal paperwork, managing negotiations and handling monies. At Homeward Legal, we're able to provide a range of residential conveyancing services to our clients. 

If you're a buyer, you'll need someone to request relevant searches on the property and surrounding area, exchange contracts and transfer funds on your behalf. They'll help to make sure the whole process is as simple as possible, meaning you can concentrate on getting ready for the move. 

If you're a seller, you'll know just how stressful the process can be, but it doesn't have to be that way. With residential conveyancing solicitors via Homeward Legal, your contact will do all the legal legwork for you, exchanging contracts when ready and paying off any outstanding mortgage you might have. 

If you're a first-time buyer or using the First Homes Scheme, the process can seem even more daunting. With so much to think about and a number of formalities involved, don't let the stress of your moving to your first home be tainted by this. Your residential conveyancer will ensure everything is taken care of so all you need to do is concentrate on buying the furniture you need and packing boxes.