The internet has become so important. You can do almost everything online – order takeaway, buy cinema tickets, and even look for a house! But some things are just better done in person, particularly if you are in the market for instructing a solicitor to act in the purchase of your new home. Using a local solicitor, rather than an online e-conveyancer, can save you a lot of headaches during the conveyancing process. Here are 5 reasons why you should use your local solicitor rather than an e-conveyancer.
1. Property transactions are expensive and complex – why leave it to chance?
Property transactions are multi-faceted. The seller must prepare to sell their home, including getting appropriate surveys, title searches and repairs done. The buyer must confirm the title searches, send inquiries over about any discrepancies, and of course, draft up the appropriate contracts and exchange money and keys.
At every step of this process, there can be problems. A local solicitor will be available promptly to answer your questions or recommend a local specialist. They will understand the local market and potentially even know the other party’s solicitor. All of which will enable them to resolve problems more efficiently, thus keeping your best interests at heart. At Baldwin & Robinson Law, you are assigned your own property specialist who will handle your transaction from start to finish. With an e-conveyancer, you don’t normally speak to a property expert/ solicitor and invariably you never get to speak to the same person twice!
Why would you trust such a massive investment with anyone else?
2. Local solicitors know the area and the costs of the conveyance up front.
It is a lot more likely you will get caught out by unforeseen expenses when they use an e-conveyancer. A local solicitor will know that the price you are quoted is correct. They will be able to tell you which searches apply to the area and prepare you for any additional fees.
For example, if you’re moving from London to Little London, you might not know that you will be required to conduct a coal mining and brine search. Properties in London are not subject to such requirements.
So, even if it seems like using an e-conveyancer is saving you money, they’ll often add on these fees and disbursements at the end – without you expecting it.
The legal representatives at Baldwin & Robinson Law have vast experience of the property market in Kent, Surrey, Greater London and Sussex. Why would you use someone based in Leeds for example?
3. Location, location, location.
Using a local solicitor can be so beneficial if you are able to walk into their offices in person. You can have a face-to-face meeting with the solicitor and have any of your questions or concerned answered straight away.
With the ever increasing, stringent Anti-Money Laundering regulations, being able to attend your solicitor’s office can make proving your identity so much easier than having to get your ID certified by another professional.
On some occasions, when time is of the essence, a late completion could be very costly. It makes sense to have a solicitor whose office you can drive to quickly, rather than worry about sending documents by post. The post could be delayed or even go missing so being able to drop off a hard copy of important documents to your local solicitor to ensure the transaction goes through in time to avoid problems down the line is invaluable
4. Treating you as an individual
Online e-conveyancing companies can do thousands of transactions each year. This might sound like they’re competent and specialised with what they do – but it could mean that they are worried only about meeting a quota and a bottom line, rather than thinking of you as an individual. Local solicitors rely on happy customers to recommend them to their next potentially happy customer. They are also usually a lot cheaper than high street solicitors.
This does not make them better or more efficient. This just makes them more cost conscious and possibly not as willing or able to spend the appropriate amount of time on your transaction as we do at Baldwin & Robinson Law!
5. Personalised service
A local solicitor will likely have spoken to you on several occasions. They will know how you operate, what your concerns are and what your goals are in buying or selling a property. An online conveyancing company will not have the same level of service that a local solicitor will. One major complaint about e-conveyancing that we regularly hear is the difficulty in getting into contact with the company when you need to. A local solicitor will have real people who answer the telephone, taking real messages that get passed along to your solicitor or legal assistant. When engaging in a serious exchange like this, wouldn’t you want to be able to contact your representative during the process?
Online e-conveyancing can seem like a good deal at first. But the pitfalls and extra expenses that you could face far outweigh any potential benefits you might gain. If you are interested in buying or selling a home, get in touch with us today for an initial consultation with one of members of our local, friendly team.
Feel free to call us on 01883 708155 if you have any questions or if you would like to instruct us in your home move