When buying or selling a property, choosing the right legal professional can make a significant difference to the speed, cost and overall success of your transaction. Many people search for the best conveyancing solicitors, hoping to find a definitive ranking of firms. The reality is that the best conveyancing solicitor for one person may not be the right choice for another.
In this guide, we’ll explain how to identify the best conveyancing solicitor for your property transaction, the questions you should ask before instructing a firm and what you can expect to pay for professional conveyancing services.
What makes a good Conveyancing Solicitor?
A conveyancing solicitor handles the legal work required to transfer ownership of a property from seller to buyer, including checks, searches, contract drafting, and liaison with lenders and other parties. A good one will carry out this work efficiently and accurately, reducing stress and the risk of problems or failed transactions, keeping you advised throughout the process. Key qualities of the best conveyancing solicitors include:
- Regulation and Lender Panel Status – They must be regulated (SRA for solicitors, CLC for licensed conveyancers) and should be on your mortgage lender’s approved panel, so you don’t need to pay for a second lawyer to act for the lender.
- Transparent Fees – The quote should clearly separate the legal fee from disbursements, be fully itemised, and be clear as to when additional costs might apply and how they will be calculated and approved.
- Strong Communication and Responsiveness – Good solicitors explain things in plain English, provide a named case handler, and respond promptly via phone, email, or online case tracking.
- Proactive Case Management – They push the deal forward, chase other parties where needed, and flag risks early rather than reactively waiting for problems to arise.
Questions to ask before choosing a Conveyancer
Asking the right questions up front helps you distinguish between a slick quote and genuinely good conveyancing services. Treat your initial enquiry as a mini-interview. Useful questions include:
- How do you handle Residential Conveyancing? – You’re looking for confirmation that they regularly handle sales and purchases similar to yours and, preferably, have a dedicated conveyancing team.
- Who will handle my Case? – Some firms operate high-volume case management models in which clients work with multiple team members throughout the transaction. Others provide a dedicated conveyancer or solicitor who remains your primary contact from start to finish.
- What Is Included in the Quoted Fee? – Request a written breakdown showing legal fees and disbursements separately, and ask whether they ever add ‘supplemental fees’, expenses or disbursements.
- How will you keep me Updated? – Regular communication is crucial during any property transaction. Ask about typical response times, online case tracking, SMS/email updates, and what happens if your usual contact is away.
- What is your typical Turnaround Time? – While every transaction differs, an experienced conveyancer should be able to provide estimates for key stages. Understanding expected timescales can help you plan around moving dates and related commitments.
- Are you on my Mortgage Lender’s Panel? – If you are buying with a mortgage, your solicitor usually needs to be approved by your chosen lender. Failure to check this early can lead to additional legal costs or delays.
Solicitor vs Licensed Conveyancer
Both solicitors and licensed conveyancers can provide property conveyancing. The main differences lie in the scope of practice and background training.
Solicitors
Solicitors are fully qualified legal professionals who train and qualify across multiple areas of law. That broad foundation means they can advise on many issues that may arise alongside a property transaction, not just the conveyancing process itself. A solicitor’s work can span:
- Family Law – This matters because property ownership and transfers are often tied to relationship breakdowns or new family structures. A solicitor can link your conveyancing to wider advice about matrimonial assets, cohabitation agreements or separation orders, instead of treating the property as an isolated issue.
- Wills and Probate –If your property transaction is connected to an inheritance, a sale from an estate, or planning who will inherit the property in future, a solicitor can manage both the conveyancing and the associated probate or estate planning work.
- Litigation –If your purchase uncovers serious problems, such as hidden defects, neighbour disputes or disagreements over access, a solicitor is already set up to advise on your legal options and, if needed, begin formal action.
- Commercial Law – If you are buying property through a company, acquiring a mixed‑use building, or dealing with complex commercial leases, a solicitor’s broader commercial and corporate knowledge is valuable. They can align the property deal with your wider business arrangements and obligations.
- Employment Law – While this may not directly affect a straightforward home purchase, it becomes relevant if your transaction is part of a bigger picture, for example, relocating for work, buying a property through a trading company, or needing advice about contracts with builders or managing agents.
Conveyancers
Licensed conveyancers are legal professionals whose training and practice focus almost exclusively on property law and the machinery of moving ownership from one party to another. They are regulated separately and designed to specialise in home moves and related property transactions. Conveyancers overlap with Solicitors insofar as both will cover the Conveyancer’s core areas, which include:
- Residential Conveyancing – Licensed conveyancers handle the entire process of buying and selling homes, drafting contracts, dealing with enquiries, reviewing leases, ordering searches, liaising with lenders, and overseeing exchange and completion.
- Property Transfers – Beyond standard sales and purchases, licensed conveyancers often manage transfers of equity (adding or removing someone from the property title), gifts of property between family members, and changes in ownership structure.
- Land Registration – Much of the technical side of conveyancing is about getting the property properly recorded at the Land Registry. Licensed conveyancers are highly familiar with the forms, requirements and typical issues that arise when registering freehold and leasehold titles, updating ownership details, or correcting historic errors in records.
- Property Law Procedures – Their training emphasises the step‑by‑step processes of property transactions, including checking titles, understanding easements and covenants, handling leases, complying with mortgage lender requirements, and managing completion monies and undertakings.
How Much Should Conveyancing Cost?
Conveyancing fees vary with property value, location, and complexity, but it’s important to understand how quotes are structured. A typical quote has two elements:
- Legal Fees – This is the professional charge for doing the work, which good firms now usually set as a fixed fee (subject to unexpected delays of complexity) rather than charging by the hour. You can expect to be charged expenses relating to necessary compliance costs.
- Disbursements – These are payments to third parties, such as local authority searches, land registry fees, and bank transfer charges, which should be broadly similar across firms.
Conveyancing Discounts
Taunton Solicitors are proud to support the people who serve our communities and our country every day. That’s why we offer a 10% discount on all new conveyancing matters to NHS staff, private healthcare professionals, members of the British Armed Forces, and the police and emergency services.
The discount applies to both fixed-fee and hourly-rate work on house sales, purchases and remortgages, helping to make your property transaction more affordable. It’s our way of recognising the vital work you do, whether you’re providing frontline healthcare, responding to emergencies, or serving in the armed forces. Terms and conditions apply, so please contact us for full details and to confirm your eligibility.
How to Find the Right Conveyancing Solicitor
Finding the best conveyancing solicitors for your circumstances involves combining research, recommendations, and a clear understanding of what service quality looks like. Rather than simply searching for conveyancing solicitors and choosing the first result, take a systematic approach. We’ve outlined the steps to find the right firm.
Start Early
Look for property conveyancing support once you have a mortgage agreement in principle, or as soon as you start thinking about selling, so you’re ready to instruct quickly. Early engagement saves weeks of delay and lets your lawyer start gathering title documents or leasehold information.
Look Beyond Your Local High Street
Focus on reputation, specialisation, and communication systems, not just postcode. It is not always necessary to attend the office or have face-to-face meetings, if you are comfortable with modern technology and working online.
Treat Estate Agent recommendations with caution
Estate agents often earn referral fees for sending clients to particular solicitors, which can make those services more expensive without guaranteeing quality. Always compare any recommended firm against independent options on price, reviews, and service promises.
Check the Regulation, Lender Panel, and Insurance
Confirm that the SRA or CLC regulates the firm, carries suitable professional indemnity insurance, and appears on major lenders’ approved panels. These are non‑negotiable safeguards for your transaction.
Assess Communication and Response Times
Ask how quickly they aim to respond to calls and emails and what systems they use to keep you updated. Reliable response times are often the main difference between a smooth move and a frustrating one.
Use Reviews, but read them critically
Look for consistent themes in client feedback around clarity, proactivity, and handling of problems, rather than one‑off complaints. Pay particular attention to how firms respond to negative reviews, as this reveals their attitude to service and complaints.
Choosing Taunton Solicitors
We understand the conveyancing process can seem overwhelming. Our team at Taunton Solicitors helps make the process as easy as possible. We stand beside you through every part of the journey, including:
- Buying Your Home
- Selling Your Home
- New Build / Help to Buy / Shared Ownership
- Remortgage
- Transfer of equity
- Equity Release
- Agricultural Property
- Auction Transactions
Contact Our Conveyancing Solicitors in Taunton
Taunton Solicitors is on your side for property transactions. Whether you’re buying your first home, selling an existing property or investing in real estate, choosing the right conveyancing solicitor can help reduce stress and keep your transaction moving forward. Contact our legal team today to discuss your property transactions.