The legal work that is carried out during the purchase of a property is called conveyancing. This normally involves:

• Conducting searches - such as ensuring the seller actually owns the property and that there are no knew plans to build roads, etc that could affect the home
• Organising the exchange of contracts, the deposit and signing of mortgage deeds
• Arranging the final transfer of funds and title deeds when completion takes place

You can do this yourself, but as it is quite technical and time consuming, so most people appoint a solicitor. Ensure that you ask the solicitor to provide you with a breakdown of the legal fees before you give the go-ahead to begin. Legal fees will vary and it is useful to see what you will be charged. Remember those offering the cheapest service, may not always provide the best value and those charging the highest price may not always be the best.

Take a look at our Conveyancing Services page for more advice.

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