Tips for choosing a solicitor

You have had your offer accepted on your dream home. You've been offered a mortgage subject to valuation. You are then faced with the question - "Can we have the name of your solicitor?"

For most people there will be only a few occasions when they need legal representation. So how are you supposed to choose from the hundreds of solicitors and licensed conveyancers listed in Yellow Pages? Listed below, in no particular order, are some things that you may want to consider:

1. Value for money - of course cost is important but it should not be the sole reason for instructing a solicitor. In reality, you may find only minimal differences in the fees of the majority of good quality firms in your area.

2. Location - you will almost certainly need to visit your solicitor’s office at some stage of the process and so it may make sense to find a solicitor near to your home or workplace.

3. Quality of service - try and ‘get a feel’ for the firm as a whole, as you will be dealing not only with the solicitor who is handling your case but also his/her secretary and the receptionist. Ask who will handle your case if your solicitor is ill or on holiday.

4. Attitude - you will, of course, be looking for a professional solicitor but it will help your transaction proceed smoothly if your solicitor is friendly, approachable and someone that you have confidence in.

5. Experience - who will be handling your case? At Wards we believe that it is very important to have qualified staff dealing with your conveyancing, it is worth asking when you are looking for a solicitor "Who will be handling my sale/purchase?". At the least you must be advised, when you instruct a firm, of the name and qualification of the person dealing with your case.

6. Reputation - without doubt, the best way to find a good solicitor is via a personal recommendation so why not ask friends, family and work colleagues if they can recommend a solicitor to you.

7. Accessibility - it is vital to have a solicitor who responds quickly and effectively to your requests and those of other parties involved, such as your estate agent - either via the telephone, fax or e-mail. Your solicitor may be engaged when you ring but how quickly, if at all, is your call returned?

8. Speed - whilst not everyone wants to proceed as quickly as possible, you will almost certainly not want to be the one holding things up. Your solicitor must be able to work effectively and you may wish to enquire whether a solicitor has capacity to deal with your transaction at the speed you require.

At Wards we offer a friendly and efficient service to all our clients. Click here to obtain an on-line estimate for your sale and/or purchase or here to find a detailed explanation of the conveyancing process.