How to Find a Conveyancer in the UK: What They Don't Tell You

June 2025

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership. It sounds routine — and for simple transactions, it can be — but the conveyancer you choose will be responsible for catching restrictive covenants, chancel repair liability, planning irregularities, and drainage issues that could affect your ability to use, develop, or sell the property in future. Getting this wrong doesn't cost you a few hundred pounds; it can cost you the property or years of legal disputes. Here's how to choose wisely.

Solicitor vs Licensed Conveyancer: The Real Difference

You have two types of regulated professional to choose from:

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and are qualified lawyers who can advise on the full range of legal issues. A solicitor handling your conveyance can also advise on matters that arise — disputes over boundaries, unusual lease terms, complications with title — without needing to refer you elsewhere.

Licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) and are specialists in property law only. They are fully competent to handle standard residential transactions, but if a legal issue arises outside the scope of conveyancing — a boundary dispute that may require litigation, for example — they will need to refer you to a solicitor.

For the vast majority of residential sales and purchases, either is appropriate. For leasehold transactions, new builds with complex documentation, properties with unusual title issues, or purchases involving trusts or company ownership, a solicitor with experience in property law is preferable.

Both types are legally authorised to hold client money in their regulated accounts, certify identity, and file the Land Registry transfer and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return on your behalf.

The Danger of the Cheapest Quote

Online conveyancing calculators make it easy to get multiple quotes in seconds. The cheapest quote is rarely the best choice, for three reasons:

Volume factories: High-volume, low-margin conveyancing firms handle hundreds of files per month per fee earner. Your file will be managed by a paralegal or trainee you've never met, who is under significant time pressure. When complications arise — and they always do — you'll experience delays, missed correspondence, and difficulty getting anyone on the phone.

Referral fees: Estate agents, mortgage brokers, and property portals routinely take referral fees of £150–£400 for passing your details to conveyancers. This is disclosed in the agent's terms of business (usually in small print), but most buyers don't read it. The cheapest recommended firm isn't cheap because it's efficient — it's cheap because it's paying for your instruction, and those costs are recovered elsewhere through volume.

Disbursement inflation: A quote that looks low on the headline fee may include artificially low estimates for disbursements (local authority searches, drainage searches, Land Registry fees, SDLT filing). Read the full breakdown carefully; the disbursement totals are roughly the same regardless of which firm you use.

What to Look For in a Conveyancer

CLC or SRA regulated: Verify registration directly on the CLC register (clc-uk.org) or the SRA register (sra.org.uk/consumers/using-solicitor/solicitor-checker). Do not instruct anyone who isn't on one of these registers.

Who actually handles your file: Ask this question directly. At many larger firms, the named solicitor or conveyancer is a senior figure whose name is on the letterhead but who you'll never speak to. Your file will be handled by a junior, overseen intermittently. There's nothing wrong with this if they're well supervised — but you should know the reality.

Local knowledge: Local solicitors understand the local authority's search timescales, common local issues (coal mining legacy, flooding zones, planning peculiarities), and will have built relationships with agents and solicitors on the other side of transactions in your area. A call-centre conveyancer in another city handles your Manchester flat in exactly the same way as a London terrace.

Communication style: Ask how they'll communicate with you. Email only? Client portal? Will you have a direct phone number for the person handling your file? Poor communication is the top complaint in conveyancing — know what you're signing up for before you instruct.

How to Compare Quotes Properly

A complete quote for a standard residential purchase should include:

• Legal fee: The firm's charge for the work
• Local authority search: Typically £100–£250, varies by council
• Water and drainage search: £30–£60
• Environmental search: £30–£60
• Land Registry fee: £20–£500 depending on purchase price (registered on a sliding scale)
• Land Registry official copy entries: £6–£20
• SDLT filing fee: Usually included; check if it's listed separately
• Electronic money transfer fee: £20–£50 (some firms charge per transfer)
• Bank transfer fee for your deposit: Check if this is included

Typical total costs for a residential purchase (excluding SDLT itself) run to £1,200–£2,500 including all disbursements. For leasehold properties, add a further £200–£500 for the additional complexity (notice of transfer, deed of covenant, certificate of compliance, etc.).

Red Flags in Initial Correspondence

Watch for these warning signs when you receive a client care letter or terms of engagement:

• No named fee earner on the client care letter
• Vague or uncapped "additional charges" for queries
• No direct phone number for your handler
• Unusually short estimated timeframes (8–10 weeks is typical; 4 weeks is a red flag unless you're in a specific chain position)
• No mention of a complaints procedure — all regulated firms must have one

6 Questions to Ask Before Instructing

1. Who will actually handle my file day-to-day, and what is their qualification?
2. What is your average time from instruction to exchange for a transaction of this type?
3. Do you have experience with [leasehold / new build / auction purchase / unregistered title] if relevant?
4. How do you communicate — will I have a direct phone number for my case handler?
5. What is your complaints process, and who is your supervising partner?
6. Are you receiving a referral fee from the agent or portal that recommended you, and if so, how much?

The answers will tell you a great deal. A conveyancer who is defensive about question 6 or vague about question 1 is worth striking off your list.

The Practical Takeaway

Don't take the cheapest online quote without checking it against a local firm. Don't accept the estate agent's "recommended" conveyancer without asking about the referral fee. Verify SRA or CLC registration before signing anything. And ask who is actually handling your file — then make sure they know you know.

The conveyancer you choose will be handling one of the largest financial transactions of your life. Spending £200 more for a solicitor who picks up the phone and spots the covenant that the cheap firm missed is not a premium — it's basic risk management.

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