National Moving Day takes place this year in England and Wales on Tuesday 19 August. Historically, the annual awareness event marks the start of the busiest week of the year for home movers in the UK, which sees more than 300,000 house moves in the country each year.
In the UK, people move house an average of eight times during their lifetime, with figures suggesting that the majority (61%) find moving house stressful.
The National Home Moving Day campaign aims to pinpoint and overcome common challenges often encountered by individuals and families during the conveyancing process, encouraging collaboration and innovation to help take the stress out of moving.
By raising awareness about the issues encompassing the home moving process, campaigners strive to “ignite meaningful conversations and catalyse action among policy makers, councils, estate agents, private developers, and consumers alike”.
Residential Property Lawyers Wisbech
At Bowsers Solicitors, our intention is to make the home moving process as smooth as possible for our clients and we aim to help however we can.
To show our support for this Home Moving initiative, in this blog, our experienced Residential Conveyancing Solicitors in Cambridgeshire lift the lid on one important aspect of moving house by considering the difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor.
What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the legal term for the process involved in transferring a property from one owner to another (a property purchase or sale).
Buying a house is exciting, but can be extremely overwhelming, particularly for first-time buyers who are new to the process.
There are six main stages involved in conveyancing:
- Instruction of conveyancer.
- Preparation of contract.
- Searches and enquiries.
- Exchange.
- Completion.
- Post-completion matters.
Why do you need a qualified legal professional to help with a house sale or purchase?
Property sales and purchases can be complex, involving various legal and financial aspects and requiring that a set process is followed.
A legal professional specialising in residential property transactions will handle the legal side of the property sale or purchase, preparing contracts, undertaking searches and dealing with queries.
They also serve as a key point of contact throughout the transaction, liaising with various other parties and ensuring paperwork is completed in a timely manner.
Instructing a solicitor or conveyancer to oversee the process can save you time, money and stress as the transaction unfolds.
What is the difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor?
The main difference between a licensed conveyancer and a solicitor is that while a conveyancer specialises in property law and focuses solely on the legal aspects of buying, selling and transferring property, a solicitor is more likely to have experience in other legal areas.
Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and conveyancers by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
A law firm specialising in residential conveyancing can be accredited by the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
This is a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices in England and Wales and signifies that a firm has met specific standards of competence, risk management, and client service in this area of law.
Do I need a solicitor or conveyancer for my property transaction?
In most instances, a solicitor and conveyancer would both be capable of supporting you through a property sale or purchase.
Choosing the right conveyancer or solicitor for a residential property transaction is crucial to ensure the process runs smoothly. It can help to consider the following:
- Cost. Compare quotes and shop around. Check for any hidden costs. Remember, cheapest is not always best.
- Experience. A conveyancing solicitor who has overseen many transactions can anticipate problems and help the process run smoothly. Double check that your solicitor is on your mortgage lender’s panel.
- Client reviews. Check the feedback a solicitor has received from other clients on previous transactions.
- Location. A local conveyancing solicitor to where your transaction takes place will have sound knowledge of the property market in your area and strong links with estate agents and other key players.
Conveyancing Solicitors Cambridgeshire
If you are buying a new home, you should instruct a specialist residential conveyancer once you have found your ideal property and had an offer accepted.
At Bowsers Solicitors, we help both buyers and sellers and are proud to offer competitive pricing for our conveyancing services in March, Wisbech and across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk.
Bowsers Solicitors’ residential conveyancing department is proud to be accredited by the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS).
To obtain an instant, free, and no-obligation quote, please click here.
Alternatively, to speak to one of our specialist property solicitors or chartered legal executives, please call 01945 583194 (Wisbech) or 01354 652606 (March).
Alternatively, email reception@bowsers.co.uk or fill in this contact form.
