Approximate costs for Solicitors?

Xinpei

If the seller already has a HIP, normally most solicitors won't do the searches again. I am told by one (which is the one we're going with now), that they will redo the searches except for the water one. She explained this is to ensure if anything does happen, we (the buyer) can say we did the searches ourselves. Now I am not entirely sure if she is taking me for a ride and I have no idea if it is possible for a buyer to get into trouble in the future if they were to rely solely on the seller's HIP.

My rationale for going with them is that their legal fees are actually lower than the other solicitors and they are going to do more searches as well. Oh plus, she says if they were to act for the lender, they will not charge us any extra fees. Some solicitors (like Countrywide property lawyers) can charge hundreds (£300!) for acting on behalf of the lender!

I think it pays to shop about a bit. I followed the advice on here, got the quotes in writing, compared them side by side. Rang up to ask about any possible extras, ask specifically about the 'acting on your lender's behalf' charge and finally gone with one close to my workplace so I can pop in to sign papers during work hours.

Troubled_Joe

Xinpei wrote: »

Now I am not entirely sure if she is taking me for a ride

I'd doubt it to be honest. Searches are a disbursement so the solicitor will make no profit on them.

The only advantage would be charging extra to apply for and look over the searches but as most conveyancing transactions are based on a fixed fee it sounds like she's just acting in your best interests.

alisonp_2

liggins wrote: »

I'm currently looking at buying a house for around 70k.

I asked my EA who they recommended and they suggested one who will charge £905.

The house i'm looking at is a repo so i was a little worried about being out bid when it goes into the papers.

The solicitor has said that they will only charge for any searches that have taken place if it falls through (which will be no more than 300 pound).

Does anyone know if this is standard procedure for solicitors or are these guys an exception???

Only charging for searches if the transaction falls through is pretty standard now - many firms operate on a no sale no fee basis.

poppysarah

But if the HIP is new are the searches needed?

alisonp_2

poppysarah wrote: »

But if the HIP is new are the searches needed?

The HIP will only contain a Local Authority search and Drainage search - there are other searches that a buyer might need, or want, such as a coal authority search if the property is in a mining area ; Environmental search or chancel search.

Richard_Webster

If the seller already has a HIP, normally most solicitors won't do the searches again. I am told by one (which is the one we're going with now), that they will redo the searches except for the water one. She explained this is to ensure if anything does happen, we (the buyer) can say we did the searches ourselves. Now I am not entirely sure if she is taking me for a ride and I have no idea if it is possible for a buyer to get into trouble in the future if they were to rely solely on the seller's HIP.

My rationale for going with them is that their legal fees are actually lower than the other solicitors and they are going to do more searches as well. Oh plus, she says if they were to act for the lender, they will not charge us any extra fees. Some solicitors (like Countrywide property lawyers) can charge hundreds (£300!) for acting on behalf of the lender!

I think it pays to shop about a bit. I followed the advice on here, got the quotes in writing, compared them side by side. Rang up to ask about any possible extras, ask specifically about the 'acting on your lender's behalf' charge and finally gone with one close to my workplace so I can pop in to sign papers during work hours.

Personally I don't totally agree with the view about repeating the searches, but as has been said, solicitors don't make anything out of searches and it is certainly arguable that it is better to do an official search rather than accept the one in the HIP.
However, the important thing here is that Xinpei felt confident that this solicitor explained himself/herself well,wasn't going to rip her off with spurious extra charges, and sounded as if he/she was going to do a good job. Those are criteria that people should use when choosing a solicitor.

bluebus72

Hi all

my house has just gone on the market at an asking price of £114k and am looking at spending around £145k on the next ....

a quote for conyeyancing fees has come back at £650 to sell my property and £1200 to buy, all in ... this deal included a HIPS pack for £99


still waiting on a few other quotes .... but does this seem a reasonable ball park figure !?

Xinpei

Hi bluebus,

The property I'm buying is 135K, and the local solicitors has quoted from £550 to £700. Not entirely sure if selling and buying will make a difference in your 'buying' quote. Ask for the quote in writing?

Radiantsoul

Xinpei wrote: »

Hi there, I have just recieved two very different quotes for buying my property (135K). The first is from Countrywide property lawyers who quotes £1600 total and second is from Close Thornton £680. Both include legal fees and disbursements. Am I missing something very important or is Countrywide really overpriced?

Thanks very much!

£680 seems very low to be including disbursements. They might not be all that predictable. When I bought my house there was some containmentated industrial land a few hundred metres away that had to be investigated and it it on a canal and so a special search needed to be carried out regarding fees(this last one cost a few hundred pounds).

Richard_Webster

£680 seems very low to be including disbursements. They might not be all that predictable. When I bought my house there was some containmentated industrial land a few hundred metres away that had to be investigated and it it on a canal and so a special search needed to be carried out regarding fees(this last one cost a few hundred pounds).

I don't think any solicitor's estimate could reasonably allow for extras such as the canal search mentioned here. That would be a genuine extra related to the particular circumstances of the case, rather than a spurious one that the solicitor invented to make his fees look lower than they really were.