How to pick solicitors and surveyors?

rebeccatom

Hi,

I am (hopefully) close to having an offer accepted on a house as a FTB.

I am looking at the next stages and want to get people in place and quotes as the seller wants to move quickly (there is no chain), which is fine with me.

So, Surveyor, we are going to get a full survey done on the house as it is an old circa 1900 property. How to pick a surveyor? Is it best to get one who is based in the area we are buying or a national firm?

Solicitor / Conveyencer? What is the difference, if any? Does one do more than the other or is one cheaper than the other?

Dan-Dan

Use reallymoving.com and unbiased.co.uk , turning off sponsered links , i found my surveyor that way , but i am using solicitors recommended by my broker

princeofpounds

Solicitors - make sure you are comparing like with like. Some include various fees involved in the process in their quotes, others leave them out etc.

Service is also very important. You might need to be in frequent communication if issues arise, so the attention and priority you are given is important.

If there is nothing unusual about the property this is essentially all administrative. If there is something unusual then it's a whole different ballgame and expertise should be your focus.

Surveyors - they should all follow similar processes, although there is more individual difference in a full survey than a homebuyer's report (which is basically a checklist, though an important one that requires a trained eye).

Locally-based is often best in my opinion, particularly for more 'individual' properties. There is a chance they can advise you better on local quirks and pick up problems which may not understood more widely.

With surveyors, enthusiasm is also important for a full survey. The more interested they are in the job and in the building, the more likely they are to poke around and really understand it. When I bought my place, the guy loved old housing and spent 9(!) hours looking over it [to be fair, both he and the previous owner are chatterboxes]. The report was like a mini novel. He was also the second-cheapest.

I've not found that national chains offer much better pricing.

sirmosh

The absolute best thing is if you have friends of family who can recommend someone in the local area they have used personally.

Flashmanchop

Good advice above.

I would only go on to add that the solicitors will more than likely be from a panel of the mortgage compnaies - in essence approved by the mortgageees.

Often, as part of your mortgage offer you will need a survey for mortgage purposes, again, this company may need to be from the mortgage compnaies panel.

Good Luck with the move/purchase

princeofpounds

Yes the solicitor will work for your mortgage company as well as you so worth checking with them first on their rules!