Moving home this 2022? How to speed up the Conveyancing Process

If you are planning on moving home, you will likely want it all to happen as quickly as possible, so that you can get into your new place. What can really take up time, though, is getting through all the seemingly endless legal paperwork — the Conveyancing Process.

Unfortunately, this is all necessary, but that does not mean that the time cannot be shortened. The single most important step you can take to speed up the Conveyancing Process is to choose an expert Conveyancing Solicitor, who can help you in a number of ways.

Speeding up the process of communicating with the other side’s solicitor

The Conveyancing Process typically involves numerous communications going back and forth between the solicitors involved in the transaction, and each one of those occasions is potentially a chance for a delay. An expert and efficient Conveyancing Solicitor will obviously be able to cut down some of this at their end, by using efficient processes, but it might seem that nothing can be done about the other side’s choice of solicitor.

In fact, a really good Conveyancing Solicitor may be able to minimise even these delays. They will be aware of what kinds of issues are causing the hold-ups, and will know when it is reasonable to contact the other solicitor and urge them to take action. They may also be able to suggest solutions to the delay.

Speeding up the process of obtaining documents

You will need a number of documents, particularly for the property you are selling. Typically, these may include:

• Title deeds — if you do not have them, they can usually be obtained from the Land Registry
• Property information form
• Fitting and contents form
• Energy performance certificate

If the property is a leasehold, you will also need a copy of the lease and a Management Information Pack.

An expert Conveyancing Solicitor will be able to help you with some of these documents and advise you at the very outset about what you will require. This can save valuable time later in the process.

Speed up the process by arranging searches now

While the buyer has fewer documents to produce, a crucial part of the Conveyancing Process here will be the various searches required. Since these are to ensure that the buyer has security and is not left with a property worth considerably less than the purchase price, it is essential to ensure they are carried out correctly. Searches typically include:

• Local authority searches
• Environmental search
• Water and drainage search
• Land Registry searches

Each requires communication with different agencies and may take some time. Again, a highly experienced Conveyancing Solicitor will know how these various agencies work and will often be able to encourage them to speed up the process.

They will also be able to advise you where additional searches may be necessary. While this may seem merely extra delay in the short term, a well-targeted search could end up saving you both time and money in the longer term.

A case we handled two years ago illustrates exactly this. Our clients were buying what seemed a dream home, and the basic searches identified no problems. However, an additional planning search brought to light a proposal, likely to be accepted, for a substantial development right behind the house, ruining the view that was much of the property’s appeal.

In fact, the clients ended up pulling out of the purchase. While this caused a short-term delay, it prevented them from having to move again soon after, probably selling the property at a much lower price than they had paid.

Speed up the process of contracts

Drawing up the contracts, at the start of the Conveyancing Process, can be done very quickly, but this is another case when carelessness or cutting corners can lead to much longer delays further in. A carelessly written contract will almost certainly result in objections, either from you or from the other party, which may require protracted negotiations.

If you are selling, your solicitor will be responsible for drafting the contract. An expert Conveyancing Solicitor will be able to create the draft quickly and efficiently, without cutting corners. If any element of the contract needs to be changed, either at the initial stage or as a result of the searches, they’ll be experienced at efficient negotiation.

Speed up the process of completion

The completion process is complex, with a number of tasks to be carried out in a short space of time, particularly by the buyer’s solicitor. This ranges from lodging an interest in the property, which freezes the deeds for thirty days, to ensuring all monies are paid to the relevant destinations on time.

This clearly has the potential for a good deal to go wrong and cause delays — at the most extreme, an error here could lead to the collapse of the transaction. Picking the right Conveyancing Solicitor will make sure the process runs smoothly.

An expert Conveyancing Solicitor makes all the difference

Buying or selling a home is often one of the largest transactions many of us will ever make.

So, you will want to make sure that you have an trustworthy Conveyancing solicitor, from a professionally accredited conveyancing firm, to look after your files and ensure that everything runs smoothly.

Our Conveyancing Team at Osborne Morris & Morgan are experts in their field and have retained the Conveyancing Quality Scheme award – a best practice quality mark that clients can trust. Get in touch with the team for a quotation today.