When selling or buying a property, you’ll need a qualified conveyancing solicitor to carry out processes behind the scenes to satisfactorily complete the transaction.
Many people are curious if the conveyancer they select to aid them must be local. While in the past, property buyers and owners would visit a nearby solicitor’s office to manage the transaction, over time, processes have evolved. Conveyancers can be enlisted online with transactions managed remotely, but there are still benefits to using a local solicitor.
How do non-local and local conveyancing solicitors differ?
Local conveyancing solicitors need office space for face-to-face client meetings. Often, offices are in easy to reach areas like high streets, so home buyers and sellers can walk in for a discussion.
Often referred to as online conveyancers, non-local conveyancer solicitors perform the same role as a local conveyancer without a personal touch. Working nationally online rather than locally, they usually manage more cases simultaneously.
Do you need to use a local conveyancer?
There is no legal obligation that states your solicitor must be local. An online solicitor can carry out your property transaction, and as conveyancing involves largely the same processes throughout England and Wales, you can enlist a solicitor from any location in the country.
Online conveyancing solicitors keep in touch using email, post and phone, and can send important documents digitally, which can be signed by you electronically.
Benefits of using a local conveyancing solicitor
Local conveyancers offer a personal touch, making them ideal if you prefer a face-to-face meeting for legal matters, rather than an impersonal interaction over the phone or email. Being able to walk into a local office gives you chance to meet solicitors and feel confident before enlisting their services.
While conveyance is typically the same across the country, local conveyancers have in-depth knowledge of their region, which can be invaluable. For instance, some areas known for coal mining activities in the past require specific reports, which an online conveyance may be unaware of due to their lack of local knowledge.
As they are not overly dependent on technology, errors that occur completing processes online are no longer an issue, as clients can easily visit their conveyancer to resolve any problems that may arise.
If you need help with conveyancing in North Wales, reach out to our team at Bennett Smith Solicitors for local experts with offices in Bangor and Gwynedd.
