Best Conveyancing Solicitors in Durham

How do I choose a good conveyancing solicitor in Durham?

When you compare conveyancing quotes, look for a property solicitor with strong credentials, positive client feedback, and experience within the Durham property market. Durham has a mix of historical homes, student lets, and rural properties, so it’s especially helpful to find a solicitor familiar with these property types and any local planning or heritage considerations. It is important to look for transparency regarding their conveyancing fees and services.

Make sure the conveyancers you are considering are fully accredited, either by the CLC or SRA.

You can contact them through their website, phone, or visit their office (for those with a high street presence). Many will offer an initial consultation to discuss your conveyancing needs.

It’s also helpful to select a conveyancing solicitor who is already on the panel of approved firms set by your chosen mortgage lender, as this will help things go quicker. You can check your lender’s website or ask them directly to find out if your conveyancer is on their panel.

While it’s not essential to use a solicitor based in Durham, as many aspects of conveyancing can be handled remotely, a local solicitor may provide additional insights into the Durham County Council's common issues, such as unregistered land, common in older rural properties, and flood risk searches on homes near the River Wear.

You should engage a conveyancer as you start looking for a property or before you list one for sale, to ensure all legal aspects are promptly addressed.

How do Durham solicitors work?

It is a conveyancer’s job to act on your behalf, managing the legal aspects of property transactions and administrative work associated with transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another. Their tasks will vary depending on whether you are buying, selling or both.

Your conveyancing solicitor will conduct property searches with Durham County Council, such as local authority, environmental, drainage, and mining searches, particularly relevant given the region's historic coal mining background. They’ll also handle contracts and advise you on property laws and regulations specific to Durham and its surrounding areas to facilitate a smooth transfer of ownership.

According to reallymoving data, the average cost of conveyancing fees is around £2,368, including fees and disbursements. For a First Time Buyer, the average cost is £1,478. Durham’s property market includes a mix of historic city centre homes, student properties, and suburban family houses; different property types can influence the efficiency and cost of the transaction.

Your money is protected when you use a conveyancer. Conveyancing solicitors must hold client funds in separate accounts, ensuring security and compliance with regulatory standards.

It is possible to do your own conveyancing, if you are a cash buyer, however it's not recommended, especially in areas like Durham where local nuances, such as right of way and shared access in older village terraces or rural lanes, or conservation area regulations in places like the Durham Cathedral precinct, can complicate matters. Hiring a conveyancer minimises the risk that something will go wrong, and your purchase will not go through.

What questions should I ask my property solicitor?

Start by enquiring about their experience in the Durham property market. Even if they are not based locally, they should be familiar with the local property landscape, including the types of properties common in areas like Gilesgate, Belmont, Framwellgate Moor, and the Durham city centre. They should be attuned to common legal quirks in the area, such as issues arising from historic titles, conservation areas, or former mining land.

Ask them about how much their fees will be and what they include, such as disbursements (like local authority and flood risk searches and Land Registry fees), expenses and Stamp Duty.

Ask about the timeline for how long the conveyancing process will take, and how they plan to communicate updates to you. Typically, conveyancing takes 8-12 weeks, and your conveyancer will need your input to fill out forms and provide documents throughout the process. They should be available to contact whenever you need to ask questions or request updates.

You may want to see if they offer no sale, no fee agreements. This means you will not have to pay the conveyancing fees if the purchase falls through, but you may still have to cover the cost of disbursements.

Make sure they are part of a regulated professional body and are approved on your chosen mortgage lender’s conveyancing panel. All conveyancers/ conveyancing solicitors on reallymoving are regulated by the SRA or CLC.

Is it better to use a solicitor or conveyancer in Durham?

You can use both conveyancing solicitors and conveyancers to carry out your conveyancing in Durham. There are differences between the two, but both will perform your property sale or purchase in the same way, so who you decide to use is up to you.

Conveyancing solicitors will have been trained in a variety of legal fields, ranging from family law through to litigation or criminal law. They have then chosen to specialise in property law. This can be useful if your property transaction intersects with other legal matters.

Licensed Conveyancers are specialists who have specifically been trained in property law and this is their sole focus, making them highly efficient and knowledgeable in this area.

Conveyancing solicitors practising in the Durham market must be registered with the Law Society and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), whereas Licensed Conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

Both regulatory bodies will have a public register where you can search for an individual or a firm to check if they are regulated. All property solicitors and conveyancers quoted by reallymoving are regulated by one of these bodies, so you can be confident in their credibility, whether they’re based in Durham city centre, Newton Hall, Bowburn, or the wider County Durham area.

Your decision about whether to use a solicitor or conveyancer may come down to whether you prefer to have someone with expertise in other legal fields you may need help with, or someone trained specifically in property law. Either way, choose a firm based on their local knowledge of the Durham property market, clear pricing, strong client feedback, and how well they can support the unique aspects of your move.