How to choose an online conveyancing solicitor

Almost all conveyancing is now done remotely, whatever the firm calls itself. What you need to know is how to tell a good firm from a cheap one.

What “online conveyancing” means

The work has been remote for years. Searches are ordered electronically, the Land Registry is digital, identity checks are done by app, contracts are signed and witnessed at a distance, and money moves by same-day bank transfer (CHAPS). A high-street firm two streets away and a firm three hundred miles away do the same job through the same systems.

So the phrase describes a service model, not a different product. An online-first firm typically runs a case-tracking portal, works in teams rather than with one named solicitor per file, and keeps prices low by working on volume. None of that is good or bad in itself. It changes who you speak to and how quickly.

Check the firm is regulated

This is the one thing you can’t skip. Anyone doing conveyancing for you in England and Wales must be authorised to do it. The two regulators you will almost always come across are:

• the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), for solicitors and the firms they practise in;
• the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), for licensed conveyancers, who specialise in property rather than being general lawyers.

Both come with compulsory professional indemnity insurance and a complaints route that ends at the Legal Ombudsman. A licensed conveyancer is not a lesser option. It’s a different qualification for the same work. Practitioners of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) who are authorised by CILEx Regulation can also do this work, so if you see an unfamiliar regulator, check it rather than walking away.

You can check any firm on the SRA or CLC registers. Make sure the trading name that quoted you is the regulated firm itself, not a marketing brand in front of one.

If you can’t find out who the regulated firm is and what its registration number is, go no further, whatever the quote says.

Every firm in the Conveyancing Index network is regulated by the SRA or the CLC, insured, credit-checked and monitored.

What differs between firms

Price tells you the least, because the disbursements are the same everywhere (the cost guide itemises them) and the legal fee varies by a few hundred pounds. These things vary far more:

• Responsiveness. This has the biggest effect on how long your transaction takes. A firm that replies to enquiries within a day will beat a cheaper firm that replies within a week, every time.
• Who you deal with. You may get a named conveyancer, or a team and a case reference. Neither is wrong, but a team model means explaining your situation more than once.
• How they communicate. A portal you can check at midnight is useful. A portal that replaces being able to speak to anyone is not.
• Capacity. A firm taking on more files than it can handle is the usual cause of a stalled file, and that doesn’t show in a quote.
• Your lender’s approved list. If the firm isn’t on your mortgage lender’s approved list, the lender instructs its own solicitor at your cost. Check before you instruct.

Questions to ask before you instruct a firm

1. Who is the regulated firm, and what’s its SRA or CLC number?
2. Are you on my lender’s approved list?
3. Will I have a named contact, and what’s the usual response time?
4. Is the quote itemised, including VAT, and what would make it change?
5. If my sale or purchase falls through, do you waive any fees, and which ones?
6. What’s your current turnaround on enquiries, and how many files does the person handling mine have?

The sixth question tells firms apart most clearly, and it is the one people ask least often.

When a local firm is worth paying more for

Remote works for most transactions. A local office is worth paying for when:

• the title is unregistered or unusual, and local knowledge of the area’s quirks helps;
• the property has a known local issue that local practitioners deal with routinely, such as mining, coastal erosion, or a private road or drainage arrangement;
• you would rather hand over documents and identification in person;
• the chain is complex and you value being able to turn up and ask.

None of these is about the paperwork. They’re about access to a person.

Quotes from firms in our network show the firm, its regulator and its review score alongside the itemised price. Get my free tailored quotes.

Frequently asked questions

Is online conveyancing safe?

It’s as safe as the firm’s regulation and insurance make it. The main risks, such as a missed title defect, a slow file or Friday-afternoon payment fraud, are not caused by the firm being remote. Always verify bank details by phoning a number you looked up yourself, never one sent to you by email.

Is a licensed conveyancer as good as a solicitor?

For conveyancing, yes. Licensed conveyancers specialise only in property and are regulated by the CLC, with the same insurance and complaints protection. A solicitor is qualified more broadly, which matters if you need advice beyond the transaction.

Why are some online quotes so much cheaper?

Usually because they leave something out: VAT, the search pack, or the supplements for leasehold, new build or a gifted deposit. Sometimes the firm is running high volumes on thin margins, which shows up as slow responses rather than a higher bill. Compare the total, then compare responsiveness.

Does my conveyancer need to be near the property?

No. Nothing in the process requires the firm to be near the property or near you, and a firm in a different county is not at a disadvantage on an ordinary transaction.