In property, there are two main functions that a solicitor serves.
Firstly, a solicitor will help you ensure that your contracts have been set up correctly. The last thing you want to experience is the discovery that the contracts between you and your tenants are void or not what you expected.
Secondly, there are solicitors who carry out conveyancing – the legal process surrounding the purchase of a property.
For all legal matters, whilst it may seem like a cheaper and more convenient approach, we strongly recommend that you don’t use any free, contract templates that you find online.
You get what you pay for and if your legal position is compromised, you may live to regret it.
Make sure, when picking a solicitor, that they have the background and experience in the area in which you need them to help you.
This means your legal advice has to match your strategy. If it’s buy-to-let, ideally, a solicitor should have the necessary experience, in that area. If you are looking at investing in an HMO, then a different solicitor may be required.
By doing this you will, likely, have to pay the solicitor a greater hourly rate but in the long run, it will be worth it.
NB – It is, generally, not a good idea to employ the services of a solicitor who is tied to an estate agent.
Go Local
We try to pick solicitors who are local to the property because they will be more aware of the quirks of that area.
A solicitor who lives on the opposite side of the country might not be as aware of issues, that are specific to a particular region, than one who lives and works there.
When you are looking for a solicitor, there are websites that can be useful, including:
Questions to ask a solicitor before hiring them could include: