Andover Based Accredited Specialists in Conveyancing and Property Law
Buying a property or moving home is often said to be one of life’s most stressful events – but it doesn’t have to be, if you appoint the right conveyancing solicitor.
Conveyancing solicitor near me
Here at Andover-based Bonallack & Bishop we are fortunate. As well as having a huge number of satisfied conveyancing clients who come back to us again and again (we help thousands of people move home and sell or buy land every year), a number of local independent Andover-based estate agents regularly recommend us – and have done for many many years.
As a result, we have an efficient and effective relationship with such local estate agents – resulting in a high level of service for you, an significant reduction in stress for you throughout the whole conveyancing process.
In the last 20 years, our team of solicitors and licensed conveyancers have helped around 10,000 people just like you move home. So when you appoint us, you can do so safe in the knowledge that we have the kind of real experience you can rely on. Call us on ANDOVER (01264) 364433 or email us now for your fixed fee conveyancing quote
But don’t just take our word for it – hear what local estate agents and clients think of our conveyancing service
Here is what a couple of Andover- based estate agents say about us – and click here to read more of reviews for our conveyancing lawyers from our happy clients.
“Having worked in the town as an estate agent over many years, I have dealt with many, if not all the practices in that time.
I have found B&B to be more than helpful and co-operative, going over and above in order to assist me in the sale but also looking after their clients best interests.
In trying times, communication is the key and the team at B&B have always kept me up to date and provided information at critical times that has enabled me to be as efficient as I can in my role between all parties. They’re my first choice representatives for clients and the rapport with the team ensures a professional service from start to finish.”
David Dobson, Partner, Pearsons (Andover)
“I have met many conveyance solicitors within my 24 years in estate agency and can count on one hand the ones who stand out, one of which is Bonallack & Bishop. Always willing to go that bit further than others within their field to ensure the clients are well represented I have no hesitation in recommending my clients to Bonallack & Bishop.”
Richard Oliver – Bournes (Andover estate agents)
How to choose your conveyancing solicitor?
But don’t have to use the Conveyancing Solicitor your estate agent recommends. Unfortunately, certain “corporate” estate agents can make you feel like there is no other option – that’s because the staff at many of the large corporate chains are on commission to make sure they make the “right” recommendation – which will never be to a local solicitor but instead to a conveyancing factory/call-centre, probably based hundreds of miles away with no knowledge of the local Andover, Test Valley and Hampshire market.
Some useful tips:
- Don’t rush or be pressured into any decisions regarding which lawyers you use
- Conduct your own research into which Estate agent and Conveyancing Solicitor to use, including looking online and getting recommendations from people you know
- When you choose a Conveyancing Solicitor, inform the Estate agent of your choice.
- Expect a personal, friendly and efficient service
- Make sure that you use a Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme accredited solicitor
It’s also a good idea to consider choosing your solicitor before your offer on a property has been accepted. Once an offer has been accepted there can be pressures to complete quickly from the seller and pressures to agree a mortgage with your lender. Therefore, the least thing you want to be worrying about is finding a good solicitor. And being able to appoint a solicitor soon as you have an offer accepted will help your transaction go through that bit quicker.
What is Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation?
Law is getting increasingly complex – not least the law and practice involved in the purchase and sales of houses and flats [you would be surprised at the increase in the number of traps for the unwary – for example if the house your buying or selling has a solar panels attached to the roof].
That’s why it’s important that the solicitors you appoint really know what they’re doing – and the best way of checking that is, whether they are members of the right specialist panel.
When it comes to conveyancing, the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised quality mark run by the Law Society itself for those solicitors who specialise in buying or selling property. And needless to say we have had it from the outset.
So if you are buying or selling a house or flat, make sure that you appoint a quality conveyancing solicitor who is a member of the Law Society scheme.
Progressive Approved Solicitors
We are now 1 of just 3 law firms formally recommended by Progressive Property – the U.K.’s largest property education business – and our solicitors regularly act for buy to let investors and property developers nationwide, with both residential and commercial property transactions.
My conveyancing quote – is price the only thing I should look at?
Absolutely not. In life, you get what you pay for.
And if you’re looking for the cheapest conveyancing solicitor, you might simply end up with the slowest one. Why? That’s because most really cheap conveyancing solicitors have to handle far more conveyancing transactions every month than everybody else. And that comes at a price – speed.
And also be warned about the so-called “conveyancing factories” recommended by some estate agents. Some estate agents, mainly large regional and national chains rather than good local independent agents, like to recommend them not because they’re good, or understand the local market – but simply do so because they get a huge kick back. And solicitors often end up with only a fraction of what you pay. In our experience few people use these conveyancing factories twice. Be warned.
How our Conveyancing Solicitors can help you
With the largest specialist property team of any local solicitors – now 22 strong – you can rest assured that when instructing Bonallack & Bishop with your move, you’ve got genuine experts on your side. We have the experience and know-how needed to help you with the purchase or sale of your house or flat.
Our team cover a full range of the issues that crop up when you move home including:
- Buying and Selling Houses and flats
- Joint Ownership/Transfer of Ownership
- Equity release – click here to find out more about what equity release involves
- Extending your lease – click here to find out more about lease extension
- Housing associations and share ownership – click here to find out more about shared ownership and staircasing
- Joint Ownership/Transfer of Ownership
- New builds – Click here to read more about new build conveyancing
- Property auctions – click here to read more about auction conveyancing
- Purchasing new build property – click here to read about the differences in buying a new build
- Remortgaging
And we also have two highly specialist teams acting not just for clients in Andover and the Test Valley but nationwide;
- Lease extensions and buying your freehold – click here to find out more extending your lease or leasehold enfranchisement
- Our specialist property investor and buy to let team – click here to read more about our specialist property investment team
FREE Car Parking
Our Andover office has free car parking for our clients
What is the conveyancing process?
For many people, moving house is one of very few times in their life when they have a deal with a solicitor. The process can be a bit daunting – especially if the solicitor in question uses conveyancing jargon without explaining it.
But, in short, your conveyancing solicitor does far more than you might expect – including handling all legal aspects of the sale, purchase and letting of freehold and leasehold houses, flats and land.
The reason they deal with this in such detail is to make sure that you understand what you’re buying and that if there is anything to be concerned about in the purchase, you know from day one. So, as a result, the process your solicitor goes through will include the following
- liaising with the lender and getting a mortgage valuation
- carrying out various searches – including local authority searches, water and drain searches and environmental searches.
- preparing a contract of sale – or reviewing and checking one prepared by the other side.
- creating a transfer document, the critical legal document transferring ownership
- preparing a completion statement which will be sent to you in advance of completion – which should contain a complete breakdown of all the costs involved (including, for example cost of searches, other expenses and other charges – including any fee for arranging the mortgage.
- transferring funds to complete the purchase
- registering the transaction at the land registry.
Want to know more?
Click here to find out more about the Conveyancing Process Timeline or read up on Conveyancing Terms Explained
How long does the conveyancing process take?
That’s a difficult question to answer, because it really depends on your circumstances. So, for example if you’re buying the council house you live in under the right to buy scheme for cash, it’s going to be much quicker than if you’re using a mortgage and your sale and purchase is part of a long extended chain of other transactions.
Sometimes buying or selling a house can be as little as a few weeks – but this is really unusual. And post Covid the average time taken has sadly increased. Whilst 3 months was perhaps average pre-2020, 3rd party delays have meant that it often takes nearer to four and a half months – however quick your own solicitor is.
Need Specialist Conveyancing Solicitors To Help You Buy Or Sell Property In Andover or the Test Valley? Call us now
We are proud to have strong relationships with a number of local estate agents, who use us because of our high level of client service.
So whether you live in Andover itself, one of the villages or further down the Test Valley in Stockbridge, for conveyancing legal advice you can trust, and a FREE no obligation fee quote from local solicitors, contact us today.
- Call our property team on ANDOVER (01264) 364433 OR
- E-mail us using the online enquiry form below
If you’re thinking of visiting us, then please note that our Andover office moved in 2017. Our address is;
Suite 1, Healey House, Dene Road, Andover, Hampshire SP10 2AA
