Comparing online conveyancing to local solicitors

If you’re buying or selling property, you’ve probably been comparing conveyancing quotes from a number of different firms, including local and online conveyancers. Here, we highlight the difference between the two.

  • Arti Dhamu, Move Specialist at My Home Move Conveyancing
    Arti Dhamu

    Move Specialist

    Published February 2nd 2024

a homebuyer researching the differences between a local solicitors and an online conveyancers

Online conveyancing vs local solicitors

When you use an online conveyancing service, you will usually be working with a conveyancer. Conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) and focus on the legal side of moving home only. Whereas if you use a local solicitor, you’re more likely going to be working with a solicitor, rather than a conveyancer. Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), and work on a wide range of legal services.

We’ve created a handy checklist you can use to compare our online conveyancing service to local solicitor firms – helping you to make up your own mind when choosing a conveyancer for your move.

Convenience with 24/7 online case tracking

happy buyer logging in to eway to check the progress of their home move
  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    Our exclusive online case management system, eWay, means that you can keep track of how things are going 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and. You can see the progress of your case visualised, with the items of work left to do shown. There’s an app for your phone too, so you don’t need a laptop or PC. Simply take photos of the documents needed and upload them to our portal. Simple!

  • Typical high street solicitor

    High street firms generally work traditional office hours and may not have the technology to allow you to see all your documents stored in one place. Which could be less convenient to those with busy or hectic schedules. You may also face delays while you wait for documents to be posted out to you, and then you posting them back in return.

Conveyancing specialists

  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    The conveyancers we work with at My Home Move Conveyancing are all specialists in this field – this is all that they do, so they are better placed to help you with specialist knowledge and without any other distractions.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Local firms might cover all types of legal advice and won’t necessarily be exclusively dealing with buying and selling houses. Your solicitor may also have to take days out of the office to appear in court for other cases, leading to delays.

Online conveyancers are more accessible - no need to visit the local office

homeowner can contact her conveyancer when her children are in bed
  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    All the conveyancers we work with are based online, so you'll never need to visit your conveyancers offices. You can manage your move exclusively online through our eWay app on your smart phone, tablet or PC – meaning a lot less paperwork and delays while things are posted.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Traditional firms still rely upon documents being posted or office visits meaning a trip into town, parking charges and a fixed time to have a meeting.

We are part of the UK's largest conveyancing group

  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    Through the Simplify group, we have access to the best people for the job. Our combined team of more than 300 conveyancers and solicitors, have seen and resolved every kind of hiccup or speed bump you could encounter during a home move.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Conveyancing may be only one of the services offered, there may be distractions and delays as they work on a variety of other aspects of law – including court appearances.

Transparency with fees – our quotes include stamp duty (SDLT)

first time buyers might not have to pay stamp duty land tax when buying a house
  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    We have a team of Move Specialists that work with you, to understand your conveyancing needs in order to provide you with an accurate quote. We also include all fees up front, such as stamp duty, so you never have a nasty shock when you receive your final bill.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Local solicitors may not include all the additional costs, such as stamp duty, in your initial quote. This could mean that your quote looks cheaper in the beginning however will look very different when they give you the final bill.

Can they provide a No Move, No Legal Fee guarantee?

young woman going through her moving house checklist before completing on her first house purchase
  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    We offer a No Move, No Legal Fee guarantee. This means that you do not pay us any legal fees if the transaction falls through. If you have already paid for searches, we will honour searches free of charge on an alternate property you may decide to buy when you instruct through us again.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Ask them what happens if the transaction falls through? Will you still be liable to pay their legal fees? The last thing you want is to end up with a legal bill for a move that didn’t complete.

Your own personal conveyancer

  • My Home Move Conveyancing

    As we offer an online conveyancing service, with conveyancers who are all based online, we can provide you with a personal conveyancer to solely take care of your move. Your own personal conveyancer will be the only person who is working on your property transaction, meaning decisions can be made and advice given without delay.

  • Typical high street solicitor

    Although you will be assigned a solicitor, quite often, your case work may be completed by trainees, assistants, juniors or paralegals while the qualified solicitor is dealing with other legal cases or even appearing in court for other clients. This could lead to delays on your transaction.

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