Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer?

Buying or selling your home can cause enough headaches without the added stress of not knowing whether to choose a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer. This article will tell you, in laymans terms, what the differences are between a Solicitor and Licensed Conveyancer.

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and typically practice all or several areas of law, including, of course, conveyancing.

Licensed Conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and specialise only in conveyancing.

The 1985 Administration of Justice Act authorised Licensed Conveyancers to offer their services to consumers. The Council for Licensed Conveyancers describes the profession as follows: "A Licensed Conveyancer is a qualified specialist lawyer who concentrates solely on dealing with property or conveyancing. As a result, Licensed Conveyancers operate under a bespoke regulatory framework, which is designed specifically to continually ensure consumer protection for users of services provided by Licensed Conveyancers."

So, while a Licensed Conveyancer is legally qualified to give you the service you need and is regulated by the CLC to help prevent mishaps, he or she will probably not have qualified as a solicitor.

Both a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer are able to provide you with a professional, competent service during your property transaction, so, like many things these days, it pays to shop around and look for someone who, not only provides value for money, but is also someone with a reputation you can trust for giving you the professional service you need.