This year has delivered more than its fair share of challenges with the arrival of Covid-19, lockdown and ongoing questions around how we all live, work and move forward beyond these testing times.
Understanding that we are all contending with uncertainty, KWW, our local and established solicitors on Walton Road, are doing all they can to support our community. Their generosity includes advertising in The Court Circular, offering the ‘Molesey Boost’ (donating a percentage of their fees to local charities until the end of this year), and offering advice on best practice to our readers.
In the first of 'KWW’s Professional Point of View' regular online interviews with The Court Circular, Salvatore Sole, Head of Property, shares his thoughts on conveyancing and why working with a local solicitor is the best option.
Salvatore, why would you say using KWW Solicitors for conveyancing services is a better option than, say, using an online provider? First, KWW are proud to have over 50 years’ experience in the local community and consider it a privilege to serve Molesey’s residents. The most obvious benefit beyond our experience and expertise is that we’re local, which makes certain vital and legal stages of the transaction – such as producing identification documents or signing papers – so much easier to slot into your busy day. We also appreciate that many conveyancing transactions are time-pressured, so a quick visit to our office to sign the necessary document can help you achieve your desired
completion date. Our office is also fully Covid-19 secure, that’s important to us, and for the health of all of our clients.
What would you say to people who are just starting to look for conveyancing services?
While KWW is well-known in our area, we would never take our position for granted. If you were looking for an alternative firm to use, here’s the key things to check for:
Is the firm regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or other licenced body?
Has the firm provided you with a clear indication of costs?
Has the firm been awarded the Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation from the Law Society?
Does the firm offer a contract-ready service which can shave weeks of the conveyancing process?
That’s by no means a full list but it does include some useful questions to ask when you are looking to choose a conveyancer for your transaction.
Some online firms offer cheap packages which look attractive. Are there any catches?
These packages may look cheaper on first glance but that doesn’t always turn out to be the case. I’d advise everyone to be very careful when comparing quotations from solicitors that there aren’t any hidden extras, especially when your quote is generated online. For example, your solicitor needs to verify your identity for every transaction and check where your money is coming from if you are buying a property. This can be done online but verifying your ID in this way will carry additional costs. It’s far easier to pop into your local solicitor at an early stage so your identity can be checked in person.
Any final words of advice?
For many, moving home can be a stressful and daunting prospect, so it’s vitally important you instruct a conveyancer you can trust to do the best job possible and to act in your best interests. Choose a firm that has a good reputation, is experienced and has qualified lawyers and, most important, a firm you feel comfortable dealing with.
Find out more about KWW’s services at kww.co.uk.
If you engage KWW this year, a percentage of their fee will be donated to a local Molesey Charity as part of the Molesey Boost.
KWW’s Professional Point of View will be a regular online series. If there are specific topics you’d like the team at KWW to address, email hello@thecourtcircular.co.uk and please note whether you’d like your email and details to be shared with the team at KWW.
Thank you to KWW Solicitor's for advertising in our first issue, and contributing to printing costs.
