Do I Need a Solicitor To Sell My House?

11th February 2025

Selling your house can be a long and frustrating process – not to mention the fact that it’s expensive too. So it’s completely understandable that when it comes time to sell, many people find themselves asking “Do I need a solicitor to sell my house?”.

There are a lot of legalities to consider when selling a house, and having the right help can save you a huge amount of time and energy. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what a solicitor does to help sell your house, and whether you really need one.

Looking to start the process of selling your home? At Jon Simon, our estate agents can help get things started with a valuation of your property. If you’re looking to move to a new property in Greater Manchester we’ve also got houses for sale in Ramsbottom and a number of other prime locations!

Do You Need a Solicitor When Selling a House?

First things first: you don’t always need a solicitor to sell your house. It’s entirely possible to take on what some call ‘DIY conveyancing’ which involves taking on the legal responsibilities yourself when selling your home. Many people want to handle things themselves as solicitors can be expensive, with conveyancer fees costing £1,139 on average for selling a house in 2024.

However, there are many legal responsibilities and documents needed during the process. When you choose to hire a solicitor, they can handle all the hassle of dealing with the legal hurdles of selling a house.

What Do Solicitors Do?

When you choose to hire a solicitor or conveyancer here are some of the things they will undertake on your behalf as part of a house sale:

  • Preparation and distribution of legal contracts.
  • Request a mortgage resettlement figure.
  • Obtain title deeds.
  • Support in completing all the necessary legal questionnaires.
  • Act as a recipient of the deposit.
  • Meet and negotiate with your buyer’s legal representatives.
  • Negotiate moving dates with your buyer.
  • Approve deed of transfer.
  • Organise final accounts and settlement.
  • Hand over deeds.

When Do You Need to Hire a Solicitor?

Depending on the type of home that you’re selling, extra complexities can come into play. For instance, if you’re selling a leasehold property then the owner of the freehold might insist that you use legal aid in the sale. Some mortgage providers also insist on this too. In other words, sometimes the decision is taken out of your hands so it’s worth doing your research on solicitors and legal help in advance before you come to a decision.

The buyer’s solicitor might insist on negotiating with a legal representative on your behalf. Situations often occur in which an offer is accepted and everything appears to be going smoothly, only for the seller’s lack of legal aid to be a sticking point in the sale. Proper legal support suggests trust and credibility, and that you’re being informed of best practices.

Benefits of Hiring a Solicitor

Whilst you might always need a conveyance or solicitor to sell your home, there are a range of benefits that make many people opt for this additional support:

Expertise

It’s a solicitor’s job to understand the complex laws and regulations surrounding property sales. As trained professionals, they’ll be able to spot and address issues much more quickly and effectively than someone untrained in the legal field. This means that issues can be sorted before they become too serious. You’ll also be able to get advice on things like valuing your house to ensure you get the best deal for your property.

Time-Saving

If you’re trying to sort the logistics of moving into a new property the last thing you want when you’re packing and moving is to be sorting through all the legal jargon associated with a house sale. Hiring a solicitor to handle the paperwork and legal side gives you the essential time you need to focus on relocating.

Liability and Risk Management

If you choose to handle your own documents, you can be held personally liable for any errors or mistakes. With a solicitor not only is the chance of mistakes immensely decreased but you’ll also have the reassurance that you’re not personally liable for any admin errors.

Easier Communication

A solicitor will reach out to estate agents, buyers and landlords during the sale process and can keep track of communication and correspondence easily and effectively. You won’t have to worry about contacting anyone yourself and your conveyancer will most likely have industry contacts that can make the process smoother.

Should I Hire A Solicitor Or Licensed Conveyancer?

All solicitors can legally perform conveyancing, but we always recommend finding a solicitor with experience for this kind of work. Conveyancing solicitors specialise specifically in property law and therefore have expert knowledge and experience. Many law firms will have dedicated conveyancing lawyers, and it’s also particularly useful to consult one if your property sale is associated with other legal issues such as divorce.

If you don’t want to hire a solicitor or take on the responsibilities yourself you can hire a licensed conveyancer as an alternative. Similarly to solicitors, licensed conveyancers are regulated professionals permitted to carry out the legal work involved in selling a house. However, the difference is that conveyancers aren’t governed by the Law Society, but by an independent body called the CLC (Council for Licensed Conveyancers).

Some of the other differences between a licensed conveyancer and a solicitor are as follows: A licensed conveyancer can act on behalf of both sides in a sale (both the buyer and seller). As specialists, conveyancers won’t work in multidisciplinary firms like a solicitors. While this means that a conveyancer has more specific and specialised knowledge about conveyancing, they may lack the broader knowledge of the law that a solicitor will have.

If your sale is linked to other legal issues requiring knowledge of family law, tax planning or anything else, then you might be better suited to use a solicitor for your house sale.

Sell Your Home the Easy Way with Jon Simon

So, by now you should know the answer to “Do I need a solicitor to sell my house?”. You can choose to take on legal responsibilities yourself, hire a solicitor or opt for a licensed conveyor. Whichever option you choose, you should always ensure you’ve got professional help to get you through the sale process, and at our estate agents in Burnley, that’s what we’re here to do.

Our team here at Jon Simon can help take you through the admin of selling your house and find the perfect buyer. We’ve also got a range of houses for sale in Bacup and other areas across Greater Manchester so you can find your perfect new home.

For more information or advice on our services, contact our team and we can help you make your sale as smooth as possible.

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