Where can I get legal advice like this?

[RooKangaroo]

Me and my partner are looking to buy a house with my parents (maybe his parent too), and we want independent legal advice around how to protect ourselves and things to think of.

We think we've thought through everything and it's been a big decision, but we'd like to get proper advice on how the contract should work, who should be named on the house, how we protect ourselves, etc.

BUT - I've now called a few places and they'll only give me this advice if I'm a conveyancing client and I start an account for conveyancing. That's not something I want to do right now - I just want to pay for some advice.

Is there a certain kind of solicitor I should be contacting, or a service I should be googling, to get someone who could help us with this?

I guess it depends on why you're buying with parents? Will they live there as well? Are they/you hoping to avoid inheritance tax or care hone fees? In which case an accountant or tax specialist.

Or are they simply loaning/giving you the deposit?

Go on to the Law Society website. It has a search function to help you narrow down legal firms by function and geography.

Sounds odd a legal firm is turning away work to be honest, especially in this climate.

I had a complicated mortgage/transfer of rights issue. I found a local firm using the method above, that acted for me but did not do the conveyancing.

If no luck, the law society have a helpline that will be able to point you in right direction.

These things will cost money, BUT get it right now and it may save you thousands in terms of heartache and family relations. There will also be tax implications which will need thinking through too but reputable legal firms will be able to help with this or refer you to tax expert.

Look for a private client solicitor (STEP qualified). They will be able to advise you about how to own the property and any tax implications egg and draw up a simple declaration of trust setting out who owns what.

Yes, you need a private client solicitor (as above preferably STEP qualified) here to look at a suitable structure and what you are looking to achieve. If they are already home owners then the additional dwelling supplement for stamp duty is probably going to be an issue for example.

You need a property / trusts lawyer not a conveyancer