What do I need to think about when instructing a conveyancer?

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We've sold and they need our solicitors details. We need to instruct one today. I've been recommended one by our EA. Any better way to find one and what am I looking out for in the contract.

I assume we instruct on the sale and purchase separately, as we haven't get found a purchase. We also might have a land registry complication as we are selling some garden to someone else.

Any advice welcome, we haven't done this for a decade.

We also might have a land registry complication
Make sure you appoint a proper legal person then (solicitor etc), not a cheap internet warehouse. A solicitor will be bound by and answerable to SRA regulations.
You can instruct separately on sale and purchase but it makes sense to go with the same company (eventually) for both as it will avoid two lots of Money Laundering / Know Your Client paperwork/costs.
Get a full quotation: some just quote their fees and forget to mention the disbursements so you end up comparing apples and oranges.

Estate Agents may recommend a specific firm because they get a kickback. Much better to go on family&friends' recommendation.

Be clear about your instructions. What you refer to as "a Land Registry complication" is actually a separate sale, and so you can't expect it to be included in the standard sale fee. It is 2 transactions and will require a whole lot of extra time and paperwork . If you are getting quotes before deciding on solicitors, make sure that is factored in.
Ask if you can speak to the person who will be dealing with your transactions, ask for their level of experience and qualifications, and check their accessibility- if you phone, will they speak to you/ get back to you quickly? What happens if they are ill/on leave ,is there someone else you can speak to? How quickly do they expect to turn round documents? What do they charge if the sale falls through?
You need someone you can talk to, who responds appropriately to queries and who has a back up system in place.
Hth.

Many firms do a no sale no fee (minus disbursements) fixed fee quote. Where in the country are you? I used an excellent guy recently in London.

we already have a solicitor for the land sale, but the land registry bit is likely to all happen around the same time, which might cause a glitch in the matrix.

Be very clear in your instructions.

Be aware that if you use an online place that promises you case tracking and so on for a great price, then the reality is that you will be part of a conveyancing mill and will end up doing a lot of chasing and work yourself (bitter experience).

Check whether your EA actually has a relationship with the firm they have recommended and if they have other clients using them on a regular basis. If so, then it would be worth considering them because the EA is likely to be able to help with chasing things, getting updates and so on, which will take some of the strain off you.

Used to work for a conveyancer.

Be clear what you’d like but don’t state unrealistic deadlines. Agreed re clarifying disbursements etc and fixed fee.

Don’t go for the cheapest option as they probably won’t deal with the land registry issue well.

Go for a recommended or good reviewed high street solicitors.

As @BackBackBack says check if the EA has a good relationship with the solicitors as they can help re chasing etc but we often found local EA’s who’d used us and found us efficient used us for that reason too. You really don’t want to and shouldn’t have to be chasing solicitors or estate agents for updates.

Where abouts are you roughly. People maybe able to advise u on one. As an example I am in Suffolk way and mine cover the south east and have been amazing

If you are in the south east I can recommend a couple of firms which we’ve used lately for a couple of sales. I can PM you if you like. Agree with pp don’t instruct a cheap internet firm, go an established firm. You really get what you pay for!

Don’t go for cheap. One in our chain exchanged and completed without telling the client. And there house they were buying was t ready. As of tomorrow we move in and they are homeless

They don’t have to be regulated by the SRA. Licensed Conveyancers are regulated by the CLC.

If you have any friends family who have had a good experience, check out their recommendations.

I had an excellent experience using an EA recommendation, as they know ones that have been quick, efficient and communicative.

Create a short brief that gives details of sale (price, whether freehold / leasehold / mortgage status), that there is an associated land sale, and that should you find somewhere you would like them to handle the associated purchase.

They should be able to give you a quote very quickly.

I would not use an online conveyancer.

Might make sense the use the solicitor you have already instructed on the sale of the land.

thanks all. we have appointed someone who is recommended by the agent and turns out to be a friend of a friend.

we are in the midlands, but thanks for the offers.

The land sale agent is appointed by the developers. I dont mind having less to do with them, I dont want more!!