In short: Aylesbury has around 39 solicitors and law firms listed in the directory, covering conveyancing, wills and probate, family law and commercial matters. This guide explains what conveyancing typically costs and involves, the difference between a solicitor and a licensed conveyancer, and what to check before instructing anyone.
Solicitors to browse in Aylesbury
A few of the firms listed in Aylesbury, covering general practice, wills and probate:
Browse the full list of solicitors in Aylesbury for contact details, reviews and areas of practice.
Conveyancing: what it involves and what it costs
Conveyancing is the legal work involved in buying or selling a property, from checking the title and raising enquiries to handling the exchange of contracts and registering the sale with HM Land Registry. Costs are usually made up of a fixed legal fee plus disbursements, third-party costs such as search fees, Land Registry fees and, on a purchase, Stamp Duty Land Tax. Firms increasingly quote a fixed conveyancing fee upfront rather than charging by the hour, which makes it easier to compare firms directly.
You don’t have to use a solicitor for conveyancing. A licensed conveyancer specialises in property transactions specifically and is often a cheaper alternative, while a solicitor can also handle other legal matters alongside the property transaction, such as a related dispute or a will update. For a straightforward sale or purchase, either can do the job; a solicitor is more useful if your situation involves anything beyond the property transaction itself.
Wills, probate and family law
Alongside conveyancing, many Aylesbury firms handle wills, lasting power of attorney and probate, either as part of a general practice or as a specialism. Probate is the legal process of administering someone’s estate after they die, and can take several months even in straightforward cases, longer if the estate includes property or is contested. Family law firms in Aylesbury cover divorce, separation and child arrangements, with several offering a fixed-fee initial consultation before you commit to ongoing representation.
What to check before you instruct a solicitor
- Fixed fee vs. hourly rate. Ask for a written quote covering the legal fee and an estimate of likely disbursements before you commit, particularly for conveyancing.
- Regulation. Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA); licensed conveyancers by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Both should be checkable on the relevant regulator’s register.
- Specialism. A general practice firm can usually handle straightforward matters, but for anything contested or unusual, look for a firm or individual solicitor who specialises in that specific area.
- Local knowledge. For conveyancing specifically, a solicitor familiar with the local area and local searches can sometimes move faster than a national online conveyancer.
Frequently asked questions
How much does conveyancing cost in Aylesbury?
Costs vary by firm and by the property’s value, and are usually split between the legal fee and disbursements such as search fees, Land Registry fees and, on a purchase, Stamp Duty Land Tax. Ask for a full written quote covering both before instructing anyone, since the legal fee alone doesn’t reflect the total cost.
Is it better to use a conveyancer or a solicitor for buying a house?
Either can handle a straightforward property transaction. A licensed conveyancer specialises in property work and is sometimes cheaper, while a solicitor can also deal with related legal matters beyond the property itself, such as a linked dispute. For most straightforward sales or purchases, the choice comes down to price and availability rather than one being definitively better.
How do I choose a good conveyancing solicitor in Aylesbury?
Get a written quote covering the fee and disbursements from two or three firms, check they’re regulated by the SRA or Council for Licensed Conveyancers, and ask how they communicate updates during the transaction, since slow communication is one of the most common complaints about conveyancing generally.
How long does probate take?
It varies, but a straightforward estate typically takes several months from application to completion, longer if the estate includes property to sell, complex assets, or is contested. A solicitor handling probate can give a more specific estimate once they’ve reviewed the estate.