Jacob Law Articles

Remortgaging, purchasing, or selling a property? Who and when to contact?

Buying or selling property? Who and when to contact? This is the big question for everyone involved. Consequently, here is an easy guide to who and when to contact if you are buying or selling property or remortgaging/switching.

WHO to contact

Professional services you will require for your property transaction:

• Solicitor: Required for both selling and purchasing a property, and also for remortgage/switching.

• Surveyor: you are advised to use a surveyor when buying a property.

• Estate Agent: Required for selling a property.

• BER Assessor: Required for selling a property.

• Mortgage Broker/Bank: Required for buying a property (unless using savings for full purchase) and for refinancing/remortgaging/switching.

• Insurance Broker: Required for buying a property (in relation to Life Cover and House Insurance).

WHEN to contact

The following is the order in which to contact the required professionals you will need if buying or selling property:

Buying a property:

Mortgage broker/lender
Solicitor
Surveyor/Structural Engineer

Selling a property:

BER Assessor: You must have a certified energy rating on your property for listing with Estate Agent
Estate Agent
Solicitor: As soon as your house is listed, it makes sense to engage a Solicitor. The Estate Agent will look for the Solicitor’s details as soon as first prospective buyer appears.

Re-Mortgage / Mortgage Switch:

Mortgage broker/lender: The first person you need to engage is your mortgage broker/lender to see what options are available to you.
Solicitor: As soon as you know you are moving forward with your re-mortgage/mortgage switch you should engage your Solicitor.

In summary, purchasing or selling property can be daunting, and knowing who and when to contact regarding the professionals you need can be frustrating. Hopefully, the above guide will give you a starting point for your property journey.