Solicitors & Conveyancing
What does a solicitor actually do?
Last reviewed: 3 October 2026
The brief answer
Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer handles the legal side: checking the title, running searches, raising enquiries, reviewing the contract, handling the money and registering you as the new owner.
In plain English
Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA); licensed conveyancers by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC). Both can do residential conveyancing.
They usually also act for your mortgage lender, checking the property is acceptable security. They must carry out anti-money-laundering checks, including where your money came from.
They report to you on what they find, explain the contract, arrange exchange and completion and, after completion, deal with any property tax return and registration with HM Land Registry.
Why it matters
Your solicitor protects your legal interests. They are the right person for legal questions — not the estate agent.
What to do next
- 1Get written quotes and check the firm on the SRA or CLC register.
- 2Ask who will handle your file and how they prefer to communicate.
- 3Reply to their requests quickly.
Checklist
- Firm checked on SRA/CLC register
- Written quote received
- Client care letter signed
- ID checks completed