The short answer
For buying or selling a home in England and Wales, either will do the job. Licensed conveyancers are specialist property lawyers regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers; conveyancing solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Both can do all the legal work, act for your mortgage lender and be taken to the Legal Ombudsman. The price, the terms and who runs your file matter more than the title.
What is a licensed conveyancer?
A lawyer who specialises in property. In the words of Legal Choices, the legal regulators' guide for the public, "Licensed Conveyancers are specialist property lawyers." The CLC sets their training standards, monitors their work and can discipline them.
How do they compare with a conveyancing solicitor?
| Licensed conveyancer | Conveyancing solicitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Regulator | Council for Licensed Conveyancers | Solicitors Regulation Authority |
| Training | Qualifies in property law specifically | Trains across the law, then may specialise in property |
| Handles your sale or purchase | Yes | Yes |
| Acts for your mortgage lender | Yes, if on the lender's panel | Yes, if on the lender's panel |
| If money is lost through the firm | CLC Compensation Fund | SRA Compensation Fund |
| If a complaint is not resolved | Legal Ombudsman | Legal Ombudsman |
Can a licensed conveyancer act for my mortgage lender?
Yes, as long as the firm is on your lender's panel, which is the same rule for solicitors. Pinnacle is on the panels of 50+ lenders, listed on our mortgage lenders page. If yours is not there, get in touch before you instruct: it may be listed under another name, or we may be able to work with them directly.
Am I protected in the same way?
Yes. The CLC's rules require licensed conveyancers to give clients clear information about costs. If money is lost through a regulated firm you may be able to claim from the CLC Compensation Fund, and unresolved complaints can go to the Legal Ombudsman. At Pinnacle your money is held in a regulated client account and we carry professional indemnity insurance.
When might a solicitor suit me better?
When the move is tangled up with other legal work. If the sale is part of a divorce, a dispute or a business deal, a solicitor's wider training may help. For a straightforward sale or purchase, a specialist does the same job.
Why did I find Pinnacle when I searched for a solicitor?
Because most people search for a "conveyancing solicitor" when they need someone to handle their move. Pinnacle Law is a firm of licensed conveyancers, regulated by the CLC under licence 14497. Conveyancing is all we do: £2,495 to buy with searches included, £1,995 to sell, £4,490 for both, inc VAT, fixed.