The average time it takes for a property to sell in the UK is 16 weeks from the first day of marketing to completion. Often, the longest stage of this process is what happens between when an offer is accepted on a property, and legal completion.

This part of the process, known as ‘aftersales’ here at AP Morgan, is the period that the solicitors carry out the legal work of transferring ownership to the buyer, and making enquiries in order to protect their clients’ interests. By being proactive and communicating as well as possible with all parties, this process can be made quicker and easier for all involved.

We have asked our Aftersales Consultants in our branches what their top tips are for our customers.

Ask questions early

If there are any questions you have about the aftersales process, it’s important to ask these questions early on in order to avoid any confusion later down the line. Don’t be afraid to direct these questions towards your solicitor! Many people are under the assumption that solicitors charge per the hour, but for property conveyancing, many solicitors operate on a fixed-fee basis.

Chase, chase, and chase again!

AP Morgan employ Aftersales Consultants in each of our offices to chase solicitors up and down the chain. However, solicitors will always listen to one person more than anyone else: their clients, e.g. you! Chase your solicitors as often as possible in order to ensure that your case is put to the top of the pile, and enquiries are dealt with as soon as possible.

Respond quickly

Sometimes when dealing with a property sale or purchase, some things can seem more complex than they are. If you receive questions from your solicitor, or documents to complete, set some time aside to complete them as soon as possible. If you have any questions, raise them with your solicitor sooner rather than later, or contact the Aftersales Consultant dealing with your sale or purchase to see what advice they can offer.

Be flexible

The longer the chain, the more people are involved. This means that when arranging dates and timescales for completion, it needs to suit more people. Even in a relatively short chain, it is still important to be able to compromise and meet the needs of the other people in the chain in order to keep it intact. For instance, if you are due to complete in the next two weeks but your buyer needs more time, are you able to adjust your plans? If you have any limiting factors, such as needing to move by a certain date, it is important to communicate this as soon as possible so everyone can work towards it.