Posted Wednesday 29th April 2026
I couldn’t help but smile when I heard an estate agent recently refer to some conveyancing solicitors as “deal prevention officers”. I immediately knew the type; solicitors who act like all they want is to find problems rather than any solutions. They are out there. But the comment also had me reflecting on the importance of solicitors and estate agents working together, rather than against each other, to achieve the best possible results for their clients, which is so often an overlooked part of what we do as conveyancing solicitors.
If you are buying or selling a house or flat it’s almost certain that you will engage with both conveyancing solicitors and estate agents, both fulfilling different functions in the transactional process. Estate agents are the deal-makers, communicators and motivators. They also, often, have local knowledge and expertise that solicitors just don’t have access to, and so can be valuable sources of local knowledge and experience. Solicitors are risk assessors, identifiers of potential issues and, hopefully, problem solvers. They should also be advisors, assessing and communicating the consequences of any identified risks and helping their clients move forward in a way that feels comfortable for them, including finding solutions (novel or otherwise) when called for. Both are important parts of the same machine, a machine that needs to be well oiled to work to its full potential.
For our part, as solicitors, a failure to meaningfully engage and communicate with estate agents makes it very difficult to build trust which, in turn, can result in a failure to unlock the valuable skills each side can bring to any transaction. This cuts both ways, and can often feel, to the other, like obstruction. Bad experiences can lead to a kind of muscle-memory, an instinctive feeling that the other must always to be worked-around and managed if deals are to be successful. It doesn’t have to be that way. Yes, it is entirely foreseeable that solicitors, estate agents and, even, their clients will, sometimes, have differences of opinion as to the best way forward resulting in frustration, delays and, in some cases, with deals being “prevented”, but if we approach others in good faith, with an acknowledgement that we are all working to achieve the same goals, and with open and clear communication, we put our clients in the best possible position to succeed.
We, at Joelson, understand that building strong working relationships with estate agents and, indeed, all other professionals involved in the conveyancing process (be it surveyors, mortgage brokers etc.) is a key part of working in our clients’ best interests, going beyond just the process or the law, and provides real value.
If you are in need of a conveyancing solicitor, or if you want more information, please contact Richard Showan.
This article is for reference purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific legal advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking or deciding not to take any action.
Joelson has contributed to HSBC Innovation Banking's Venture Capital Term Sheet Guide for 2026.
Joelson is pleased to announce a long-term strategic partnership with Blue Earth, formalising a relationship that has evolved over the past two years into a close, values aligned collaboration supporting founders and investors across the Blue Earth community.
Stricter Home Office Sponsor Guidance rules are placing greater compliance pressures on UK employers who hire migrant workers.
We are pledging to donate at least 1% of our annual fee revenue to support environmental organisations worldwide.
