Disbursements are the extra costs your conveyancer pays to other parties while handling your case. The most common ones include: 

• Search packs 

• Telegraphic transfer fees 

• Land Registry fees 

• Buy-to-let 

• Leasehold 

• Transfer of Equity 

• Help to Buy repayment 

Unlike most panel managers, we keep things simple with a fixed list of pre-agreed disbursements. That way, your clients know exactly what they’re paying for. For the full list, drop us a message at info@optimus-move.co.uk. 

No need to pop by in person (unless you fancy the trip). All our firms handle documents and requests over the phone, by post, or online. Many also have secure portals where you can upload your ID and welcome pack (reducing the risk of paper cuts). 

It varies from move to move, but on average, you’re looking at around six to eight weeks from start to completion. The exact timing depends on a few things, like how complex the transaction is, and how long the property chain looks. In short, some moves fly through, others take a bit longer (we keep things moving either way). 

We work with all major lenders, and most of the smaller ones too. Every now and then, there’s an obscure lender who isn’t on a panel, but don’t worry…some of our conveyancers can apply to join if needed. 

Yes, we do. Several of our conveyancers speak multiple languages, so you’re in good hands. Drop us a message at info@optimus-move.co.uk and we’ll match you with the right firm. 

A few things can change the price tag on conveyancing: 

• Property value: Some conveyancers base their fees on the price of the property. 

• Tenure: Leasehold properties usually take more work than freehold ones, which can nudge the cost up. 

• Disbursements: Every sale or purchase needs its own mix of searches and surveys, and those come with their own costs. 

Money changes hands at three main stages when you’re buying a property or land: 

• At the start: Your conveyancer will ask for an upfront payment to cover searches and surveys on the property you’re buying. 

• Deposit: When it’s time to exchange contracts, you’ll pay around 10% of the purchase price. Once contracts are exchanged, you’re legally bound to complete the purchase on the agreed completion date. 

• Completion: On the big day, you’ll transfer the remaining funds. The money goes through your bank, so it can take a little while to clear. Once everything’s confirmed, you’ll usually get the keys after midday. 

A conveyancing chain is when several property sales and purchases are linked together, with each one relying on the next to go through. Most people buy and sell at the same time to avoid owning two homes, which means everyone in the chain needs to exchange contracts on the same day. The pace of the whole thing depends on the slowest link, so one delay can hold up the lot. 

Once contracts are exchanged, the deal’s legally binding. This is the point where neither side can back out. Until then, either party can still walk away, so nothing’s official until the ink’s dry. 

Stamp duty rates depend on the property price and your circumstances. You can work out exactly what you’ll need to pay using the government’s official calculator here. 

If you’re getting a mortgage, your lender will arrange a valuation, but that’s for their peace of mind, not yours. It’s always worth having your own independent survey done so you know exactly what you’re buying. For more information about our surveys, drop us a message at info@optimus-move.co.uk. 

These days, there aren’t any old-school paper deeds. Instead, everything’s stored digitally with the Land Registry. You will, however, get a set of supporting documents worth keeping safe. You’ll need them again when it’s time to sell. 

No, they won’t. Optimus’ conveyancing is based on ‘‘no completion, no legal fees’’. If the case is cancelled before exchange, your client won’t pay a penny in legal fees. The only costs are any third-party disbursements that have already been paid for, like searches or surveys. 

They can call us. Unlike other panel managers, Optimus handles all updates and queries directly, so there’s no need for you to chase conveyancers. We’ll track progress, get answers, and keep everyone in the loop. 

All our conveyancers work on fixed prices for purchases, sales, and remortgages. The cost simply depends on the property’s price band. Most disbursements are fixed too, so there are no nasty surprises for you or your client. For a detailed quote, drop us a message at info@optimus-move.co.uk or log in to your portal. 

Lenders’ free legals usually only cover the basics, like the legal work needed to register their charge over the title. There are quite a few extras that aren’t included, which can mean extra costs for things like: 

• Bank transfers 

• ID checks 

• Official copies of the register 

• Title plans (per title) 

• Bankruptcy and Land Registry searches 

Our cashback remortgage keeps things simple. It covers all standard disbursements for a typical remortgage – £330 including VAT, and gives clients access to our dedicated service team. They stay in control of the solicitor they choose, while we make sure everything runs smoothly. 

Because we value quality over quantity. We hand-pick our solicitor firms through strict due-diligence checks and keep close working relationships with each of them. Our Panel Manager holds weekly calls and visits every firm quarterly, so we can stay proactive about performance instead of waiting for issues to appear. 

Our service team keeps a constant eye on every case, tracking key milestones and stepping in early if anything looks off pace. We’ve got an escalation process for cases that fall behind service level agreement (SLA) targets, so delays are dealt with before they cause problems. On top of that, we audit our conveyancers every month, review their caseloads and performance, and hold quarterly review meetings with every firm on our panel. It’s how we make sure standards stay high, and cases keep moving. 

We keep you in the loop with weekly reports that show quote volumes, instructions, and completions. At the end of each month, we also send a full management pack summarising: 

• Total instructions and completions 

• Volumes by agent or branch 

• Completion timelines for every solicitor on the panel 

• Overall revenue performance 

Every introducer gets a dedicated service and sales team. Depending on your setup, you’ll have a nationwide team of Business Development Managers building relationships across your branches, backed by our expert service team in the office. From the moment an instruction’s registered, our service team keeps things moving – tracking progress, solving issues, and answering questions from you or your clients whenever you need us.