What is conveyancing actually? The word is obscure, and the process is too. Not knowing makes it more stressful when a conveyancing service takes on buying or selling a house on our behalf.
To start making the conveyacing process easier, quicker and less stressful, this is our simple introduction to conveyancing. You can find plenty more information on site in our conveyancing blog, or my searching for Conveyancing Advice in the search bar.
What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the process that transfers the ownership of property from one person or group to another. In the main the conveyancing process means making sure the right documents have been provided, and say the right things, and ticking a lot of boxes, but there is a significant chunk of it that requires legal work, which is why it can cost a lot.
Who can I get to do it?
Countrywide, conveyancing is mostly carried out by conveyancing solicitors. These are trained solicitors who specialize in house conveyancing. They are regulated by The Law Society so if you have had a poor service you can make a complaint.
In 1985, Licensed Conveyancers were introduced. These are not trained solicitors, but are qualified to carry out conveyancing and you should expect exactly the same from both services. Licensed Conveyancers are also regulated, this time by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Contact them to make a complaint.
Why do I need to pay someone to do my conveyancing?
It’s not a legal requirement, and people do try DIY conveyancing. The better question, however, is…
Why should I pay someone to do my conveyancing?
The answer is simple. Buying or selling a houseis incredibly important and unless you win the lottery or are a professional sportsman there will not be a single bigger transaction you have to contend with.
What is conveyancing? For buyers, conveyancing is the process of making absolutely sure you are the owner of a property and your investment is safe
Would you like to be the one who messes it up?
If conveyancing is not done correctly, the transfer of ownership of a property might not be legally binding. This means you could lose your dream home or your city bolthole and the money you spend on it.
Getting a professional to do it means you can be more certain it is done right, and can take action if mistakes have been made.
Why does it take so long?
The conveyancing process takes, on average, around three months. While there are a lot of boxes to tick, that is still a crazy amount of time.
Maybe your conveyancing solicitor or conveyancer has taken on more work than he or she can realistically do, but the main reason it takes so long is the amount of waiting that takes place.
In order to complete your conveyancing, a number of organizations need to be contacted and these are not always the most efficiently run. Councils, the Land Registry and sometimes obscure government departments all have a hand in ensuring your transaction is conveyanced correctly.
Add to that the extra delays if you are buying a leasehold or with someone else and consider that the seller or buyer and their conveyancing service won’t be 100% efficient and it’s easier to see why it takes so long.
There are things you can do to make conveyancing quicker and less stressful, however. Click on our conveyancing guides to:
