Conveyancing Advice

“This is really going to hurt” said the dentist to me the other week. Before I knew it, two masked figures were looming over me, eyes wide open and relishing the prospect of another unwitting customer. Armed with rubber gloves and tools from the medieval era, I proceeded to wince and flail around like a freshly caught fish as the pain began. When all the suffering was done and I limped towards the door, the final insult came – I was then asked to pay a large sum of money for the privilege of getting effectively beaten up!

This reminded me a lot of how the property conveyancing process works currently and how similar conveyancing solicitors and dentists really are. You know you have to involve them at some point, it’s going to hurt and it’s going to cost you.

Is the conveyancing process up to scratch?

With technology and AI storming ahead in recent years, the whole legal process still lags lightyears behind. This is not the fault necessarily of solicitors themselves, but of a process that is antiquated and arguably a system that is broken.

Solicitors vs Estate Agents

As I see it, one of the biggest issues is that the environment solicitors operate in, is very different to that of estate agents. For example, there is very little incentive for a solicitor to actually get the transaction over the line, in what I would consider a timely manner. There is limited urgency and being blunt about it, they get paid regardless if a property sells or not.

This is on a direct collision course with estate agents, who are coming from the polar opposite direction. They only get remunerated once the property completes and is why one hears about some spectacular fallouts between them both. If a property transaction fails, the estate agent walks away with nothing.

A Long Process

Often agents can be nurturing a property sale along for a number of months (sometimes longer). The hours and costs that go into this can be immense. They are then having to pass over their shiny deal, to two sets of solicitors with the hope that they do the right thing and get it over the line.

Find Any Issues

Another issue is that solicitors are there to find problems. That is their job and is why we have them. However the majority of conveyancers will simply serve up a list of problems to the client in their own quirky language. If you are not used to this, then understandably it’s going to cause concern and spook a transaction that may have taken many months to put together. So many solicitors are great detectives at finding issues, however very few actually present solutions.

Advice for a Successful Conveyancing Experience

Despite the challenges that the conveyancing process throws up, it is imperative that you instruct a rock solid solicitor and if you need to pay slightly more for a top notch service, then go for it. There has rarely been a time in recent decades where this has counted more. Above all, your estate agent needs to ensure that the other side has an equally capable solicitor. As soon as there is an imbalance from a legal perspective, your transaction with struggle.

Whilst solicitors are unable to change the system they are ruled under, you need to find the golden nuggets of brilliance. If you are unsure, ask the property professionals out there who they would use and instruct that solicitor early on. Communication, being real world minded and problem solving is what it’s all about for both estate agents and solicitors. Get this nailed and your transaction will excel. If not, you will experience the drawn out pain of a dentist.