For many UK homebuyers, purchasing a home and all the legalities involved is a complex mix that must be approached with as much care and guidance as possible.
From inspecting the market for viable properties to finding the best mortgage provider or financier that can accommodate your loan needs, this process is indeed long-winded. Among all the processes and aspects of buying a home that bear their own impact on your experience, there’s one process that bears more impact than anything else: Conveyancing.
An overview of the conveyancing process
Best defined as the process of legally preparing titles and associated legal documents for a transfer, the conveyancing process can never be overlooked because of its impact on the validity of a purchase.
No matter what type of home you’re buying or how much it’s being sold for, it’s always vital to follow and uphold this part of the process because of how well it protects both parties in a transaction. Given the size of the money involved when buying a home, this task acts as a barrier of protection and ensures that the cash and home being exchanged are legitimized and acknowledged by the law.
During a conveyancing transaction, both parties are required to follow two phases of the process, namely: the exchange of contracts between parties and completion (or settlement). Through this process, you can assure yourself of a thoroughly-legal process when the legal title in question passes alongside the equitable rights to ensure a seamless transaction!
As favourable and essential as the process of conveyancing is with respect to protecting parties involved in a home transaction, the main difficulty that many have with it is that it can take too long to set up. On top of that, many homeowners may not have sufficient knowledge regarding the process that they turn to professional help instead.
Why many are complaining, and an alternative that many are considering
Among all the different processes that take place during the home buying process, the conveyancing aspect tends to be the root cause of delays because of all the different factors that need to be considered.
Based on this process alone, a standard acquisition or transaction can end up being prolonged for as much as a few months to an entire year because of errors or adjustments that need to be made. As soon as an offer to buy a house has been accepted, many aspiring homebuyers run into their first bout of uncertainty because of delays that may take place along the way.
It is for this exact reason that the idea of DIY conveyancing has come to light. This concept has essentially led buyers and sellers alike to ask themselves one question: “Is it possible to take on the conveyancing process when purchasing or selling a home by myself?”
The rise of DIY conveyancing among buyers and sellers
Once an offer to buy a house is accepted, many buyers and sellers alike find themselves in a particular situation wherein getting legal titles and contracts transferred is something that they wish to accomplish themselves.
Although it may seem like a simple and straightforward process at first, conveyancing is still susceptible to its fair share of delays and hindrances that are often out of the hands of the transacting parties. Given the possibility of a potentially-lengthy delay, most parties deliberate on whether they should hire a solicitor, conveyancer, or property lawyer to handle the work for them.
As impossible as it sounds to take on all the legal complexities of the conveyancing process because of all the legalities and details involved, the truth is that it isn’t impossible to do it on your own.
So, what’s the catch?
Now, before you jump right into the possibility of handling the conveyancing process of your transaction all by yourself to save time during your transaction, it’s vital to understand that there are some risks involved.
In comparison with leaving the task in the hands of a trained and licensed professional who is implored to give you a proper service, handling your own conveyancing process isn’t regulated. This essentially means that there are plenty of loopholes that you can fall into if you aren’t careful about your decision. Mortgage providers, in particular, tend to advise against handling the task on your own because you may end up running expenses and buying a bad property if you aren’t familiar with the process itself.
Do you get to save as much money as you’d expect?
Most people generally consider going for the DIY conveyancing route not only to save time but also cut down a significant amount from their costs.
Although conveyancing fees undoubtedly present a hefty fee regardless of what house is in question, the reality is that the only costs you’re saving on are the solicitor fees and the associated VAT that comes with them.
For first-time buyers, it is required by law to pay stamp duty if the property’s price is over the £300,000 threshold. This already represents a significantly-large cost that you’ll have to cover. Beyond this, you’ll also need to pay for individual searches and Land Registry charges which are evidently more expensive if you settle them on your own as opposed to letting a solicitor handle the cost.
On the other hand, another set of costs that you’ll need to handle are building surveys that need to be carried out and the potential risk involved that comes with taking on such a detailed task. Based on the risk involved, the costs of doing the conveyancing process already exceed those that are incurred when you hire a professional because you won’t have negligence insurance to keep you covered!
The bottom line: While it may definitely be possible to handle the conveyancing process on your own, it might not be worth the trouble, extra costs, amount of time that needs to be spent, and the associated risks!
Conclusion
The reality of getting conveyancing done on your own is that it’s possible by all means according to theory. However, it isn’t worth it if you’re a first-timer or someone that doesn’t know what you’re doing. Instead of taking the risk and making minimal savings when carrying out a property transaction by opting for DIY conveyancing, hiring the services of an expert can save you more time, money, and trouble! With their experience and expertise, you’ll be able to have a seamless journey in getting your dream property.
Are you looking to streamline your home buying or selling process without having to take any unnecessary risks along the way? Check out our conveyancing fees calculator today to get the best and most accurate conveyancing results from our team of fully-regulated and trained professionals!
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