Conveyancing
Teresa Waters, Solicitor Partner with Lesley Snowdon, Conveyancing ManagerR.I.P Lesley Snowdon 1953 - 2012
A large percentage of our fee income is attributable to conveyancing and, in today's marketplace, we must carry it out fast and profitably if we are to survive as High Street solicitors. It is said (by the uninitiated) that there is nothing to conveyancing work and most of it could be carried out by a trained monkey. In reality, although much of the work is routine, conveyancing imposes a heavy responsibility on solicitors and gives rise to more claims against the profession's indemnity insurers than any other area of work. The trouble is that negligent work seldom shows up until years later.
To enable us to offer the kind of swift, efficient and competitively priced service today's public expects, we installed a top-class residential conveyancing software package on our PC's some time ago. The cost of both hardware and software has been repaid many times over. Successive Governments have muttered about finding ways to speed up the conveyancing process. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with the existing system, but the public needs to be told how to make use of it, and it is up to solicitors to tell them. As an example, once the decision is made to sell a house, the seller should instruct both estate agent and solicitor, and not wait to tell the solicitor until a buyer has been found. If told early enough, the solicitor can ensure that the contract and supporting paperwork are ready to go out to the buyers' solicitors as soon as a buyer is found. By the same token, when buying, tell the solicitor the moment the offer is accepted and do not wait until he hears the news from the selling agents, as they often do not send out the memo of sale until days after the bargain has been struck (subject to contract, of course).
Commercial conveyancing is essentially the same process as residential, but some different matters need to be considered, and it takes our kind of experience to know what to look for. Landlord and Tenant work is generally grouped under the description of conveyancing and that is an area of law which is a positive minefield for the unwary, particularly where commercial property is concerned. If only a lease meant what is appears to say!
Whatever the conveyancing job you want done, we are happy to give you a detailed estimate and confirm it in writing. Even if you instruct us without asking for an estimate you will still get one in our opening "Client Care" letter.
June 2013
To enable us to offer the kind of swift, efficient and competitively priced service today's public expects, we installed a top-class residential conveyancing software package on our PC's some time ago. The cost of both hardware and software has been repaid many times over. Successive Governments have muttered about finding ways to speed up the conveyancing process. The truth is, there is nothing wrong with the existing system, but the public needs to be told how to make use of it, and it is up to solicitors to tell them. As an example, once the decision is made to sell a house, the seller should instruct both estate agent and solicitor, and not wait to tell the solicitor until a buyer has been found. If told early enough, the solicitor can ensure that the contract and supporting paperwork are ready to go out to the buyers' solicitors as soon as a buyer is found. By the same token, when buying, tell the solicitor the moment the offer is accepted and do not wait until he hears the news from the selling agents, as they often do not send out the memo of sale until days after the bargain has been struck (subject to contract, of course).
Commercial conveyancing is essentially the same process as residential, but some different matters need to be considered, and it takes our kind of experience to know what to look for. Landlord and Tenant work is generally grouped under the description of conveyancing and that is an area of law which is a positive minefield for the unwary, particularly where commercial property is concerned. If only a lease meant what is appears to say!
Whatever the conveyancing job you want done, we are happy to give you a detailed estimate and confirm it in writing. Even if you instruct us without asking for an estimate you will still get one in our opening "Client Care" letter.
June 2013
