Conveyancing Explained

Posted on: 23 June 2021

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If you are in the market for a house or you are selling your own property, this article will help you understand how conveyancing works — what it is and why it is important. In legal jargon, conveyancing is the process of transferring property from one owner to another. The seller transfers ownership to a buyer by signing over their title to them, often through a solicitor.

Certifying the title

Conveyancing is important as it not only transfers ownership but also certifies the title for your property, which means it confirms that any legal problems with the property are usually ironed out and the buyer can be sure they have got a clear title.

Checks

A solicitor from a conveyancing firm will take on the responsibility of doing this. They will check that there are no outstanding debts, mortgages or other issues pertaining to your house before transferring ownership to a new buyer. It is very important that these checks are done thoroughly before handing over the property as mistakes could mean you lose money and time on finding out that there is an issue with your title.

The process of transferring ownership can take time if there are any outstanding issues attached to the title. Most properties will take a few weeks to complete, depending on how complicated it is. However, if you are selling your property yourself, there are certain things you can do to speed up the process. For example, if you don't have a solicitor yet, find someone who has carried out this work for several clients in the past and ask them to do it for you.

Get advice

It is a good idea to get expert advice if you are interested in selling your property yourself. An independent conveyancing solicitor or trusted advisor will be able to provide you with the help you need for all the legalities surrounding the process and ensure that all of the paperwork is completed before handing over ownership.

If you are thinking of buying a property — whether new or used — it is important that there are no problem with the title, so make sure everything is done correctly before making an offer. If you have this issue clarified before buying a house using an independent conveyancing solicitor, they will be able to make sure that there are no unexpected issues when transferring ownership of your property.