Anyone done their own conveyancing?

[mumblechum1]

Has anyone ever done this? I'm a retired divorce lawyer and currently own a willwriting practice so I have some conveyancing experience and training but haven't done any hands on conveyancing for donkey's years.

The cheapest quote I have for the sale is £995 plus VAT, so £1200 in all plus disbursements. I'm fairly sure that acting on the sale isn't rocket science, it's just a matter of drawing up the contract and answering various enquiries, doing the TR1 etc (there's no mortgage).

I will use a solicitor to do the purchase (no mortgage again) as I'm not confident that I'd know the right questions to ask.

Sooo, anyone DIY'd their own sale? Any pitfalls?

[PigletJohn]

I did my own sale, bought a book on it, easy.

[mumblechum1]

Thanks Piglet, what did you do about the forms?

[PigletJohn]

sorry, I can't really remember. I have an idea they were copyright but sold by a Law Stationer. I was working in CoL at the time.

[VanitasVanitatum]

You should be able to Google any forms you need, though the purchaser will draft the transfer document, so you would only need to send the draft contract. If you made any personal covenants or positive covenants you'll need to pass them on.

[BackforGood]

Not personally, but I have a friend who did - he's not a lawyer, and I think was surprised how easy he found it.

[WhatWillSantaBring]

I would never ever do my own conveyancing, nor that of my friends and family, no matter how simple the transaction. Yes, conveyancing is relatively straightforward but you are not talking about buying a sofa. If you get it wrong it could cost you hundreds of thousands of pounds.

You pay for a solicitor or professional conveyancer to do the work in order to be protected by their professional indemnity policy.

This was absolutely drummed into us at law school. As a retired solicitor, you should know better OP!!

[mumblechum1]

WhatwillSantabring

I feel like I've had my bottom well and truly smacked

Ok ok given the overall costs of moving at over £80k maybe I'll stop penny pinching at the £1k sale fees

Obviously I would never do my own conveyancing on the purchase, I know my limitations!

[VivaLeBeaver]

I'm currently doing it. If there's no mortgage its possible.

Mine is slightly complicated in that I inherited part of the house and am buying my siblings out.

I'm having to do the tr1 form, the ap1 form as well as getting some id1 forms signed by a registered conveyancer. The land registry are very helpful and answer questions by email promptly in how to fill the forms out. They've also done step by step YouTube videos.

I don't have a purchaser to worry about as I'm selling it and buying it in effect. My siblings are being patient. I don't know how easy it would be with a stranger buying te house as I wouldn't know how to coordinate the money you'd need to be paid and to do exchange and completion.

[VivaLeBeaver]

I'm not doing a contract. Don't think I need one.

As far as I'm aware as long as the land registry forms are filled out and the land registry are happy its in my name then its all legally binding.

[VivaLeBeaver]

even.

[whattodoforthebest2]

I've done my own conveyancing on a sale and a purchase with mortgages involved. To my mind, caveat emptor covers it for the sale and if there's a mortgage involved on the purchase, you need to involve a solicitor to a limited extent to check title and charges etc, but the cost for this is far less.

I've studied property law as part of a degree but am not qualified. All the forms are available from legal stationery suppliers and a DIY conveyancing book from the library.

[mumblechum1]

No mortgages involved in either transaction

[titchypumpkin]

i'm a conveyancer, if you're legally trained i'd do it if i was you (on a sale only never a purchase). get hold of a copy of a decent practice guide and i think you'd be fine

[busyboysmum]

I'm a conveyancer and started doing my own conveyancing selling a house I've inherited. I have the grant of probate in my name. But the buyer's solicitors insisted I instructed a solicitor to send the money to.

I think the quotes you've had are high though. For a straightforward sale I'd think more around £500 plus vat.

[mumblechum1]

£1k plus vat on the sale was the cheapest. The highest was £1450 plus VAT which does seem excessive with no mtge to redeem etc

[busyboysmum]

That seems excessive to me. I'm in Manchester and know a couple of good solicitors I can pass on details of who would not charge anywhere like that figure. You don't have to have a local solicitor - everything can be done by post and email.

[mumblechum1]

Thanks bbm that we'd be great:-)