Property Lawyers, Conveyancing Solicitors, Licensed Conveyancers – what’s the difference?
« Conveyancing Solicitors
If you are inexperienced with the house moving process it may prove difficult to distinguish between the role of Conveyancing Solicitors and Licensed Conveyancers.
Both roles can be described as ‘Property Lawyers’.
Many of us are all too pleased to let the professionals complete the finer points of a house move in order to ease the stresses and strains.
But do we understand the roles Conveyancing Solicitors and Licensed Conveyancers can legally operate and the differences between their professions?
Prior to 1985 home owners had little alternative but to use a Conveyancing Solicitor for their conveyancing requirements, however the increasing amount of legal resource used by solicitors meant that the conveyancing industry itself needed to expand to cater to the demands of the growing number of people on the property ladder.
The 1985 Administration of Justice Act enabled Licensed Conveyancers to supply their services to home owners. Licensed Conveyancers are described as follows by The Council for Licensed Conveyancers: “A Licensed Conveyancer is a qualified specialist laywer who concentrates solely on dealing with property or conveyancing. As a result, Licensed Conveyancers operate under a bespoke regulatory framework, which is designed specifically to continually ensure consumer protection for users of services provided by Licensed Conveyancers.”
Although a Licensed Conveyancer is legally qualified to work on your behalf, it is legitimately possible they may not have qualified as a fully-fledged solicitor. There are, however, an increasing number of solicitors who have chosen to convert to Licensed Conveyancer status.
A Conveyancing Solicitor will have the benefit of years of training and experience handling and studying all aspects of property law. Consequently the decision to use a solicitor or a Licensed Conveyancer should be made at your discretion and dependant on your specific needs.
Bear in mind that the organisation offering the cheapest conveyancing quotes may not always be able to provide the most effective service. This is particularly important if you are looking for a swift sale or purchase, so it pays to shop around and find a trustworthy, reputable conveyancer to get the job done within your preferred timeframe.
What to look for in your Conveyancing Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer
It is important that you choose a conveyancer that is approachable and willing to explain things to you in layman’s terms. You should also be able to entrust them to carry out the conveyancing process without constant harassment.
These days conveyancing can be carried out by email and with internet log-ins, so you do not need to be within the local vacinity of your conveyancer’s office.
Whoever you choose to manage your conveyancing process, it is important to choose the most professional property lawyer that your budget allows.
Related links
Instant conveyancing quotes
Sellers conveyancing checklist
Conveyancing glossary
Buyers conveyancing checklist
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