It would be wrong to imply that DIY conveyancing for your house move is impossible, but there are certainly a number of reasons why conveyancing should simply be left to the professionals.
DIY conveyancing is the riskiest and most time-intensive method to engineer your house move. There are four main reasons for this.
Risk of alienating yourself from mortgage lenders
Particularly in the current economic climate many mortgage lenders are exceedingly reluctant to deal with home movers representing themselves. The only way mortgage lenders will consider your DIY conveyancing is if you are planning on purchasing your new home with cash or are selling a home without a mortgage left to redeem. Regardless, it is highly recommended that you seek legal advice from conveyancing professionals before taking the moving home process into your own hands.
Miss out on years of valuable moving experience
If you choose not to hire a conveyancing solicitor to take control of your house move you are certain to miss out on years of valuable moving experience and advice. Conveyancers are experts in their field and are capable of dealing with almost any situation or scenario that may arise, from making an enquiry to completion day. If you embark on DIY conveyancing for the first time you will have no advice or input from a conveyancing solicitor, that would normally available every step of the way.
Through reallymoving you can compare quotes from conveyancers that are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council of Licensed Conveyancers, so you can be confident of their professionalism and expertise.
A process that’s just far too time intensive
Invariably people who consider DIY conveyancing don’t initially appreciate the complexities of the entire process from start to finish. If you are unfamiliar with much of the conveyancing jargon the entire moving process can rapidly turn into a complete nightmare. The average professional conveyancing process is roughly 30-40 hours. This can prove a bridge too far for people with full-time jobs considering DIY conveyancing for their house move. If you don’t have the time or patience to scour through detailed paperwork it is a false economy to avoid paying for a conveyancer.
Evade potentially crippling lawsuits
If you choose not to invest in a professional conveyancing firm you are likely to carry out your own DIY conveyancing at great risk of lawsuits in the event of a case going wrong. Most reputable conveyancing solicitors will be protected by professional indemnity insurance which could potentially save you millions of pounds in legal fees should you be forced to represent yourself.
The current financial climate encourages people to seek more bang for their buck. Therefore it is understandable that home movers seek to cut corners and save themselves money by avoiding conveyancing fees. However, if you do your research, negotiate conveyancing quotes and read real-time reviews in conveyancing directories it is quite possible to find a solicitor to represent you for a reasonable fee.
The last thing you need is to place undue pressure on yourself during your house move. Let a conveyancing solicitor take the strain and the responsibility for dealing with the technicalities of the small print.
Updated August 2020