What is conveyancing?
Stripped of its legal jargon, the term conveyancing refers to the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another. In order to make sure that such a transfer is legal under the law, there is a substantial amount of admin and paperwork that needs to be processed in order for the purchase of a property to be deemed valid.
When does conveyancing start?
The process of conveyancing generally starts as soon as an offer has been accepted by the seller for the property. Once contracts are signed between the buyer and the seller of a property and the keys are handed over, then the conveyancing process is deemed to have been completed.
Who needs conveyancing?
Anyone who is buying a property will need to undertake the process of conveyancing. It will also need to be done for anyone who is selling a property.
So who does the conveyancing? Can I do it myself?
If you a buying a property without having applied for a mortgage, then it is possible (although not advised) to conduct the conveyancing process yourself.
However, as most people in Ireland require a mortgage to buy a home or property, it is often a stipulation of mortgage lenders that you employ the service of a conveyancing solicitor to carry out the conveyancing process.
What will the conveyancing solicitor do?
The role of a conveyancing solicitor will differ slightly depending on whether you are buying or selling a property.
If you are the seller, the role of the solicitor will be to ensure that the title deeds for your property are correctly transferred to the new owner. They will also confirm that you are no longer the legal owner of the property once it has been sold.
If you are the buyer, then your solicitor will work with the seller’s solicitor to confirm that all paperwork is in order and that you are now officially, and legally, the new owner of the property.
In either case, the services provided by experienced conveyancing solicitor will guarantee that your best interests are protected during the buying or selling of a property, and that the legalities of any and all transactions are adhered to under the law.
*In contentious business, a solicitor may not calculate fees or other charges as a percentage or proportion of any award or settlement.*
