Summary
Yes, you can do your own conveyancing as a buyer or seller, as long as no mortgage is involved. DIY conveyancing lets you handle the legal work yourself, but it’s risky, time-consuming, and not recommended unless you’re confident with legal paperwork. Most buyers and sellers choose a qualified conveyancer to avoid costly mistakes. So what is a conveyancer exactly? A conveyancer is a qualified licensed legal professional who manages the legal and administrative process of transferring property ownership from a seller to a buyer. Most people do not realise that hiring a conveyancer is not required.
DIY conveyancing ('do it yourself' conveyancing) is when you act as your own conveyancer. It is an uncommon alternative that can save you money on your solicitor fees, but we do not recommend it due to the risk involved.
While hiring a conveyancer or solicitor may seem more expensive, it is regarded as the best practice.
How to Do Your Own Conveyancing
If you want to give conveyancing a try, you need to think very carefully about the job at hand. Here are a few tips and examples of the work involved when doing conveyancing yourself:
- Arrange conveyancing searches once your offer is accepted
- Research the exact meaning of any legal jargon you don’t understand
- Confirm that your details are sent to the seller’s conveyancer
- The seller’s conveyancer should send a draft of the contract as well as other necessary legal documents
- Check the contract details and legal papers to see if there are any complications
- Don’t be afraid to ask the seller for more information about the property
Because you’re handling the conveyancing process yourself, you won’t have to wait for a solicitor to reply, you’ll be in direct control of every decision and timeline. For some who are not happy with their current conveyancing solicitor, rather than changing conveyancing solicitors, some decide to do their conveyancing themselves.
How Much Could You Save?
Whilst fees do vary, DIY conveyancing would only be saving you the solicitor’s basic fee. This can be between £800 - £1,700.
You would still be required to pay the cost of disbursements, stamp duty and other fees even if you attempt conveyancing yourself. If you’re buying with a mortgage, you will be expected to pay for the lender’s solicitor fees regardless.
To reduce your conveyancing costs, get a personalised conveyancing quote. You can then compare multiple solicitors, negotiate better rates, and explore online conveyancing services, which are often more affordable than high street firms.
Prices are based on our cost data, received directly from user feedback.
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Risks of DIY Conveyancing
DIY conveyancing is highly risky, especially if you have no prior experience of the process. Keep the following in mind:
- Delays due to inexperience: While you may save some time doing your own conveyancing, this is not a guarantee. It can result in the opposite, as a lack of legal experience may lead to major delays that threaten the transaction.
- No legal protection or support: As your own conveyancer, you are legally accountable for your case. This means you must take out your own indemnity insurance or face financial loss if the transaction goes awry.
- High risk of costly mistakes: There is a lot of jargon involved in conveyancing, and not understanding terminology can lead to expensive mistakes, such as submitting the wrong information. Conveyancers understand the jargon, minimising this risk.
- Limited mortgage options: Most lenders require a professional conveyancer from their approved panel to act on your behalf. If you insist on doing your own conveyancing, your mortgage lender will hire an approved solicitor, which you will have to pay for.
- Legal risks: As a seller, failure to understand your obligations and responsibilities could lead to you being conned by the buyer or even providing them with the wrong information, giving them the opportunity to sue.
If speeding up the conveyancing process is the main reason for considering DIY conveyancing another option could be for the same solicitor to be used for the buyer and seller. This could speed up the process if you trust there will be no conflict of interest.
When Should You Hire a Conveyancer Instead?
There are certain cases where DIY conveyancing is too complicated for those with no relevant experience. These situations typically crossover into other aspects of property law, such as probate or shared properties.
In the follow scenarios, you should hire a conveyancer instead of attempting the legal process alone:
Buying or selling an unregistered property
Buying or selling at auction or through a sealed bid
Buying or selling anything other than a freehold property
Buying or selling only part of a property
If the property is anything other than a house or flat
If the sellers are filing for divorce or separating
Find a Conveyancer
As we've stated above, while DIY conveyancing is possible, it is not recommended. A regulated conveyancer will have the knowledge, experience and skills to ensure a smooth conveyancing process. Buying and selling property can be a stressful time, so why not leave the legal tasks to the professionals?
Compare My Move will match you with up to 5 conveyancing solicitors in your area, allowing you to discuss your case and save money on your fees.
Our conveyancing partners have passed a strict verification process to join our network. This includes being regulated by either the SRA, CLC, LSS, LSNI or CILEX.
