Q: Lawyer or DIY?

Q : Can you please explain the necessity or advantage of using a conveyancing solicitor as opposed to a DIY job? FPRA Director Shula Rich replies: First it entirely depends what you are doing. A lease extension new lease or lease variation may be more complicated than transfer of title. The law says that only a solicitor (or conveyancer) may transfer an interest in land or yourself. You can do it yourself or you can pay a suitably qualified person. The reason that 'anybody' can't do it is that land - unlike other things we purchase can't just be picked up and taken away with us - so the only way we can prove 'title' is to transfer the title at the Land Registry. When a property is sold the purchaser's solicitor will first of all make sure to prove 'good title' that all the documents are correct. Just because its done by the professionally qualified person of course doesn't mean it will always be right. (I've had bad experiences myself with a Solicitor sending me several forms with errors!) If you do it yourself it won't always be incorrect. There is just a likelihood that the more experienced person will know where the trip ups are. On the other hand the less experienced person might take infinite trouble If you want to do it yourself the Land Registry provides excellent Practice Guides. They are very helpful and (hopefully) you can rely on the Land Registry to return it to you if you get it wrong. In my RTM work we come across Land Registry entries with minor errors that need correcting. The LR itself is very helpful on the phone. They can't give 'legal' advice but will explain the forms if they aren't clear to you. All the guides are free they are beautifully written and very comprehensive.

Q: Lawyer or DIY?

Q : Can you please explain the necessity or advantage of using a conveyancing solicitor as opposed to a DIY job? FPRA Director Shula Rich replies: First it entirely depends what you are doing. A lease extension new lease or lease variation may be more complicated than transfer of title. The law says that only a solicitor (or conveyancer) may transfer an interest in land or yourself. You can do it yourself or you can pay a suitably qualified person. The reason that 'anybody' can't do it is that land - unlike other things we purchase can't just be picked up and taken away with us - so the only way we can prove 'title' is to transfer the title at the Land Registry. When a property is sold the purchaser's solicitor will first of all make sure to prove 'good title' that all the documents are correct. Just because its done by the professionally qualified person of course doesn't mean it will always be right. (I've had bad experiences myself with a Solicitor sending me several forms with errors!) If you do it yourself it won't always be incorrect. There is just a likelihood that the more experienced person will know where the trip ups are. On the other hand the less experienced person might take infinite trouble If you want to do it yourself the Land Registry provides excellent Practice Guides. They are very helpful and (hopefully) you can rely on the Land Registry to return it to you if you get it wrong. In my RTM work we come across Land Registry entries with minor errors that need correcting. The LR itself is very helpful on the phone. They can't give 'legal' advice but will explain the forms if they aren't clear to you. All the guides are free they are beautifully written and very comprehensive.

Question 1

Lawyer or DIY?

Accepted Answer

Q: Can you please explain the necessity or advantage of using a conveyancing solicitor as opposed to a DIY job? FPRA Director Shula Rich replies: First it entirely depends what you are doing. A lease extension new lease or lease variation may be more complicated than transfer of title. The law says that only a solicitor (or conveyancer) may transfer an interest in land or yourself. You can do it yourself or you can pay a suitably qualified person. The reason that 'anybody' can't do it is that land - unlike other things we purchase can't just be picked up and taken away with us - so the only way we can prove 'title' is to transfer the title at the Land Registry. When a property is sold the purchaser's solicitor will first of all make sure to prove 'good title' that all the documents are correct. Just because its done by the professionally qualified person of course doesn't mean it will always be right. (I've had bad experiences myself with a Solicitor sending me several forms with errors!) If you do it yourself it won't always be incorrect. There is just a likelihood that the more experienced person will know where the trip ups are. On the other hand the less experienced person might take infinite trouble If you want to do it yourself the Land Registry provides excellent Practice Guides. They are very helpful and (hopefully) you can rely on the Land Registry to return it to you if you get it wrong. In my RTM work we come across Land Registry entries with minor errors that need correcting. The LR itself is very helpful on the phone. They can't give 'legal' advice but will explain the forms if they aren't clear to you. All the guides are free they are beautifully written and very comprehensive.

Question 2

Lawyer or DIY?

Accepted Answer

Q: Can you please explain the necessity or advantage of using a conveyancing solicitor as opposed to a DIY job? FPRA Director Shula Rich replies: First it entirely depends what you are doing. A lease extension new lease or lease variation may be more complicated than transfer of title. The law says that only a solicitor (or conveyancer) may transfer an interest in land or yourself. You can do it yourself or you can pay a suitably qualified person. The reason that 'anybody' can't do it is that land - unlike other things we purchase can't just be picked up and taken away with us - so the only way we can prove 'title' is to transfer the title at the Land Registry. When a property is sold the purchaser's solicitor will first of all make sure to prove 'good title' that all the documents are correct. Just because its done by the professionally qualified person of course doesn't mean it will always be right. (I've had bad experiences myself with a Solicitor sending me several forms with errors!) If you do it yourself it won't always be incorrect. There is just a likelihood that the more experienced person will know where the trip ups are. On the other hand the less experienced person might take infinite trouble If you want to do it yourself the Land Registry provides excellent Practice Guides. They are very helpful and (hopefully) you can rely on the Land Registry to return it to you if you get it wrong. In my RTM work we come across Land Registry entries with minor errors that need correcting. The LR itself is very helpful on the phone. They can't give 'legal' advice but will explain the forms if they aren't clear to you. All the guides are free they are beautifully written and very comprehensive.

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