What is Conveyancing: The Simplified Version!

So, it’s time to buy or sell your house in Norwich – a piece of cake, right? Of course not! We wouldn’t be surprised if one of the first questions you have is “What on earth is conveyancing?” Before you get knuckled down into the nitty-gritty of the legal world, let us give you a brief overview to start you off.

Keep reading to get a quick and easy rundown on what conveyancing actually is – without the jargon!

What is Conveyancing?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, conveyancing is ‘the process of moving the legal ownership of property or land from one person to another’. A very nice way to phrase the hefty amount of legal work and processes that must be followed when buying or selling a house.

A qualified and licensed conveyancer is responsible for making sure that all the relevant documents are transferred and signed, such as facilitating the exchange of contracts. In other words, conveyancing is essential when you buy or sell a property. You may wish to take on the job yourself, however, the majority of people hire a licensed conveyancer due to the complexity of the services required.

What’s the Conveyancing Process?

Once you have compared and chosen a licensed conveyancer or conveyancing solicitor, you can get started. The process itself begins once an offer has been accepted and the contracts will begin to be drafted. 

Whilst the process differs slightly depending on whether you are buying or selling a home, we have broken down the role of a conveyancer into bite-sized chunks for you to give you an idea!

  1. Agreement of sale
  2. Exchange of contracts
  3. Completion of the sale (the exciting part!)

Does that seem too simple? Okay, let’s look at the specific tasks a conveyancer will undertake. 

    • Local authority, environmental and drainage/water checks and searches
    • Stamp Duty payment (check out HMRC’s Stamp Duty overview)
    • Safely and securely transfer funds
    • Pay Land Registry fees
    • Draw up and check contracts
    • Exchange contracts

Compare Conveyancing Online

Are you feeling a little more clued up? Buying and selling a house is daunting, but it is also incredibly exciting. We recommend finding a licensed conveyancer to guide you along the process, however we know finding the right one can seem like a mammoth task.

To find yourself the perfect conveyancer, take advantage of our quick, trusted and extensive instant quote form. Whether you are looking for a conveyancing solicitor in Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire or anywhere else in the UK, you can compare several conveyancers by price and distance with the promise of no hidden referral fees. Try it today!