Should I do my conveyancing online?

This morning I ordered my food shopping, booked a holiday and read the news online. I even considered purchasing a husband online. Yes, it is possible to rent a husband online. It’s an amazing thing; your husband can cook, clean – who thought a husband could do either of those! Anyway, this is not the point I’m trying to make. Managing your life online is cheap, efficient, and easy.

The same applies to online conveyancing. Many are choosing to undertake the legal side of buying or selling a property from behind a computer screen. In my rockets and aliens pyjamas, I can instruct an online conveyancer to take on the process in a cost-effective and hassle-free manner.

But are there risks? As with an internet husband, the saying ‘what you get is what you pay for’ applies to online conveyancing.

Moving home is, for most, the largest financial investment they will ever make. Conveyancing quotes and fees can be misleading. There are often hidden extras in the small print and the lack of local expertise can lead to greater costs and wasted time in the long run, when additional issues arise.

Short term savings vs. long term gains

Searches are carried out to discover additional information about a property that often isn’t obvious. This part of the process is crucial. Searches identify where planning permission may be granted for a future development affecting the worth of your property, including chancel rights, the quality of the ground on which your house is built, or details of common drains.

These various strands of investigation can bring to light different issues as well as problems common to an area that can affect each property differently. Online conveyancing companies do not guarantee the same conveyancer throughout the process and therefore cannot provide as efficient and locally knowledgeable service as a Saffron Walden- or Haverhill-based solicitor.

But what if all searches undertaken come up clear and you reach completion?

Consider what could happen if in a worst case scenario you discover major legal defects after completion, or even ten or fifteen years later. Sometimes the crucial information is not what is immediately apparent in the documents before you, but what you wouldn’t have the legal knowledge to identify yourself and is therefore concealed. This highlights the need for a qualified local solicitor to undertake the legal side of buying or selling a home.

“A good quality local solicitor who is familiar with the area and has a depth of knowledge is often better than solicitors out of town. In addition cheaper online options can often be a false economy and can cause delays and issues in the conveyance process.” Bruce King, Cheffins Estate Agents.

So, going back to cheap. While it is unwise to pay too much, it is worse to pay too little. When spending £100,000 on a property, is it truly worthwhile to save £100 by going online?

While it is not immediately apparent, your local solicitor can ensure a faster, more efficient and friendly process to guarantee your peace of mind. While the internet means I rarely need to venture out into the cold, there are occasions where I am tempted out of my woolly rockets and aliens pyjamas to visit my local friendly solicitor.