A conveyancing solicitor is a special type of solicitor who primarily deals with conveyance work. This article aims to give those who are interested in a career as a conveyancing solicitor some more information about what this type of solicitor does.
What does a conveyancing solicitor do?
A conveyancing solicitor is a solicitor who specialises in the legal processes which need to be conducted when a person is buying or selling a property. Conveyancing can also be conducted by a licensed conveyancer or by the buyer/seller of the property. Unless they already have experience, buyers and sellers are not recommended to do their own conveyancing, because it could lead to some very costly mistakes.
The conveyancer deals with all of the legal aspects which are involved with moving house. As well as helping the buyer and the seller to legally complete the transaction, they also provide their client with necessary information which can help them to make an informed choice about whether the purchase is a good idea or not. For example, they carry out special searches (Local searches and land charges searches etc) which can tell the buyers about things that they might not have found out about otherwise, such as potential flood risks or nearby sewage plants.
Once the buyer has been presented with this information they can make a decision about whether or not they would like to continue with the purchase. The buyer must still pay the conveyancer for any work that they have already done, including the cost of the searches, however, it is likely that pulling out could help to save them from much higher costs in future.
Two of the most important tasks which are carried out by the conveyancing solicitors are to draw up the title deeds of the property and to draw up the mortgage deeds. These deeds help to legally transfer ownership of the property once the stipulated conditions have been met, and they help to formally set out the terms of the mortgage for the buyer.
Qualifications
Most conveyancing solicitors will have chosen to specialise in property law as part of their law degree. A conveyancing solicitor must be a member of the Law Society and they must be authorised to practice by the Society.
Licensed Conveyancers have less training than solicitors do, and they are usually less expensive to hire. Both conveyancing solicitors and licensed conveyancers must be members of the Council of Licensed Conveyancers. This body helps to regulate those who are practicing as conveyancers.
Salary
There is no minimum salary for a conveyancing solicitor, other than the national minimum wage of the United Kingdom. However, most new conveyancing solicitors will earn between £18,000 and £22,000. This is likely to rise as they take on more responsibility. On the other hand, licensed conveyancers will earn around £16,000. Those who run specialised conveyancing firms can earn as much as £60000 per year.
Continuous Professional Development
In order to maintain their Licensed Conveyancer status, conveyancing solicitors are required to complete either six hours or twelve hours of continuous professional development every year, depending on their qualified status. This type of training is designed to ensure that their knowledge continues to be relevant, so that they can continue to provide their clients with the best possible service.
Working Hours
Most conveyancing solicitors will work 35 – 40 hour weeks between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. Much of the work that these solicitors do is done during the course of the normal working day in the United Kingdom, because they need to collaborate with and converse with other people who are on this schedule. They are unlikely to get the same results outside of standard working hours.