Can I do my own conveyancing?

C

consumer

Guest
I know that consumers in England and in other countries can do their own conveyancing and that the process here is very similar to that in England. I also note that the Consumer Association in England publish the "Which?" Guide to Doing Your Own Conveyancing ("Which?" Consumer Guides) by Paul Butt. This is available through Amazon for £8.99.

Setting aside any issue about whether I would be wise to do it myself, can anybody confirm whether there is any law which would prevent me doing the conveyancing of my own property in Ireland.
 
lender's terms....

If you are using a lender, you might want to check with them if they will accept you doing your own conveyancing?
 
Nope

Simple answer is no. The Law Society have the whole scene sewn up. The law says that only those who have purchased an insurance bond with The Law Society may engage in conveyance. And, funnily enough, the only ones who can get the insurance are solicitors !!!

If ever there was a contract in restraint of trade, there's one there.

The Competition Authority singled out conveyancing a number of years ago as being a market that's been quietly sewn up, but nothing was ever done about it. Too many politicians are lawyers, or in another protected profession for them to want to rock the boat.

And, as always, 'tis the poor auld consumer who picks up the tab
 
DIY conveyancing

"The law says that only those who have purchased an insurance bond with The Law Society may engage in conveyance. And, funnily enough, the only ones who can get the insurance are solicitors !!!"

This is not actually true.

And I don't know how the conveyaning market can be described as "quietly sewn up" when the issue has been the subject of a widely publicised report from the CA.

However, it is true that nobody (other than a solicitor) is entitled to offer paid conveyancing services in Ireland. And it is also true that lenders would not be interested in dealing with a DIY conveyancer.

The opening up of this work to a "licensed conveyancer" in the ineterests of competition is a debate which has been threshed out many times here and elsewhere, so I won't re-hash it here.

However, it is obvious from even a cursory perusal of this site that there are many solicitors out there competing keenly on price for conveyancing work.
 
Keen?

"However, it is obvious from even a cursory perusal of this site that there are many solicitors out there competing keenly on price for conveyancing work."

Given that the Competition Authority singled this area out as an area of special concern, they’re obviously not keenly priced enough !
 
Do it yourself

If there is no mortgage you can do the conveyance by yourself.

If there is a mortgage the lender will insist on solicitor doing their side of the transaction and you will be charged the same amount whether you do the conveyance or not.
 
Is it possible to do my own conveyncing if I am selling my house and no mortgage is involved.
 
Not really. There is too much involved - no solicitor for a purchaser will want to deal with you - they'd end up doing all the work as they unpicked each error you would undoubtedly make.

mf
 
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