For most of my legal career (50 years) I have been involved in the transfer of residential, commercial and agricultural properties. With regard to residential conveyancing, the vast majority of transactions are about people buying and selling homes. 

My experience is that when a client buys a home, they wish to acquire a residence without any problems that they were not made aware of at the time of purchase – and when they come to sell, that there are no problems that could and should have been sorted at the time of purchase.

Insurance does not satisfy that criterion – it is a cure, not prevention. Further insurance requires, where relevant, full disclosure to insurers.

I suspect that there will be many instances where full disclosure has not been made and as a result insurers will refuse to pay out (and it is then likely that it will be the solicitors who are sued).

My experience suggests that those of us who look after clients and give them the service they require, when they are buying and selling homes, will continue to be rewarded with recommendations and repeat business.

Many who are critical of the conveyancing process fail to appreciate that it involves more areas of law than any other area of legal work.

Richard Tinn, Sills & Betteridge, Boston, Lincs

 

 

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