When you’re buying or selling a home, it pays to have a good conveyancer on your team to guide you through the legal process. They’ll make what can be a complicated process seem easy, protect your interests and save you from considerable stress.
Sadly, not all conveyancers in Melbourne are good.
Choose the wrong one and, at best, you might end up frustrated by their poor service. But, at worse, a bad conveyancer might cut corners and fail to give you the right advice. That may mean you end up with a whole host of pre- and post-settlement problems.
So, given there’s so much at stake, how do you tell the difference between a good conveyancer and a bad one?
Specialist knowledge
Law is a huge area of practice, with property law a small subset of this. To further complicate matters, property law in Australia differs from state to state.
It goes without saying that a good conveyancer has this expertise in spades – and will have the academic qualifications and background to prove it.
A bad conveyancer, on the other hand, will have a weak understanding of Victorian property law, and be sloppy to boot. As a result, they might miss important filing deadlines, incorrectly prepare documentation and cause you unnecessary complications.
Experience
Experience goes hand in hand with expertise. So the more often a conveyancer has handled transactions similar to yours, the better they’ll be at spotting any potential problems. They’ll also know how to overcome them, so your property transaction doesn’t come to a standstill.
So when looking for a conveyancer, don’t be afraid to ask them probing questions about their background and experience. If they don’t give you credible answers, it may be wise to take your business elsewhere.
Communication
A good conveyancer is available whenever you need them, keeping you informed of any developments or issues without you having to constantly chase them by phone or email.
They’ll also have an uncanny ability to translate complex legal processes and jargon into simple, straightforward English – so you can make well-informed decisions throughout.
Conversely, bad conveyancers can be hard to get hold of and often struggle to explain technical matters in plain English. That’s why using a bad conveyancer can be such a stressful experience.
Attention to detail
The devil is really in the detail when it comes to property law, as any error may delay or even derail settlement.
A great conveyancer doesn’t believe in checking the piles of paperwork once or even twice. They’ll keep on checking until absolutely everything is spot-on perfect.
But beware the bad conveyancer as they often do the bare minimum of work, which means they can miss important details.
Fees
While different conveyancers have different fee structures, good conveyancers don’t have anything to hide, so they’ll always be upfront about their fees and provide a quote in advance.
Adam Zuchowski is a senior property lawyer at offtheplanconveyancer.com.au.
Need a good conveyancer in Melbourne to handle your property transaction? Contact us today or call 03 9070 9810 to find out how Sutton Laurence King can make your transaction hassle-free.