In any complex area, there will always be a divide between what the experts know and what the general public understands. The nature of modern news and social media means it is much easier for myths to grow and spread before anyone has the chance to debunk them. Conveyancing is not exempt from those challenges.

Buying a house is complicated. There are a lot of documents and legal requirements involved. You want to know that it is all necessary and that you can trust everyone involved. It is much easier to judge conveyancing solicitors in Bromley with this knowledge. Sometimes consulting with experts such as those at Sam Conveyancing can help, but if you want insight of your own, here are some of those myths explained.

1. The conveyancing system is irreparably broken

When you see the complicated and often expensive conveyancing system, you may think the best answer is to shut it all down and start again. That is certainly an idea that recurs among those who have had bad experiences of conveyancing. Bad experiences do not make something irredeemable, however, and considering the millions of properties that have been exchanged in the last few years, most people are clearly making it work. It just requires some patience.

2. Modern technology is slowing things down

There are very few areas where nostalgia does not creep in and tell us things today are a poor shadow of what we had in the past. Many people think conveyancing used to be much simpler, and it is just the attempts to modernise that have made it less efficient. There is always an adjustment period when new technology is introduced, but it should be acknowledged that it allows quicker communication and better handling of large amounts of data. The launch of e-conveyancing simplified many areas even whilst adding new difficulties

3. Quality is reflected in price

It is a common refrain across a range of products and services. If you pay more, you will receive more in return. It is certainly why lawyers like to charge high fees. There are cases where lowering the price means cutting corners, but that is by no means a guarantee. The actual value of the work, or the efficiency that appropriate fees should allow, can be obfuscated by unnecessarily complex systems and layers of bureaucracy.

4. Lawyers explain things badly

Lawyers spend a lot of time studying to become qualified in their profession. The law is a thorny area for people who do not have that level of legal education. This leads to clients having unrealistic expectations. A lawyer needs to earn the confidence of their client so they can act on their behalf, but trying to explain all the niceties of conveyancing to manage expectations is likely to be a time-consuming and futile process that detracts from the important business of representing their client’s interests.

5. The public want to know the details

If the public knew about every aspect of the conveyancing process, they would not hire conveyancing solicitors. For the most part, they want their lawyer to handle the difficult details so they can concentrate on the most salient points, such as cost and time. The simpler conveyancing is for them, the better.

These are just five myths that are often encountered in conveyancing. It is not about completely reworking the system or trying to bring a layperson’s knowledge up to the level of a conveyancing solicitor. It is about trying to simplify the process so it can be as quick and affordable as possible – a challenging but not impossible aim.