Diary of a High Street Conveyancer – Handbags vs houses

I lost two possible new clients this week. I always follow up with clients after sending a quote and in both of these cases I was told that I was too expensive. 

What was interesting about one of these prospective clients is that when I asked if they had considered my quote, they told me that they had, they could see I was more expensive and they knew they could get it cheaper. Indeed they were waiting for quotes from one other firm and thought they would go with them as they knew them to be cheaper.

Perhaps the fact they were waiting for a quote three days after requesting it should have rung some alarm bells!

I know its a soapbox I regularly jump on but we need to keep our fees high. More importantly we need to make sure clients know why our fees might be more than they would expect. We carry out high risk work, and with more and more possible changes coming, we need the public to appreciate what we do and the burden we shoulder for them. It is one of the themes of the upcoming National Conveyancing Month which starts next week. I would urge you to get involved not only in listening to the many presentations throughout the month, but also use it as a platform for promoting yourselves, and the important role we play in the conveyancing transaction. .

It still surprises me that clients will look for the cheapest.

A must admit though I found a recent shopping experience enlightening. I was looking for a new briefcase on Vinted… a popular buying and selling app where at the click of a button you can buy a designer suit for less than it would be in the shop. Offer a lower price and get an almost immediate response from the seller.  Everything is so easy… payment is simple, the address label is digital and printed by the Post Office, and the item arrives in a few days.

Buying an item through Vinted and buying a house are both ways of transferring ownership of an item. Is this where we’re falling down? Why can’t buying a house be as easy as buying a designer shirt on Vinted? Is Is this how the younger generation think? Surely we are just transferring ownership; perhaps they believe that they can tick the box after completion to say that the item was not satisfactory and request a refund!?

But when buying on Vinted, you are responsible for your purchase. You do not have anyone else advising you (unless you are of the older generation, buying on the platform for the first time and you need your niece or nephew to help!). Buying a house is governed by many rules and regulations and the solicitor has the professional obligations to ensure that the title to the property is good and marketable. There is high financial risk and losses can be huge.

So no, buying a new bag on Vinted and buying a house are not the same. So let’s not promote them as the same. Let us promote the fact that buying a house is not quick, cheap and free of risk.   Let us keep our fees high and explain to clients why they are high.

Now off to look for that pair of designer jeans I have wanted for years…

This column is written by a real high street conveyancer who wishes to remain anonymous. Read more in Today’s Conveyancer every week.