The Legal Ombudsman has published advice on how best to keep clients on side during the conveyancing process.
Conveyancing accounted for 23% of complaints last year with the Ombudsman saying managing expectations is the key to avoid giving your client conveyancing nightmares. They also recommend passing on printed information sheets as verbally.
The Ombudsman’s guidance goes onto say: “A failure to advise clients appropriately, delays, and poor costs information usually drive conveyancing related complaints to our scheme.
“With almost 1 million property transactions taking place each year in the UK, complaints are low relatively speaking. But for those people affected by poor service, the results can be serious. We recently published details of a client who had sleepless nights after her service provider left her open to more than £20,000 worth of repair costs.
“So how can you prevent poor service? Managing a client’s expectations from the outset is a good start. As is explaining what their role does and doesn’t cover in plain language.
“It might be obvious to an experienced solicitor, but first time buyers may not know who is going to take care of any building or structural issues with the house. You can help by explaining that they will need a surveyor to do this for them. Likewise with any concerns over plumbing, working order of appliances, or in terms of seeking advice on the feasibility of future building work.”
The Ombudsman have also published printable guidance for conveyancers to pass on to their clients which is available here.
