How much does a conveyancer cost?

The fees that conveyancing attorneys charge depend on the work that they are instructed to do. 

Most of the time, a conveyancing attorney will be instructed to attend to the legal process to change the ownership rights of a property from one person to another. The most common example is where there is a Seller and a Buyer and the property ownership is being de-registered from the Seller’s name and registered in the Buyer’s name. The fees that the conveyancing attorney is likely to charge is based on the standard tariff which is published and applicable to all conveyancing attorneys within South Africa. The fee guideline is based on a scale which increases or decreases depending on the property price.  Most of the time the fees will be paid by the Buyer, but not always.

In other instances, a conveyancing attorney could be instructed to provide specialist legal advice on property law and in such a case, the conveyancing attorney’s fees will depend on the client’s needs, the type of work involved and the time spent by the attorney.

You need to first identify what you want to do when it comes to property and then you can get an idea of who you will be paying and for what services you will be paying.

The fee guideline for the day-to-day transfers of property can be accessed here

 

Do you have an online calculator to calculator the costs of the house that I want to buy?

We do! You can either view our breakdown of the standard costs in PDF document, or you can use our online calculator tool here

Remember, there are 2 sets of costs; 1) for the costs of the conveyancing attorney who is providing the legal services to register the property to the new owner; and 2) the costs of the legal services of a conveyancing attorney to register the mortgage bond.

 

Can my conveyancer help me get another mortgage bond?

Yes, conveyancers can help give you advice on how to get a second, third or fourth mortgage bond and guide you on what to do about talking to your bank to get another bond.  Conveyancing attorneys can even help you with the paperwork when you are getting a private bond.  It is always best to make a list of your financial requirements and questions and then set up an appointment with your attorney to get advice on what to do and how to go about it.

 

The estate agent has recommended a conveyancer to me. Is this normal? 

Yes.  Experienced estate agents who have worked with a number of different conveyancers over the years can recommend a conveyancing attorney who they have worked with or who they think could be best suited to assist you.  Legal services are usually a ‘grudge’ spend but if you are provided with good service and proper legal advice, your money will be well spent.

It is always best to make up your own mind on which conveyancing attorney to appoint so it is good to gather a few recommendations from the experts in the industry before making a final decision.A good conveyancing attorney will be able to provide you with legal advice that is not limited only to the process of the change of ownership rights of property.

 

Do I still need a conveyancer if I sell my house privately? 

Yes, you still need a conveyancer to carry out the legal process to change the ownership from your name to the new owner and to comply with all the legal obligations.  It is always recommended that you get advice before you sign a sale agreement, even if it is a private agreement, so you know what legal process is needed after the sale. 

Does the buyer and seller use the same conveyancer?

Yes, there is one conveyancing attorney who is looking after both buyer and seller to complete the legal conveyancing transfer process.

How do I transfer my house into my children’s names?

Transferring a property to your children or other family members depends on your personal circumstances and a specialist conveyancing attorney will be able to give you the legal advice on what documents to collect, the process that will need to be followed and the costs involved.

Once I’ve contacted a conveyancer how long is the transfer process?

The length of the transfer process all depends on the people involved, the type of ownership rights, the details of what has been agreed and the type of property involved.  It is always best to allow a  timeframe of 3months, but this can be reduced or increased depending on the circumstances.