Health insurance coverage guide

What Is Conveyancing?

Conveyancing is one thing that the majority of us will find ourselves interested in at some point in our lives, but what is it? Conveyancing is the operation of switching legal possession of (or conveying) land from one individual to another.

Why is Conveyancing So Complicated?

A question people often ask is, how come I could purchase a luxury automobile or a piece of jewellery, which could cost as much if not more than a house, without requiring a lawyer or even having to sign anything, but I can’t do the same with a house? The answer is that land is considered much more important than any other possession and as such a whole body of law developed to deal with land ownership and the conveyancing process.

Unlike a car or a piece of jewellery, the land you own can affect other people. Others may have rights in it, such as a tenant’s right to occupy or a neighbour’s right of way. It can generate income both for the land owner and for those who have rights in it. Due to the importance of land there have been many laws made to protect people’s interests and many disputes resolved in the courts. As a result there are many things to consider when buying land that don’t arise when buying any other possession. The purpose of the conveyancing process is therefore to ensure that the buyer is aware of any interests or other matters that affect the land and that all valid interests are protected.

Do You Need Special Qualifications In Order To Offer Conveyancing Services?

Only a qualified solicitor, licenced conveyancer or barrister is allowed by law to provide conveyancing services in return for money. If an unqualified person carries out activities such as drafting a contract or transfer deed or making an application for registration (these are known as “reserved legal activities”) for a reward then under the Legal Services Act 2007 they are committing an offence, one punishable with a hefty fine (and even a conviction and term of imprisonment).

Is DIY Conveyancing Possible?

There is nothing illegal about DIY conveyancing so technically the answer is yes, though there are some obstacles. First, if you are buying a property and you are obtaining a mortgage the lender will insist that a solicitor is appointed to act for them at your expense. Conveyancing fees can easily spiral under these circumstances.

In conveyancing, when a solicitor acts for a purchaser he usually also acts for the mortgage lender for no extra fee so, although you could act for yourself while the conveyancing solicitor acts for your lender, you probably wouldn’t save any money or for that matter gain any other advantage.

Secondly, conveyancing is, contrary to what some might say, more than just a form filling exercise. It is true that much of the work is administrative but a knowledge of the law is required to ensure that there are no defects with the title which might cause problems for the purchaser in future. Any problems that do exist may not be immediately apparent and may not not come to light until the owner comes to sell the property on. As well as giving the benefit of legal knowledge and experience, instructing a conveyancing lawyer means that if he makes a mistake, you can recover your losses from his insurance – a comfort you don’t have if you do the work yourself.

How Long Will the Conveyancing Take?

Unfortunately there is no definitive answer to that. Several factors have to be considered when putting a time-frame to the conveyancing process such as how complex the transaction is, if there is a chain, what position the other elements are in relative to your own and of course the efficiency of your conveyancing solicitor! A ballpark figure however would be 6 – 8 weeks for a freehold transaction or 8 – 12 weeks for a leasehold transaction.

What Does Assisted Living Really Cost?

The expensive of living in a particular area, facilities’ onsite amenities, and extent of services provided help dictate costs as you would expect. The cost of Assisted Living across the country ranges from $1500 to $5000 monthly with the average probably somewhere around $2500-$3500 per month. These statistics and following information are based on my personal findings as a Nursing Assistant researching numerous facilities for families in need of housing and or Nursing Assistants care for their aging loved ones. The base monthly rent also depends on whether the accommodations are semi-private or private rooms, suites sharing bathrooms, studios with or without kitchens and one, two, or three bedroom apartments. Actual square footage, room location i.e. distance from dining room, and desirable views may be cause for further price variation within a certain care center. The monthly rent is actually considered as room and board with daily meals provided, in addition to housekeeping, laundry and transportation services. Be sure to know whether 1, 2 or 3 meals are served, whether every day or just certain days of week and if snacks are offered.

Admitting, entry, community, endowment or buy-in fees all refer to the possible up-front money that may be required prior to moving in. Although many of the Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) or Life Care Communities still commonly require these fees, it seems to be getting less in recent years. Monthly rents in CCRCs are comparable to those in Assisted Living Facilities without the entry fee. The Assisted Living and in-home Nursing Assistant element of these communities offering the continuum of Nursing Assistants care is very attractive to many, but frequently less available then 55+ community accommodations.Assisted Living or in-home Nursing Assistants is very attractive to many but most of the time less available then 55+ community accomodations. I have found it to be difficult to enter at the Assisted Living level of nursing assistants care as priority is given to in-house 55+ community residents who are waiting. If this kind of community appeals to you, be sure to plan ahead and have a professional financial or legal advisor review long-term care contracts..

Make sure you don’t get fooled by thinking you’re done after paying the base rent Most Assisted Living Facilities or in-home Nursing Assistants care have some structure for different levels of care established with a corresponding costs schedule. The levels of care might be described as minimal, moderate, and maximal or as care assist and care enhanced. A care center might use a numeric system from 1 to 3 or 1 to 5 based on a the number of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) a person needs a Nursing Assistant with. Such as bathing, grooming, dressing, and medication monitoring.This could consist of a certain amount of care in this base rent limited to about 30 minutes daily. Others who ascribe to a point system where the Nursing Assistant assessing the resident marks off points for his or her care taking. Regardless of the facility’s practice, it’s important to understand this ala-carte method of assigning levels of care with fee increments of $300-$400 for each level can add up to $2000 additional monthly costs. Most facilities are very forthcoming in explaining their fee structures thoroughly so there will be no surprises later. It is in their best interest as well as the potential resident to understand what is included in the monthly rent and what is considered additional. Most facilities have additional charges for medications, personal hygiene and medical supplies.

Understand that the monthly rent for most facilities includes utilities except for phone and perhaps cable TV. Remember you will no longer have the financial burden of homeowner’s insurance, property taxes, home maintenance and repairs. But have the convenience of the care of a Nursing Assistant.