29-05-2018, 03:02 PM
Governments have in the past legislated against closed shops in their fight against trade union power. I thought they had largely succeeded until I tried to do my own conveyancing on a house purchase. I had done it before but that was a long time ago and things have changed. First, the vendor's solicitor refused to liaise with me - until I threatened to pull out of the purchase and the vendor then threatened the solicitor with losing his business. Then at the registration phase I discover the Land Registry (LR) charges private individuals double the fees it charges solicitors to register the land - same work, different fees. Then the LR requires me to prove my identity by getting my passport and photograph checked, and the only authority they will accept is a ... solicitor or other legal bod, or themselves. LRs are some distance away so I naturally tried a solicitor. Then another one. Then another. And another. Nyet! They all refused to do it, and most would not give a reason. One said it was their policy not to do any identity verification if they have not been doing the conveyancing work. To me, it looks just like a closing of the ranks amongst solicitors to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to do their own conveyancing. Keep the business in the closed shop!
OK, next step a LR office which is about 70 miles away. Three days notice required, and all requests by e-media. Then I get a message to say they will endeavour to answer the next working day but I should allow up to 5 working days. Jeeps. By then I will have moved and I'll be 100 miles away!
The whole purchasing process is even worse than it was 30 years ago - full of bureaucracy, regulation, ever more hoops to jump through. The lawyers have created the perfect framework for themselves - more and more obstacles for the private citizen, more and more costs, and more and more income for them. And the LR has aided and abetted them all the way through and indeed jumped onto the bandwagon. Small wonder so many MPs are lawyers. They can just legislate more and more work for their own kind.
OK, next step a LR office which is about 70 miles away. Three days notice required, and all requests by e-media. Then I get a message to say they will endeavour to answer the next working day but I should allow up to 5 working days. Jeeps. By then I will have moved and I'll be 100 miles away!
The whole purchasing process is even worse than it was 30 years ago - full of bureaucracy, regulation, ever more hoops to jump through. The lawyers have created the perfect framework for themselves - more and more obstacles for the private citizen, more and more costs, and more and more income for them. And the LR has aided and abetted them all the way through and indeed jumped onto the bandwagon. Small wonder so many MPs are lawyers. They can just legislate more and more work for their own kind.