Becoming a Conveyancer
Tuesday June 23, 2009
Conveyancing is the practice or legal processes involved in property law, specifically when transferring the title of a property from a seller to a buyer. Becoming a licensed conveyancer is ideal for those who either already have practice within Australian property law or are interested in a career that deals with the real estate and property industry. A conveyance will be required for any form of Contract for Sale of Land and will need to satisfy several different areas of property law for a sale to be completed including government authority proposals, surveys, condition of the property as regards building and pests, local council and state government compliance, leases, mortgages, stamp duty, easements and covenants, strata reports, GST and land tax, council and water rates.
In every state and territory of Australia there is a governing body that is responsible for the administration of the Conveyancers Licensing Act and the issue of conveyancers' licenses, typically the Office of Fair Trading.
There are several methods to pursue for those who want to become a conveyance. There are TAFE courses available including Diploma in Financial Services (Conveyancing) which requires a completed Year 12 with a minimum C grade in four accredited subjects including English and mathematics although special cases and alternative option are available.
In certain Australian states conveyancers need to obtain a Settlement Agent's Licence through the Department of Consumer and Employment Affairs to practice with a minimum two years experience required while lawyers are able to apply for a Settlement Agent's Licence automatically. Self-employed conveyancers are required to have a Triennial Certificate as issued by the Settlement Agents Supervisory Board. However, many conveyancers chose to operate within large firms or law firms that specialize in conveyancing. It is important to note that Conveyancers must undertake ongoing professional development each year to retain their licence.
The future of conveyancing is set to develop quickly with the planned introduction of electronic conveyancing procedures with conveyancing institutes available for membership in all capital cities and states.
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