Conveyancing costs for local authority loans
Hyland raised the high legal fees involved in local authority loan and mortgage transactions and called for action to protect people with limited resources. The Minister said he was examining possible solutions and would consider the Restrictive Practices Commission’s recommendations, without committing to a legislative outcome.
In view of the proposed promise of legislation, will the Minister take steps to ensure that the high level of solicitor involvement in conveyancing is no longer necessary particularly in relation to local authority loans and mortgages? This has become a big problem for people with limited resources. In some cases it costs up to £1,000 in legal fees for such transactions. Does the Minister propose to deal with this under any new legislation?
Comment on this
(Limerick East): I will take into account the recommendations contained in the report of the Restrictive Practices Commission following their inquiry into restrictions on conveyancing and advertising by solicitors. I will not give any commitment as to what the result of that examination will be in the legislation. I do not want to pre-empt Government decisions and I must put the case to Government.
Comment on this
Does the Minister agree that this is very serious and that legislation or regulations should be brought in to deal with it? In many cases these people are totally exploited by the legal profession.