Solicitors advise purchasers in most circumstances to get a property they are buying surveyed. The Conveyancing Committee has received reports that up to 20% of purchasers are disregarding this advice. If this unwise practice spreads, the committee is concerned that solicitors may find themselves in the firing line, even though they gave very sound advice.

Rory O’Donnell, a member of the committee, adopted a practice of sending clients a detailed memo with a view to both giving good advice and also having a written record of that fact. His memo has been revised with assistance from other members of the committee and has been approved in principle by the committee. It is published in the Precedents section of the Law Society’s website, and colleagues are invited to adapt this in any way they wish and send a copy to clients in appropriate cases with a suitable covering letter.

If you alter the text in any material way, any attribution to Rory O’Donnell or the Conveyancing Committee should be removed.