Property transfer in South Africa cannot happen without a conveyancing attorney. Unlike many countries where buyers or sellers can handle their own transfer paperwork, South African law requires that a qualified conveyancer handle the deeds registration process. This creates a situation where most buyers and sellers accept whoever the seller nominates or whoever the bank appoints — without knowing whether that attorney is efficient, fairly priced, or accessible when problems arise. Slow conveyancers, poor communication, and unnecessary delays cost all parties money and extend uncertainty about when a deal will finally close.
This guide explains what a conveyancing attorney actually does, what the costs involved look like, how to evaluate attorneys if you have a choice, and what the common causes of transfer delays are — so you know whether a delay is normal or a sign that something needs to be chased.
What a Conveyancing Attorney Does
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from seller to buyer, and registering that transfer in the Deeds Office. The conveyancing attorney manages the entire process: preparing the transfer documents, obtaining rates clearance certificates from the municipality, attending to bond cancellation if the seller has an existing bond, coordinating with the buyer's bond attorney if the buyer is using finance, and eventually lodging all documents at the Deeds Office for simultaneous registration.
There are typically three attorneys involved in a bonded transaction: the transferring attorney (appointed by the seller, handles the actual ownership transfer), the bond attorney (appointed by the buyer's bank, handles the mortgage registration), and the cancellation attorney (appointed by the seller's bank, cancels the existing bond). Each charges separately. The buyer typically pays the transfer duty (a government tax), the transfer attorney's fees, and the bond attorney's fees. The seller pays the cancellation attorney's fees.
Transfer duty is calculated on a sliding scale: properties under R1,100,000 attract 0% transfer duty (as of 2026). Properties between R1,100,001 and R1,512,500 attract 3% on the amount above R1,100,000. The rate increases in brackets above that. Transfer duty is paid to SARS, not to the attorney — but the attorney facilitates the payment.
What Conveyancing Should Cost
Conveyancing fees are calculated according to a tariff recommended (not mandated) by the Law Society of South Africa, based on the purchase price. While attorneys are free to charge more or less, most follow the recommended tariff as a baseline.
On a R1.5 million purchase, the transfer attorney's fees are approximately R22,000–R26,000 including VAT. The bond attorney's fees on a R1.2 million bond are approximately R18,000–R22,000. Together with transfer duty (roughly R12,000 on R1.5 million) and other disbursements (Deeds Office fees, rates clearance), a buyer on a R1.5 million purchase should budget R60,000–R75,000 in total transaction costs above the purchase price.
Ask for a fee estimate in writing before your transaction starts. A conveyancing attorney should be able to provide a reasonably accurate estimate once they know the purchase price and bond amount. Be wary of estimates that exclude disbursements — the full cost is what matters, not just the professional fee.
How to Choose a Conveyancing Attorney
In most transactions, the seller nominates the transferring attorney and the buyer has limited input unless the parties agree otherwise. However, buyers can negotiate this — if you have a preferred attorney with a strong track record, it is worth requesting. For sellers, the choice of transfer attorney is yours.
Key factors when choosing:
Specialisation. A conveyancing attorney handles property transfers exclusively or as a primary practice area. An attorney who does conveyancing occasionally alongside other work is not the same as one whose office does hundreds of transfers per year. Volume and specialisation drive efficiency and knowledge of current Deeds Office practices.
Communication. Transfer takes 6–10 weeks under normal conditions. During that time, most buyers and sellers receive almost no communication unless they chase. A good conveyancing attorney provides regular milestone updates — documents signed, rates clearance received, lodgement date confirmed, registration date confirmed. Ask any prospective attorney how they communicate progress before you appoint them.
Location near the Deeds Office. While most communication is electronic, attorneys with offices near or in the city where the Deeds Office is located often lodge faster. Cape Town transactions go through the Cape Town Deeds Office; Gauteng transactions through Johannesburg or Pretoria. Ask the attorney which Deeds Office they primarily work with and how often they lodge.
Common Causes of Transfer Delays
Understanding what causes delays helps you know when to push and when to accept that the process takes time.
Rates clearance. The municipality must confirm that all rates and taxes on the property are paid up before transfer can occur. Some municipalities take 4–6 weeks to issue clearance certificates. This is a process constraint, not attorney negligence — though a good attorney chases the municipality and escalates when the timeline extends.
SARS clearance. Transfer duty must be paid and cleared by SARS before Deeds Office lodgement. SARS typically processes this within 5–10 business days once payment is submitted. Delays here are usually caused by the buyer being slow to pay transfer duty, or SARS system backlogs.
Bond approval conditions. If the buyer's bond approval has conditions that are not yet met (valuation, insurance confirmation, payslips), the bond attorney cannot proceed. This is the buyer's responsibility to resolve.
Deeds Office backlogs. Once lodged, registration takes 7–10 working days under normal conditions, but Deeds Office backlogs can extend this. This is outside anyone's control once lodgement has occurred.
Quick Checklist Before You Appoint
- Ask for a written fee estimate including all disbursements — not just the professional fee
- Confirm how the attorney communicates progress — ask for milestone update frequency
- Check whether the attorney specialises in conveyancing or handles it occasionally alongside other work
- Verify they are admitted as a conveyancer (not just an attorney) — only admitted conveyancers can lodge at the Deeds Office
- Ask how many transfers they complete per month — volume indicates efficiency and Deeds Office familiarity
- If you are a buyer, ask whether you can request a preferred attorney in your offer to purchase
- Budget for total transaction costs including transfer duty, transfer fees, bond fees, and disbursements
- Keep copies of all signed documents throughout the process — do not rely solely on the attorney's records
Reviews from buyers and sellers who have used specific conveyancing attorneys give you real insight into communication quality and transfer timelines — KiesSlim makes it easy to find and compare attorneys in your city based on actual client experiences.