Correct Conveyancing

I used Claire Seears for conveyancing when purchasing my property in Dingley Village. Not long after settlement, I received a letter from Kingston Council advising that the pool/spa barrier compliance certificate (Form 23) had been overdue since June 2022. This meant the property was already non-compliant before I bought it.

I organised an independent inspection and the report confirmed several non-compliances – a barrier gap over 100mm, issues with the boundary fence (lattice needing shielding, loose palings, climbable objects to be removed, etc). The estimated cost to fix and re-inspect is around $1,000–$1,500.

During the conveyancing process, none of this was raised with me, despite the certificate being overdue well before settlement. When I queried it afterwards, Claire’s response was dismissive – she said it was “nothing to do with her” and “not up to her to know if there is a pool.” She then stopped engaging. When I left a factual review, she publicly accused me of lying.

I don’t expect a conveyancer to inspect a property in person, but I do expect them to review the Section 32 properly and advise of compliance risks. That didn’t happen here, and I’ve been left to carry the cost. Very disappointing experience and I would not recommend.

Date of experience: August–October 2025