In such cases we, and you, must be aware at all times of the potential difficulties. If asked to act for more than one party in a conveyance, we look first to our professional rules. In general, we may not act for both seller and buyer, but there are some specific exemptions. Only if the case falls within one of the exemptions may we act at all. If we can act, then you, and we, must still judge whether, a conflict of interest might arise.
Conflicts can be difficult to anticipate.
Often the risk of conflict seems remote, and the savings, in time and legal fees can be real. However amicable a matter is, something might happen where one client would wish to ask us a question, but not necessarily have the other client, for whom we also act, hear, either the question or the answer. In general, we will not act if such a conflict is foreseen, and must cease to act if one arises. There are, inevitably, limitations on what we can do when acting for two clients. Where we do act for more than one client, we cannot act as umpire in any way.