Thank you for your interest in our property services. Whether you are a first-time buyer, an investor or simply moving house, we are here to help take the stress out of buying and selling residential property.
We will guide you through each step of your transaction and provide a personal service tailored to your requirements. Normally one fee earner will have conduct of your transaction throughout and you will be able to contact them direct. If they are ever away from the office a colleague in the department will be able to assist. Where necessary we can recommend other professionals such as Surveyors, IFA’s and property valuers.
We aim to provide quality independent legal advice and representation, based on extensive local knowledge, at a fair price. We will keep you informed regarding your transaction as it progresses so you can make informed decisions and have confidence that every aspect of your property transaction has been dealt with properly.
Why Us
We have an experienced Conveyancing team of property lawyers who understand the potential stress that can be involved in buying, selling, or re-mortgaging your property. Our approach is simple - we aim to provide a first-class service and to remove any confusion and uncertainty you may have about the transaction and we deal with all of the legal aspects of a property transaction on your behalf.
Our Conveyancing team includes fully qualified Solicitors and conveyancers who have the legal and technical “know how” to resolve issues as they arise in a professional and efficient manner. The individual Conveyancing team in each of our offices is headed by a Partner in the firm. We understand that communication is key, so we are readily available to answer your questions in plain English and keep you up-to-date with everything you need to know.
We are proud to hold CQS Accreditations, issued by the Law Society. This involves all the firm’s Conveyancers undergoing continuous training to ensure they remain informed about legal developments and are able to maintain high levels of client care.
Pricing
The fees involved in any transaction are obviously important to our clients and we therefore review our fees on a regular basis and consider client feedback to ensure we continue to offer a good value service.
For residential property matters we are happy to accept instructions on a fixed fee basis. This ensures that you know what the fees will be for your transaction from the outset.
A fixed fee conveyancing quote necessarily assumes that the transaction will be straightforward and nothing untoward will be encountered. If, during the course of the transaction, something unexpected is uncovered we will discuss any necessary change in the fee structure with you and agree a way forward. Normally we accept and are happy to deal with minor anomalies encountered in the transaction within the parameters of the fixed fee quoted.
Our fixed fees for residential property transactions are set out below:
Leasehold Residential Property
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your new residential property, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty).
Please note that if you are aware that there are aspects concerning the property you are looking to acquire that make it unconventional, or if it is worth less than £100,000, or more than £750,000; or if it is a commercial, or agricultural property, or bare land it would normally be best to contact us for a bespoke quotation regarding our legal fees.
| Leasehold residential property purchase | Amount £ | VAT £ | Subtotal £ |
| Fixed Fee based on property value | |||
| £100,000 - £250,000 | 1,600.00 | 320.00 | 1,920.00 |
| £250,001 - £500,000 | 1,900.00 | 380.00 | 2,280.00 |
| £500,001 - £750,000 | 2,300.00 | 460.00 | 2,580.00 |
| Over £750,000 | POA | ||
| Search fees – average (please note these may vary depending on the Local Authority) | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 |
| Mortgage purchase – acting for lender | 275.00 | 55.00 | 330.00 |
| Electronic money transfer fee | 30.00 | 6.00 | 36.00 |
| HM Land Registry priority search | 3.00 | 0.60 | 3.60 |
| HM Land Registry bankruptcy search(es) per person | 2.00 | 0.40 | 2.40 |
| Completion of Stamp Duty Return | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 |
| Subtotal | 2,108.00 – 2,760.00 | 421.60 – 552.00 | 2,529.60 – 3,312.00 |
| Referral Fee paid to Estate Agent | We do not pay referral fees | ||
| Your Estimated Total |
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees and Search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
These fees may be subject to change if further information relating to your property becomes available, for example, if you require additional searches such as a mining search, which typically costs about £60.00.
There are certain disbursements which will be set out within the individual lease relating to the property. We will update you on specific fees having received and reviewed the lease from the seller’s solicitors.
Anticipated Disbursements
| Additional Leasehold Disbursements | Range from | Plus VAT |
| Notice of Transfer fee, this fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. The fee is likely to be: | £ 50.00 – 150.00 | £ 10.00 – 30.00 |
| Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged), this fee is set out in the lease. The fee is likely to be: | 30.00 – 50.00 | 6.00 – 10.00 |
| Deed of Covenant fee, this fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. The fee is likely to be: | 50.00 – 150.00 | 10.00 – 30.00 |
| Certificate of Compliance fee – to be confirm upon receipt of the lease, as the range can be | 50.00 – 150.00 | 10.00 – 30.00 |
The above fees vary from property to property, but can be significantly more than the illustrations given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of the relevant documentation specific to your purchase.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charges are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property and there may well be an apportionment of these payments that have been paid in advance that the seller expects you to reimburse at completion. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as we receive this information.
Following completion of your purchase, a registration fee will be payable to Land Registry. The fee depends on the value of the property and we can confirm this fee to you when we have details of the transaction.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
This will depend on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC's website. Please note that we do not normally deal with properties located in Wales where different tax rules apply.
Exclusions
Please note we do not undertake detailed tax advice.
Our fees are fixed, however there may be certain factors which would typically increase the cost of the fees estimated above. Where there is likely to be an additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Unexpected factors that may lead to an increase in costs might include:
- If title to the property is defective;
- If part of the property is unregistered;
- If building regulations or planning permission is missing or has not been obtained;
- If crucial documents, we have requested have not been provided, or are not available;
- If the property is a new build;
- If the property is less than 10 years old;
- If there is a degree of urgency and you require exchange / completion within 6 weeks of instructing us.
Time Scales
How long will it take? Each property purchase, or acquisition, is different and it is not always possible to say how long it will take to carry out all of the legal work necessary to acquire the property at the outset.
As a guide, assuming that the matter proceeds without undue complication, or delay, you could expect to be in a position to exchange contracts within 4 - 6 weeks after we have received the draft contract from the seller’s solicitor.
Completion normally takes place between 1 - 4 weeks after exchange, but the date has to be agreed by all the parties concerned.
If unexpected factors arise this timescale may not be possible, but we will advise you accordingly as the matter progresses. It is important to appreciate that we are often dependent upon others supplying information to us (such as conveyancing searches, or your mortgage offer) and third parties (such as the seller) being able to proceed within the required timeframe.
However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer and additional charges would apply.
Our fee assumes that:
- This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise, including (but not limited to) any defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction;
- It is an assignment (transfer) of an existing lease and not the grant of a new lease;
- All parties necessarily involved in the transaction are co-operative and there are no delays imposed by third parties providing documentation;
- No indemnity insurance policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity insurance cover is required.
Key Milestones
With every transaction there are certain key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- Checking the contract documents and reporting to you on them;
- Checking the Lease and the ancillary documents;
- Submitting any enquiries arising from the above to the seller’s solicitor including specific Leasehold Enquiries;
- As agreed with you, or as required by your lender (if any) we will commission pre contract Searches and will need you to put us in funds to cover this cost;
- Liaising with your lender and, or any mortgage adviser acting for you, however we cannot advise as to the suitability of the mortgage product you have been offered;
- Liaising with the seller’s solicitor and the estate agent (if any) on the progress of your purchase;
- Arranging for you to sign the contract and any additional paperwork;
- Agreeing a completion date (the date you take over ownership of the property);
- Arranging for you to put us in funds for the deposit and the balance of the completion money – we must have cleared funds in our client account the day before completion;
- Exchanging contracts on your behalf – this will commit you legally to buy the property;
- Submitting our Report on Title to the lender and requesting drawdown of the mortgage money;
- Preparing the Transfer Deed and dealing with other pre completion matters and completing the sale;
- Following completion so long as sufficient funds are available:
- Submitting the Stamp Duty Land Tax Return and paying any tax due;
- Registering your acquisition and ownership of the property with the Land Registry, the Landlord (freeholder), the Management Company and any other parties as required by the Lease.
Please note that the above is not intended to be an exhaustive list, but a basic outline of what is involved.