Conveyancing Information

Whether buying, selling, remortgaging or transferring ownership rights of Residential Property we can assist in resolving matters quickly.

We offer fixed fees on all Residential conveyancing matters.

Key stages of a sale/purchase transaction

1. We will write to you to confirm your instructions and ask you to sign and return initial instruction documents.
2. We will, where purchasing, require full documentation to establish proof of the availability of funds to proceed. We will usually require evidence of the funds in the form of bank statements for the previous three months or proof of such other source of funds as are relevant e.g. gift of funds from a relative, inheritance etc.
3. In a sale, we will check your legal title to the property and ask you to provide evidence of any outstanding mortgage. We will also issue contracts and supporting documents to the buyer’s solicitors.
4. In a purchase, we will seek contracts and title documents from the seller’s solicitors and thereafter submit searches against the property.
5. In a purchase, upon receipt of search results, we will submit any necessary enquiries to the seller’s solicitors arising from the title documents and searches e.g. as to planning permission, New Home Warranties, etc. In a sale we will contact you with regard to such enquiries to seek your instructions where necessary.
6. Once all enquiries are satisfied, we will contact you at this stage to ask you to sign the necessary documentation such as Contracts and Transfers and Mortgage documents in order to progress to exchange and completion.
7. Once all necessary documentation is in place and all other parties in the chain are also ready, we will look to move forward to agreeing completion dates and looking to exchange of contracts (the transaction becomes legally binding on both parties for the agreed completion date) and completion when the property actually changes hands. The mortgage on a purchase also completes on the day of completion and on a sale the existing mortgage is discharged.
8. After completion on a purchase, we will look to pay stamp duty, if any, and thereafter register the transaction as necessary at H.M. Land Registry and report to you thereafter.

There are various other stages to the above that could be needed, if for instance the property is Leasehold or there are Freehold Management Company involved. This is therefore just a brief outline of the main standard stages of a Conveyancing process.

Typically, sale and/or purchase transactions can take 2 to 4 months to complete but this is a mere estimate, for a number of reasons transactions may take less or more time to complete particularly if you are involved in a chain of transactions as all transaction have to be ready to complete in order to progress to the final stages.

Remortgage

Key stages

With every transaction there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:

• Taking your instructions and giving initial advice based on the information you have provided
• Obtaining Official Copies of the Title & Checking the Title
• Leasehold properties will require the lease to be checked and enquiries made, if relevant, of the Landlord
• Searches
• Checking the mortgage offer
• Preparing for completion including requesting final redemption statement & requesting the new mortgage advance
• Completion
• Registration with Land Registry

Our Fees

Re-mortgage to a new lender

Re-mortgage with existing lender

Disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below.

How long will my remortgage take?

A typical remortgage takes between 2-3 months, however, it can be longer if there are any complications. The process may also take longer if you switch lenders compared with getting a new deal with your current mortgage company.

Conveyancing Referral Fees

It is common practice for solicitors to pay and receive referral fees from third parties in respect of work introduced to or from the firm or to or from a third party. This in no way affects our independence and we will, at all times, act in your best interests. It is also important to remember that if we do pay such fees this does not increase the costs which you pay. You are entitled at all times to raise queries on all aspects of your transaction. Please note that information disclosed to us by you will not be disclosed to the introducer without your consent. Throughout our dealings, as your solicitors we shall be acting on your behalf and not on the part of the introducer (if an introducer has been involved). If a conflict of interest arises as a result of the introduction, then we may be obliged to cease acting. We do have a duty to disclose these referral fees to you in the event that such referral fees are paid by us in connection with your particular transaction.