Sale
Our work will include:
Obtaining the information we need about the property from the Land Registry and from you (about fixtures and fittings and other matters); liaising with landlords or managing agents (if any), preparing the sale contract and answering any enquiries about the property and the legal title; advising you on the contract and arranging for you to sign it; agreeing the completion date and exchanging contracts; obtaining redemption figures from any lenders; obtaining and paying the estate agents’ account; liaising with the estate agents and other solicitors in the chain; approving the transfer and arranging for you to sign it; preparing completion statements confirming the amounts to be paid by the buyer and to you; redeeming any mortgages on completion and paying out the sale proceeds to you; sending the completion documents to the buyers’ solicitors.
Our usual fees:
If over £2,000,000 please call us on 020 8313 1300 for a bespoke quote.
What might affect these fees?
In some cases, it is necessary to do additional work to correct a defect in a legal title, or to deal with planning permission issues or absent landlords in a leasehold transaction; or there might be multiple titles involved or more than one or two charges to redeem; or where there is a short deadline for completion. If extra work is required, we will advise you and if there are any, rest assured that, in most transactions, our usual fees will apply.
Likely extra expenses:
How long will it take?
We would normally expect to exchange contracts in 3 to 4 weeks of the sale being agreed if everything goes smoothly. But this can be delayed by many factors including, for example, problems with the legal title, getting information from landlords or managing agents, or your buyer having difficulty obtaining a mortgage. Exchanging contracts and the completion date will depend on whether the others in the chain are ready and when they want to complete. It is usually sensible to allow 14 days between exchange and completion and, if you require a shorter period, an additional fee may be payable, but we will advise you about this if it arises.
Purchase
Our work will include:
Obtaining the information we need about the property from the seller’s solicitors (about fixtures and fittings and other matters); considering and approving the contract and asking questions about the legal title (often referred to as “raising enquiries”); arranging searches and advising you of the results – these include such matters as planning permissions and building regulation consent, environmental matters, and the like; advising you on any mortgage offer and on the contract and arranging for you to sign it; reporting to you about the title to the property so that you know what you are buying; agreeing the completion date and exchanging contracts; liaising with the estate agents and other solicitors in the chain; preparing the transfer and arranging for you to sign it if necessary; preparing completion statements confirming the amounts to be paid by the buyer and to you; obtaining mortgage funds from any lenders in time for completion; completing and paying the purchase money to the seller’s solicitors; making sure they have redeemed any charges on the property; preparing the SDLT form for stamp duty land tax, calculating and paying any stamp duty; applying to register the title in your name at the Land Registry; serving notice of transfer or charge on any landlords; complying with your lender’s requirements post completion.
Our usual fees:
If over £2,000,000 please call us on 020 8313 1300 for a bespoke quote.
Likely Additional fees
- Completing Stamp Duty Land Tax form £75.00 plus VAT
- TT fee £40.00 plus VAT
- Search bundle £240.00 plus VAT
- ID verification £20 plus VAT
- Land Registry & Land Charges, bankruptcy searches £20 plus VAT (estimated)
- Land Registry fees £20.00 to £1,105.00
- If Legal Indemnity Policy arranged – Policy fee plus £50.00 plus VAT for our fees
- Help to Buy ISA/Lifetime ISA – £50.00 plus VAT
New Build Properties
If you are buying a New Build property on a development that we are panel solicitors for, purchasers fees will be less. Please contact us for a quote.
Additional fees which may be payable
Extra work will be needed if you are buying with the help of a government scheme (such as Help to Buy) or a legal indemnity policy is required for us to arrange.
What might affect our fees?
In some cases, it is necessary to do additional work where there is a defect in a legal title or where we have to deal with lenders’ solicitors (where we are not acting for the lender) or the matter is significantly complex due to clawback and overage agreements or matters such as adverse possession. If extra work is required, we will advise you. Rest assured that, in most standard transactions, our usual fees will apply.
If there is a commercial element such as a commercial premises or a business buying the premises, separate fees will apply and please contact our commercial property department to discuss.
How long will it take?
We would normally expect to exchange contracts in 3 to 4 weeks of the purchase being agreed if everything goes smoothly. But this can be delayed by many factors including, for example, problems with the legal title, getting information from the seller, or you having difficulty obtaining a mortgage. Exchanging contracts and the completion date will depend on whether the others in the chain are ready and when they want to complete. It is usually sensible to allow 14 days between exchange and completion. If you require a shorter period, we will do our best to assist you. There may be additional fees payable, but we will advise you if this is the case.
New Build properties can take much longer. You may have to exchange contracts by a fixed date but you may then have to wait until the property is ready with completion being “on notice” – there could be a delay of many months before you complete and you will then have to complete within 10 days of our receiving the notice to complete. You will be given a likely timescale for completion prior to exchange of contracts and we will advise you if you need to extend your mortgage offer.
Remortgage
Our work will include:
Conducting all necessary searches and advising your new lender of the results; checking the title to the property and advising the new lender of any issues; checking and complying with the new lender’s mortgage instructions; advising you on the new mortgage terms; reporting to the new lender and requesting the mortgage funds; carrying out pre-completion searches; obtaining redemption figures from all existing lenders; preparing a statement setting out the remortgage proceeds; obtaining the mortgage funds from the new lenders; paying off the existing mortgages and accounting to you for any money due to you; registering the new mortgage at the Land Registry and making sure all existing charges have been removed from the register.
Our fees:
- Freehold or Leasehold (Up to £1,000,000) £700.00 Plus VAT (with 1 mortgage)
- (Over £1,000,001) £1,270.00 Plus VAT (with 1 mortgage)
- For each additional loan (including Help to Buy redemption) £120 plus VAT
Likely extra expenses:
What might affect our fees?
In some cases, it is necessary to do additional work where there is a defect in a legal title, or to ensure that the property had the correct planning consents where the lender requires this. If extra work is required, we will advise you. Rest assured that, in most transactions, our usual fees will apply.
How long will it take?
A straightforward transaction should complete within 4 to 5 weeks of receiving your instructions subject to our receiving your mortgage offer and any special instructions from your new lender. If they are using their own, separate solicitors, it may take longer.
Who will deal with the work?
Our Residential Conveyancing team is headed by Carly Johnson, an experienced Chartered Legal Executive. Carly is assisted by Amanda Davey, a Licensed Conveyancer and Melanie Lobina, a Conveyancing Manager. They all have many years’ experience dealing with residential conveyancing transactions, including New Build purchases and those supported by the Help to Buy scheme, and shared ownership transactions. Transactions with a commercial element are handled by Jennifer White, commercial solicitor and partner and separate fees will apply. The team are supported by post exchange team who are all experienced conveyancing paralegals.
