Property services

We specialise in property law and our expertise relating to residential property includes:

• Buying and selling both freehold and leasehold properties.
• Buy-to-let property.
• Property rental.
• New build property.
• Lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement.
• Transfer of equity and equity release.
• Shared ownership.
• Residential property development.
• Planning law and building regulations.

With regard to commercial property our expertise includes:

• Advice for commercial landlords.
• Advice for business tenants.
• Property development.
• Commercial property conveyancing.

Every transaction is different and influenced by a large number of factors so there is no standard transaction. At the outset we will discuss with you what is involved with a particular transaction and try and give you an indication of what is likely to be involved, the matters which need to be dealt with and a realistic timescale bearing in mind the information that you provide; however any transaction will invariably be affected by matters such as:

• Number of parties involved in the chain of transactions.
• Whether finance for a purchase in in place.
• What Local Authority or other searches are appropriate in view of the nature of the transaction, the length of time that the relevant authorities take to provide the results to the searches and also for dealing with issues revealed by the results of the searches.
• Whether a buyer’s survey shows up any issues that require further investigations.
• Dealing with the enquiries raised by the buyer..

A typical transaction will take between 8-14 weeks. However, there may well be factors which may increase the time that it will take and additional costs and disbursements may occur. We will discuss this with you as the matter progresses so as to give you a clear picture of how long the transaction is likely to take.

Although each transaction is different there are normally certain key stages and on a purchase a summary of these would be:

• Receiving your initial instructions and giving advice based on the information provided.
• Discussing the finances required for the buyer to fund the transaction.
• Receiving a draft contract package from the sellers with title documents and other practical information and reviewing these with you.
• Submitting searches to the relevant authorities and investigating the legal title.
• If a leasehold property investigating the Lease and advising you on its terms and conditions.
• Settling the contract and explaining the meaning and effect of the contract and the liabilities being entered into and reporting to you in detail with regard to all relevant factors revealed in the legal title, searches and replies to enquiries in readiness for exchange of contracts.
• Exchanging contracts and paying a deposit from funds provided by you.
• Completing the purchase.
• Submitting the SDLT return and paying any Stamp Duty due.
• Applying for registration of your ownership and any mortgage at the Land Registry.

On a sale, a summary of the main stages involved would be as follows:-

• Receiving your instructions and giving advice based on the information provided.
• Dealing with the property information forms for you to complete and advising you on the contents and your replies.
• Preparing and submitting a draft contract together with legal title documents.\
• In the case of a leasehold property obtaining detailed information with regard to service charge and management and supplying the information to the buyer.
• Dealing with enquiries from your buyers and liaising with you to prepare responses.
• Settling the contract.
• If relevant applying for the Licence to Assign from the Landlord.
• Exchanging contracts.
• Completing the sale.
• Repaying any secured mortgages/charges and dealing with the release of charge(s) registered at the Land Registry.