Selling a property

Timescales: 6-8 weeks for freehold; 6-10 weeks for leasehold

Drawing on our expertise in conveyancing matters, we adopt a very proactive approach to managing interaction with all the other parties involved in your transaction. However, be aware that overall timescales for individual matters can depend on the response times and actions of other parties and can be longer than those indicated for some transactions.

Key stages

• Undertake all mandatory compliance and regulatory checks promptly to ensure the transaction can get underway
• Obtain all required documentation, including any official property register and planning information, review and incorporate into a contact pack to send to the buyer
• Leasehold only: Obtain and review the Seller’s Information Pack from the landlord or management company and send on to the buyer
• Reply to any enquiries made by the buyer’s solicitor and, where applicable, obtain a statement from your mortgage lender in readiness for the redemption of your mortgage when the sale is completed
• Agree deposit amount to be paid by the buyer in readiness for exchange of contracts
• Leasehold only: Agree apportionment of ground rent and service charges between you and the buyer
• Liaise with you and with your estate agent throughout the transaction to identify and deal with any potential issues that might arise
• Proceed to exchange of contracts and confirm completion date with you and your buyer. Ensure all necessary documentation is in place ready for completion
• Oversee completion of the transaction and, using the proceeds of the sale, ensure any outstanding mortgage is settled with your lender and estate agents’ fees are paid in accordance to your contract with them

Buying a property

Timescales: 6-10 weeks for freehold; 6-12 weeks for leasehold; 2-5 weeks for HM Land Registry registration process

Drawing on our expertise in conveyancing matters, we adopt a very proactive approach to managing interaction with all the other parties involved in your transaction. However, be aware that overall timescales for individual matters can depend on the response times and actions of other parties and can be longer than those indicated for some transactions.

Key stages

• Undertake all mandatory compliance and regulatory checks promptly to ensure the transaction can get underway
• Review the contract pack sent by the seller’s solicitor, check the official property register and amend or approve the contract of sale as required
• Advise on, and agree with you, the enquiries to be asked of the sellers’ solicitors regarding the property. Order relevant property, planning and environmental searches
• Leasehold only: Request and review the Seller’s Leasehold Information Pack. Review the lease details including legal rights and obligations and the overall time to lease expiry and, where relevant, whether this meets your mortgage lender’s requirements
• Where relevant, receive and review any formal mortgage offer made by your lender
• Provide a report to you and, where relevant, your mortgage lender, summarising the legal status of the property, the results of the searches and answers to enquiries raised with the seller’s solicitor
• Leasehold only: Agree apportionment of ground rent and service charges between you and the seller
• Liaise with you and seller’s estate agent throughout the transaction to identify and deal with any potential issues that might arise
• Proceed to exchange of contracts and agree a completion date with you and your seller. Request release of funds from your mortgage lender, where applicable, and ensure that all funds from all sources are in place in readiness for exchange and completion
• Oversee completion of the transaction and submit a return to the tax authorities (HMRC), ensuring any required Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid, any indemnity policies are in place and that the transaction is registered with HM Land Registry
• Leasehold only: Serve the freeholder with any necessary notices of transfer of ownership of the property
• Once registration has taken place provide you and your lender with copy of the updated Register of Title

Re-mortgage/mortgage without a purchase

Timescales: 4-6 weeks; 2-5 weeks for HMLR registration process

Drawing on our expertise in conveyancing matters, we adopt a very proactive approach to managing interaction with all the other parties involved in your transaction. However, be aware that overall timescales for individual matters can depend on the response times and actions of other parties and can be longer than those indicated for some transactions.

Key stages

• Undertake all mandatory compliance and regulatory checks promptly to ensure the transaction can get underway
• Obtain and review the official property register, any information about previous works carried out to the property and the building insurance schedule and policy
• Obtain a statement from your mortgage lender in readiness for the redemption of your current mortgage. Order relevant property, planning and environmental searches. Review the new mortgage offer
• Provide a report to you and your new mortgage lender, summarising the legal status of the property and the results of the searches
• Prepare all necessary documentation in readiness for completion, including final pre-completion searches with HM Land Registry
• Oversee completion of the re-mortgage, redeeming any existing mortgage and dealing with registration of the re-mortgage with HM Land Registry