Residential Conveyancing
This term applies to both sales and purchases of residential properties, be that a house, a flat or a brand new home.
Residential conveyancing fees
Prices valid from February 13th 2024.
Sale fees
| Freehold | VAT | Leasehold | VAT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £150,000.00 | £845.00 | £169.00 | £945.00 | £189.00 |
| £150,000 - 250,000 | £875.00 | £175.00 | £1,000.00 | £200.00 |
| £250,000 - 350,000 | £895.00 | £179.00 | £1,075.00 | £215.00 |
| £350,000 - 450,000 | £945.00 | £189.00 | £1,075.00 | £215.00 |
| £450,000 - 550,000 | £975.00 | £195.00 | £1,075.00 | £215.00 |
| £550,000 – 650,000 | £1,025.00 | £205.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| £650,000 – 750,000 | £1,075.00 | £215.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| Over £750,000 | (0.1% of purchase price + VAT of 20%) plus (£450 + £90 VAT) | (0.1% of purchase price + VAT of 20%) plus (£600 + £120 VAT) |
Sale Disbursements:
There will be additional costs of AML Searches, at £12.00 each, alongside Official Copies of Title Documents, that average around £12.00, per file.
Purchase fees
| Freehold | VAT | Leasehold | VAT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £150,000 | £895.00 | £179.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| £150,000 - 250,000 | £935.00 | £187.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| £250,000 - 350,000 | £965.00 | £193.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| £350,000 - 450,000 | £1,015.00 | £203.00 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 |
| £450,000 - 550,000 | £1,050.00 | £210.00 | £1,200.00 | £240.00 |
| £550,000 - 650,000 | £1,050.00 | £210.00 | £1,350.00 | £270.00 |
| £650,000 - 750,000 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 | £1,350.00 | £270.00 |
| £750,000 - 850,000 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 | £1,350.00 | £270.00 |
| £850,000 - 1,000,000 | £1,100.00 | £220.00 | £1,350.00 | £270.00 |
| Over £1,000,000 | 0.1% + VAT Plus £500 + VAT | 0.1% + VAT Plus £600 + VAT |
Purchase Disbursements
- There will be additional costs of AML Searches, at £12.00 each
- Local, Environmental and Drainage searches at £258.10
- Pre-completion searches £5.20
- Stamp Duty and Land Registry charges will be payable but the exact figures will vary depending on purchase price and other factors
Please contact us for further clarification, or a link to the calculator is below.
Ron Prior manages the domestic conveyancing, assisted by Dylan Williamson among others. Our dedicated team process many of the actual exchanges and ensure that your completion arrangements go through smoothly on the day.
Our computerised Case Management system (hosted by DPS Plc) means that all our offices are linked to the same network, ensuring that if you contact us with a routine query, this information can be accessed and passed onto you by our reception staff.
We try to make our fees competitive, and unlike some other solicitors, pass on any fee discounts to you, rather than paying introducer’s fees to brokers or estate agents. We nonetheless have a good rapport with most local agents, and work in conjunction with them to ensure the smooth running of your transaction.
We aim to deal with matters promptly and wherever possible try to ensure that any incoming mail is dealt with on the day it is received. Your file is looked after by experienced personnel who are dedicated to helping you with your move as expediently as possible, without on the other hand detracting from the thoroughness of the investigations we need to make on behalf of yourself and your Lender.
On the day of completion we make every effort to process monies as quickly as possible, again by use of computer technology via our own direct terminal link to HSBC to process payments as swiftly as we can once incoming monies are received from third parties.
Finally, once you have completed your sale, our post-completion departments process any Stamp Duty payments and registration of your Title to the new property you have purchased. This finalises our task, since not only do we need to make sure that you complete your move, but also to ensure that next time round, or in the event of a future re-mortgage, your deeds etc are in order to enable the successful conduct of such later transactions.
For more details of the day to day matters we investigate on your behalf, please also feel free to refer to our Conveyancing Fact Sheet.
Buying a brand new home can be a slightly different process. If you need more detailed information in that , please refer to the Brand New Homes page. Our aim at all times is to facilitate a smooth move as economically as possible for you.
For purchases, the Stamp Duty will be determined based on unique criteria which is case dependant, so if you are looking to calculate these fees please use the government website: Stamp Duty Calculator
Conveyancing Key Stages
How long will it take is often asked right from the start. Timescales are hard to determine as there are so many variables to factor in. Such as the number of properties in a chain, which of those if any, need a mortgage.
As a rough guide if there is just one property involved exchange should be possible within 4 weeks with completion one to two weeks thereafter.
Then if there are more properties involved we have found from experience a rough guide is to add an extra two weeks onto the anticipated exchange period for every property involved.
Key stages
Sales and Purchases
- Detailed fees and disbursements quote given by phone or email if requested.
- Client instructs to proceed.
- Await agent memorandum of sale
- Open file and key in all contact and property information data into the case management system
- Compliance letter sent to client to include questionnaire, fee information, complaints details, terms and conditions and conveyancing protocol forms to complete.
- Receive signed terms and conditions and carry out AML checks, conflict checks and risk assessment.
- Send posted letter with our bank details.
- Acknowledge agents letter and do 1st letter to other solicitors.
- Receive other solicitor 1st letter.
- Sales only
- As above 1 to 9 then
- Download land registry copy deeds and send contract pack to other solicitors.
- Deal with any extra enquiries raised by those solicitors
- Once solicitor approves the contract and sends draft Transfer Deed send to client to sign with a detailed covering report letter.
- Apply mortgage redemption figure (if applicable) for hypothetical completion date everyone is aiming at for completion.
- Negative equity cases will need shortfall topped up before exchange backed by proof of funds.
- Agree completion date with client
- Exchange contracts
- Prepare accounts
- On completion settle any mortgage, agents fees and send net proceeds to client. Security checks to be applied for any bank details and beware if monies are being sent overseas.
Purchases only
Repeat points 1 to 9 above
- Carry out proof of funds checks including for 3rd party contributors where if applicable further due diligence measures need to be taken.
- Receive contract pack.
- Undertake local environmental and water searches.
- Check contract, title and questionnaires, search and mortgage details if applicable.
- Raise any extra enquiries.
- Check replies then approve contract and submit draft transfer for approval to the other solicitors.
- Send comprehensive pre-contract report to clients with documents to sign and if close to exchange request deposit.
- Receive signed documents back from clients.
- Check money received for deposit matches proof of funds supplied.
- Co-ordinate dates for exchange and completion with clients, other solicitors and related sale (if any)
- Exchange contracts and notify client of this and remind to put buildings insurance cover on risk
- Prepare accounts and send to clients to ensure cleared money received before completion.
- Submit certificate of title to the bank if applicable.
- Carry out pre completion searches.
- Complete and organise key collection via agents.
- Confirm completion to bank if applicable.
- Complete SDLT forms and pay that tax.
- On receipt and signed Transfer etc file transfers to post completion department to register the title.
- Once registered notify bank and client and send copies of updated deeds. Note registration can take several weeks or months in the case of buying brand new houses
- With leasehold properties, or new build properties there may be extra notices to serve on management companies and where there admin fee will have been collected from the buyer with our fees. The final accounts for leaseholds will also cover apportioned service charges.
Common Questions
- Q: What if I have no money for a deposit?
- A. If this is the case, please let us know as soon as possible. It may be that you are borrowing more than 90% of the purchase price, or that your money is all tied up in a sale or re-mortgage of another property. Our staff can advise you as to what course of action to take.
Please Note: The contents of this website are for information only and do not constitute legal advice to be relied upon. Professional advice should always be sought for specific issues
