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Residential conveyancing FAQs

Our award winning residential conveyancing solicitors are here to ensure that your house move runs as quickly and as smoothly as possible, whether you are buying or selling you can rely on our residential property experts to get you moving. For a free conveyancing quote without obligation for buying or selling a property please click here or call us on 01616 966 229.

Below we have listed a range of frequently asked questions if you have any other questions about the process please don't hesitate to contact our friendly team:

 

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing put simply is the transfer of the legal title in a house, flat or perhaps a piece of land from one person to another; the seller and buyer. The process starts when a seller accepts an offer or a buyer has an offer accepted.

What does conveyancing mean?

Conveyancing ultimately describes a branch of law associated with preparing the documents for the conveyance of a property. The conveyancing process begins when your offer on a house is accepted.

How long does conveyancing take with no chain?

It is certainly true that if there is no chain then there is an expectation by all parties that the transaction will move faster, but we still do encounter problems out of our control. Perhaps Probate needs to be granted in the first instance.

How much does conveyancing cost?

The cost will vary but is affected by the value of the property and the legal complexities that are anticipated. You can expect to pay more if the property you’re buying is a flat rather than a house, simply because there is more for your lawyer to consider. There are also other fees to consider in the conveyancing process.

How much are conveyancing fees?

Conveyancing fees are usually around £850-£1500, but this cost does vary depending on a number of factors such as the type of property that you’re buying.

How long do conveyancing searches take?

Searches usually take 2-3 weeks to be returned to your lawyer but do bear with them. Your lawyer will have instructed a third party to commission searches for you.

How much should conveyancing cost?

There are many fees associated with buying a home with everything from having a survey to legal fees and building insurance all included in the final, overall price of buying a property.

How much does conveyancing cost in the UK?

In the UK, conveyancing costs around £800-£1500. This will be paid to instruct a conveyancing solicitor to take care of the legal aspects of the transaction on whatever property you are buying.

What are conveyancing fees?

Conveyancing fees are the costs that are needed to pay a solicitor to carry out the conveyancing services on a property that you are purchasing. All house-buyers are required to pay this if they use professional conveyancers.

When do you pay conveyancing fees?

Conveyancing lawyer fees are paid a few days before exchange or completion. Prior to completion, your lawyer will request their legal fee and all disbursements. Your deposit to facilitate the exchange is deducted from any final balance. The monies that your lawyer will request from you upfront is a nominal payment to cover searches.

What searches are involved in conveyancing?

If you are mortgage dependent, we’re obliged by your lender to carry out ‘all usual and necessary searches’. Consideration is given to the property’s location and additional searches such as coal and chancel repair will be considered. If you’re not mortgage dependent, any searches are up to you.

What is the conveyancing process?

All usual and necessary searches are carried out by your mortgage lender. If you are not buying with a mortgage, the searches provided are completed your decision although it is something we would always recommend.

How much does a conveyancing solicitor cost?

The cost of your conveyancing solicitor will depend on the fees of the particular firm you are choosing and also the type of property that you are buying. You can usually expect to pay up to £1500.

How much are conveyancing fees for buying and selling?

A solicitor or licenced conveyancer is required when you are buying a home. This can typically cost between £850-£1500. Local searches will also come with a fee of around £250-£300.

How much are conveyancing fees in the UK?

In the UK, you can expect to pay between £850-£1500 when it comes to using a solicitor to buy a home. This varies depending on the solicitor you are using and the type of property you are buying.

How long does the conveyancing process take?

The Government cite the current national average as somewhere in the region of 16 weeks. Transactions will take place much quicker than this but until your lawyer has had sight of the legal title and there is awareness of the position of the chain it is difficult to say.

How much are conveyancing fees for selling a house?

Conveyancing fees are something that every buyer and seller of a property is usually required to pay. The average fees for property conveyance when selling as property are around £1000.

How much are conveyancing fees for buying a house?

In the UK, you can expect to pay between £850-£1500 for buying a house. Sometimes this price is higher; for example, if you’re buying a leasehold property or a high-risk plot (such as by a coal mine).

What is the average cost of conveyancing fees?

On average, the UK buyer can expect to pay around £850-£1500 when buying a property. These prices will vary depending on the solicitor or licenced conveyancer you are using for your purchase.

What is the average time for conveyancing?

It’s difficult to say exactly how long the conveyancing process will take as it varies from purchase to purchase. However, on average, conveyancing should take between eight and twelve weeks.

What conveyancing searches do I need?

Buying a property with a mortgage requires certain searches to be taken out before the transaction can go through. These include flood risk assessments, local authority searches and environmental searches.

What are the first things to do when moving into a new home?

There are a few things to remember, such as having important mail redirected as soon as possible and updating your driving licence with your new address. Remember also to take meter readings and inform all utility providers.

Checklist for moving home

On your checklist for moving home you should have contacting your utility suppliers, getting quotes of removal costs and settling up all bills and council tax still owed on your current property.

How do I speed up the conveyancing process?

Usually, the length of time of the conveyancing process is something that is beyond your control. However, things such as getting your mortgage in principal before you begin your property search and making sure that you action requests from your lawyer once you have instructed them can all help.

Checklist when moving to a new home

It’s important that you have created a checklist when moving to a new home to ensure you’ve done everything that is required before you settle into your new property.

Conveyancing steps when buying a house

The conveyancing process begins with you completing initial paperwork. Following this, you will receive a draft contract and after this, the conveyancing searches will be carried out, followed by reports.

What is a conveyancing environmental search?

The environmental search gives details of past uses of the land. It looks into whether those past uses could have caused any potential contamination of the land. Your lawyer will be able to advise what needs to happen if your property is potentially affected.

What is a notice fee conveyancing?

If you are buying a property where there is a landlord or management company involved those third parties will charge a notice fee or administration fee to amend their records on completion to show you as the new owner.

What do conveyancing fees include?

Conveyancing fees are made up of the legal fee which is paid to the solicitor or conveyancer, as well as the conveyancing disbursements, which will be paid on your behalf to third party services for searches.

How long does conveyancing take for a new build?

Contracts are usually exchanged within 28 days of them being issued. Your lawyer will be aware of this timeframe and will try to ensure that happens. However, sometimes title enquiries mean that this takes longer.

How to speed up conveyancing searches

Unfortunately, there is no way to speed up conveyancing searches.

What happens in the conveyancing process?

The conveyancing process begins when your offer on a property is accepted and ends at completion. It involves examining contracts, local authority searches, checking for flood risks and chancel repair searches.

What is a conveyancing solicitor?

Conveyancers draw up legal contracts and arrange for the transfer of title with the land registry. They also provide homebuyers with legal advice relating to the contract, the mortgage offer and any property issues.

Do I need a conveyancer to sell a house?

When it comes to conveyancing, you can take the DIY route, but you will be personally responsible for carrying out all of the legal duties involved, which can be complex. We would recommend hiring a professional conveyancer or conveyancing solicitor.

How to choose a good conveyancing solicitor

Your conveyancing solicitor will handle all of the legal duties, so you should take a look at their accreditations and reviews to make sure that you’ve chosen a firm who are trustworthy, experienced and efficient.

What is a conveyance document?

A conveyance document or ‘deed of conveyance’ is the legal document that serves as proof of the transference of a deed (or title) to the property from one owner to another.

What's involved in conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the process of transferring property from one owner to another. Conveyancers handle contracts, give legal advice, carry out local council searches, deal with the Land Registry, and transfer the funds to pay for your property.

What is a conveyance fee on a house?

A conveyance fee is the cost of the conveyancing services required to buy or sell your home. This fee can vary, depending on a number of factors, but is typically around £850-£1500.

How to find a conveyancer

Before choosing a conveyancer, be sure to look at their accreditations and reviews to ensure they are trustworthy, experienced and efficient enough to handle the legal processes of transferring property from one owner to another.

What do conveyancing solicitors do?

Conveyancing solicitors handle the legal aspects of buying or selling a property. This includes; handling contracts, giving legal advice, carrying out council searches, dealing with the Land Registry, and transferring the funds to pay for your property.

When to engage a conveyancer

If you are buying a property, you should engage, or ‘instruct’, a conveyancer as soon as you have had an offer accepted Alternatively, if you are a seller, you should instruct a conveyancer as soon as you accept an offer on the property.

What to look for in a conveyancer

Whether you are buying or selling a property, your conveyancer will handle all the legal aspects of the transfer â€â€Åâ€Åâ€Åâ€Å“ so it is important that you look at their accreditations and reviews to ensure they are trustworthy, experienced and efficient.

What does a conveyancer do when buying a house?

When buying a house, your conveyancer will handle all of the legal aspects for you. This includes; handling contracts, giving legal advice, carrying out council searches, dealing with the Land Registry, and transferring the funds to pay for your property.

Why do I need a conveyancer?

A conveyancing solicitor can handle the legal aspect of a property sale for you and can spot potential problems before they arise, such as issues relating to boundaries and paperwork not being registered properly.

How much does a lease extension cost?

The cost of extending the lease on a leasehold property depends on the amount of time you’re extending the lease by and how much the property is worth. Typically, the cost to extend the lease on a £200,000 property by 95 years would be £7,500.

Do I need a conveyancer for a re-mortgage?

Yes, you will require a conveyancer to re-mortgage unless you are re-mortgaging with your current lender by simply moving to a new rate or deal. This is known as a product transfer and will require no additional legal work.

How long does it take to get a lease extension?

The entire leasehold extension process usually takes from three to twelve months, but with help from solicitors and professional valuers, this time can be significantly reduced.

What is a lease extension?

A lease extension refers to a legal agreement that extends the terms of an existing lease â€â€Å“ common between tenants and landlords of commercial or residential property. Leasehold properties are usually in the form of flats but can be houses too.

What is a legal pack for auction?

This is a set of documentation that is prepared by the seller’s solicitor when you are buying a property at auction. The legal pack is usually available to download from your solicitor’s website to help you prepare.

Do I need a conveyancer before auction?

Buyers will usually consult a solicitor or conveyancer before heading to auction because they will be able to advise on the content of the legal pack. Legal advice stands as necessary due diligence before the bidding begins.