We are often asked the same questions by clients who want to gain more knowledge of the legal process, consequently we have listed below the most often asked questions. If you have a question that is not listed here just get in contact with us and we will be happy to help.

Yes, all we ask is that you make an appointment with the person dealing with your matter, who will be happy to meet with you and talk through any questions you may have.

‘Disbursements’ refer to any sum that we spend or are going to spend on your behalf, including any VAT element.  This includes items such as searches and Land Registry documents.

No, we can accept certified copies of your identification.  However, please note, we can only accept certified copies from the Post Office or another solicitor.  Alternatively, if you are local to the area, you can call into the office at any time and we can copy these documents while you wait.

We ask for money on account because as part of the conveyancing process there are various items that we need to purchase on your behalf, such as searches.  To enable us to keep the conveyancing process flowing without delay we ask for the cost of these items to be provided in advance so that we do not potentially incur delays.

We will repay your outstanding mortgage for you on completion of the sale of your property, removing one of the hassles from the process!

Once contracts are exchanged the buyer must then proceed to complete the purchase of the property, until the point contracts are exchanged both parties are free to walk away from the transaction.  Where there is a chain, the process of exchange is largely dependent on others in the chain but we work to ensure that exchange happens as soon as possible despite the length of the chain.

Yes, this is something that we can do for you.  We can create a deed of trust between both buyers and safeguard the additional amount that one party is contributing to the purchase.

Yes, the sooner you start the renewal process the cheaper it will be as you must pay a premium to the landlord on renewal.  The less number of years left on the lease the more value that is attributed to the landlord’s interest in the property, hence the greater the sum you must pay to renew the lease.  In certain circumstances you can buy the freehold to your house, contact us to discuss the options available to you.

In most cases, the Solicitors Regulation Authority prohibit the same solicitor acting for both the buyer and the seller.

No, you are free to choose any solicitors you like!

On average, it will usually take about 6 weeks to buy and sell a property.  Some transactions can take longer than this where there is chain involved, but we will endeavour to meet any deadlines you have requested.

Every client is given a dedicated lawyer who will deal with the day to day running of their transaction, under the supervision of one of the partners.  The relevant lawyer can be contacted by your preferred method to discuss your transaction.  This is all part of the personal service we strive to offer clients.

This is Stamp Duty Land Tax and is payable in every transaction by a buyer of property.  The amount of the tax is calculated with reference to the purchase price and various other factors.  We can calculate the amount you will pay in advance.  We also arrange for this to be paid to HMRC on completion of your transaction.

This will depend on whether you are purchasing with the aid of finance or whether you are a cash buyer.  In the former instance, your mortgage company will usually require that you carry out a local search, coal search, water and drainage search and an environmental search.  If you are a cash buyer there is no requirement to obtain the usual searches, however we would always advise that you do as being informed about your potential purchase is essential.

This is so that you have as much information about the property as possible to enable you to make an informed decision to proceed with your purchase.  For instance, you wouldn’t want to find out that there was a mine shaft in your garden! The local search will reveal details about the planning permission that affects the property, the environmental search will reveal whether there has been any contamination in the area as well as details on flooding and the water and drainage search will disclose the location of any water mains running through the property, important if you are looking to extend your property post purchase.

Solicitors’ fees are paid at the completion of the transaction.  In the unlikely event that you do not complete your sale or purchase then we may make a charge of abortive fees, depending on the amount of work we have undertaken to the point the transaction is aborted.
