Your Step By Step Guide To Conveyancing

Sale

Once you have found a buyer for your property and instructed us to act for you, we will obtain your title deeds and Land Registry documentation. You will then be asked to complete a 'Property Information Form' and a 'Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form.' If the property is leasehold there will be additional forms to complete.

We will also ask you to provide us with any guarantees or other documents relating to your property which are not held with your title deeds e.g. damp and timber reports, planning consents for alterations and extensions etc.

The draft contract will then be prepared and sent to the Buyer's Solicitors, who will then carry out various searches (this can take up to four weeks). We must answer any queries they may have with your help. Once these queries have been answered you will be asked to sign the contract.

Exchange of Contracts

Once everything is agreed (including completion date) and the contract is signed we can proceed to exchange contracts. At this stage the sale becomes legally binding. The Buyer's Solicitors will send a deposit to us.

We will approve the transfer deed and ask you to sign it. We will also apply for any mortgage redemption figure and prepare the final accounts.

Completion

On the completion date we will receive the balance of the sale price, in return for which we will hand over the title deeds to the Buyer's Solicitors.

We will redeem (pay off) any mortgage out of the sale proceeds, collect our legal fees, the estate agents fees and disbursements and will forward the balance to you, unless you are using it for a related purchase.

Purchase

Purchase Agreed

Once you have instructed us we must wait to receive the pre-contract package from the Seller's Solicitor. Following receipt of this, we can apply for the local authority search, and any other necessary searches. (This can take up to four weeks).

We will raise any additional enquiries and await the replies. We will also await the search results and your mortgage offer, and follow any special instructions from the lender.

Exchange of Contracts

Once we are satisfied that everything is in order we will prepare a property report and send it to you.

You will then be asked to sign the contract and mortgage deed and provide a deposit. (Completion dates will be agreed at this stage). We can then exchange contracts with the Seller's Solicitor. The purchase is now legally binding.

Once contracts have been exchanged we can prepare a completion statement detailing the balance due from you.

Final land registry searches are then made against the property and your names.

Completion

On the completion date we will hand over the balance of the funds and receive in return the title deeds from the Seller's Solicitors.

If applicable, stamp duty is paid, and we will arrange to register the transfer at the Land Registry. Once the title is registered we will supply a copy to you and send the original document to your lender.

Remortgage

Remortgage Agreed

Once you have instructed us we will request your title deeds from your existing lender and also request a redemption statement to find out how much is still owed on your existing mortgage, and any other loans you are paying off.

We will await your mortgage offer and check the title documentation.

After Offer Received

We will check special instructions from the lender. In some cases it may be necessary to carry out searches against the property. (This depends upon the lender).

We will forward the mortgage deed to you for signature and also send you the redemption statement for your existing mortgage (and any other loans, if applicable). We will then agree a completion date with you.

Completion

Once the documentation is returned to us together with any balance payable (if applicable) we can arrange the completion. (Most lenders require one week's notice).

On completion day we will pay off your existing mortgage (and other loans, if applicable), collect our legal fees and disbursements and will forward any remaining money to you.

We will arrange to register the new mortgage at the Land Registry. Once the title is registered we will supply a copy to you and send the original document to your lender.