A man who successfully challenged his mother's final will is likely to recover the lion's share of his legal costs after the High Court ruled that his brother, who attempted to uphold the will's validity, should pay his costs on the indemnity basis . In...
Buying or selling a home can be stressful with lots of steps to work through and risks to consider. Having the right legal team to guide you through the process can make things much easier while keeping you protected. Our residential conveyancing solicitors in Orpington, Dartford and Bexleyheath are here to support you with all types of property transactions.
Each of our offices has its own residential conveyancing property team who have considerable experience in conveyancing throughout London and the South East. We are accredited by the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) in recognition of the standard of our services.
At every stage of your transaction, you will be in safe hands. We will ensure that every detail is considered, all possible issues are thoroughly investigated and that the conveyancing process goes ahead as quickly as possible. If you have questions, they will be answered promptly with everything explained to you in plain English.
The team at T G Baynes can assist with residential property transactions such as:
- Buying a property
- Selling a property
- Remortgaging
- Shared ownership purchases
- Lease extensions
- Transfers of equity
- Equity release
- Buy to Let purchases and re-mortgages
Contact our residential conveyancing solicitors in Orpington, Dartford and Bexleyheath
To speak to one of our local conveyancing solicitors in Orpington, Dartford and Bexleyheath, please fill in our simple enquiry form or call 020 8301 7777.
You can also request a conveyancing quote to see how much our service might cost.
Our conveyancing solicitors’ fees
When choosing a conveyancing solicitor, the cost of their service is an important consideration. We are completely transparent about our conveyancing solicitors’ fees as well as any third-party conveyancing costs (known as ‘disbursements’) that may be required for your transaction.
In almost all cases, we can provide a fixed price for our conveyancing services, so you will know exactly what you will be paying in advance.
You can read more about our conveyancing costs or request a conveyancing quote.
Conveyancing Law FAQs
What is the conveyancing process?
In legal terms, conveyancing refers to transferring or ‘conveying’ the title of a property from one person or set of people to another. More generally, the term conveyancing is used to refer to the legal side of any residential property transaction.
The exact conveyancing process will, therefore, depend on the type of transaction. The key stages in the conveyancing process for buying and selling a property are set out below.
Conveyancing process for buying a property
- You choose a solicitor and ‘instruct’ them to act for you.
- Your solicitor carries out ID and anti-money laundering checks on you.
- Your solicitor requests a draft copy of the contract and all relevant documentation relating to the property from the seller’s solicitor.
- Your solicitor reviews the documentation and raises any queries they might have with the seller’s solicitor.
- Your solicitor arranges conveyancing checks to check for any potential issues with the property or the surrounding area.
- You arrange a survey of the property (this is not a legal requirement but is strongly recommended).
- If you are buying with a mortgage, you will need to get a mortgage valuation.
- When your solicitor is happy the contract is sound and all queries dealt with, both parties will sign their copies and the solicitors will swap copies – this is called ‘exchange of contracts’. A completion date is set on the exchange of contracts.
- You pay the deposit agreed in the contract (usually 10% of the sale price). Once the contracts are exchanged and the deposit paid, the contract is legally binding on both parties.
- On the agreed completion date, your solicitor will transfer the purchase price balance to the seller’s solicitor. Once this has taken place, the property is legally yours.
- Finally, your solicitor will notify the Land Registry of the purchase and request that the title deeds be transferred into your name.
Conveyancing process for selling a property
- You choose a conveyancing solicitor to act for you.
- You complete various forms providing essential information for your solicitor, such as any known issues affecting the property, the property boundaries and which fixtures and fittings will be included in the sale.
- Your solicitor drafts the contracts of sale.
- Your solicitor answers any queries raised by the buyer’s solicitor.
- If you have a mortgage, your solicitor will request a ‘mortgage redemption statement’ setting out how much is left to pay on the mortgage and any fees for early repayment/transferring the mortgage to a new property.
- You sign your copy of the contract and your solicitor exchanges this with the signed copy from the buyer. A completion date is set on exchange of contracts.
- Your solicitor will take receipt of the buyer’s deposit. Once the contracts are signed and the deposits exchanged, the terms of the contract become legally binding.
- On the agreed completion date, the buyer’s solicitor will transfer the balance of payment due and, once this is done, the transaction is complete.
- If you were paying off a mortgage, your solicitor will handle this for you and transfer any remaining balance to your account.
What does a conveyancing solicitor do?
A conveyancing solicitor handles the entire legal process of buying or selling a property for you. They can also provide conveyancing advice and support for various other types of property transactions, including re-mortgaging and lease extensions.
How long does conveyancing take?
The exact length of time conveyancing takes will vary, but 12-16 weeks is a common timeframe.
Having the right conveyancing help can ensure the transaction goes ahead as quickly as possible, so it is worth taking the time to research conveyancers, read reviews and choose a team you are confident you can rely on.
When should I instruct a conveyancing solicitor?
When you have accepted an offer (as a seller) or had an offer accepted (as a buyer), you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor. However, it is sensible to start choosing a conveyancing solicitor before this stage so that you are not rushed into making a decision.
It is worth contacting your chosen conveyancer in advance to make sure they have the capacity to handle your transaction. If you are having trouble deciding between several conveyancing solicitors, speaking to them may help you to decide and you can also request a quote so you can make a comparison. Finding a conveyancing solicitor you can rely on can make a property transaction much simpler, faster and less stressful, so this is a decision it is worth thoroughly researching and taking your time over.
Contact our residential conveyancing solicitors in Orpington, Dartford and Bexleyheath
To speak to one of our local conveyancing solicitors in Orpington, Dartford and Bexleyheath, please fill in our simple enquiry form or call 020 8301 7777.
You can also request a conveyancing quote to see how much our service might cost.