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Thank you for looking at our property services. Whether you are a first-time buyer or an investor, we are here to take the stress out of buying and selling residential property.
We will guide you through each step of your transaction and offer a service that that fits your exact requirements. Where necessary we can recommend other professionals such as Surveyors, IFA’s and property valuers.
At a time where money really matters, we always provide a quality service at a fair price. We will keep you up-to-date with all of the relevant information so you can make informed decisions and have complete confidence that every detail has been properly taken care of.
Why Us
Our Residential Property team is headed up by Kevin Duffy, Solicitor, qualifying in 2008. Kevin is assisted by Tracey Read who has more than 15 years experience in Residential Property.
We have an experienced team who understand the stress involved in buying, selling or re-mortgaging your property. Our approach is simple; we provide a first-class service from our expert team who make the difference by removing confusion and uncertainty, dealing with all of the legal details of a property transaction on your behalf.
Our team is made up of highly qualified Solicitors who have the legal and technical “know how” to resolve any issues as they arise in a professional and efficient manner. We understand that communication is key, so will make sure we are always available to answer your questions in plain English and ensure you are kept up-to-date with everything you need to know.
You will have the confidence that you are our priority, with our aim being that any member of the team is available to speak with you when you need some clarity and certainty at any stage in the process. We feel this provides reassurance and gives you an outlet for any concerns that you may have. Potentially this is the biggest investment of your life and we not only want to provide that first-class service, but value for money and no hidden fees.
We are proud to hold Lexcel and Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) Accreditations, issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain high levels of client care.
Pricing
The fees involved in any transaction are important and we review our fees on a regular basis, considering clients’ feedback so we can make sure we always offer the best value for your money.
We typically work on a fixed fee basis, ensuring that you know what the fees will be for your transaction from the outset. If, during the transaction, there is a new development, we will discuss the change in fees with you and agree a way forward.
Our fees are set out as:
Freehold Residential Property
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.
Item | Amount | VAT | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|
Legal Fees – Registered Title |
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Minimum price | £1,400.00 | £280.00 | £1,680.00 |
Average fee for a purchase of £500,000 | £1,700.00 | £340.00 | £2,040.00 |
Average fee for a purchase of £750,000 | £2,100.00 | £420.00 | £2,520.00 |
Average fee for a new build (first registration) | Starting from £2,300.00 | £460.00 | £2,760.00 |
Purchase price above £1,000,000 | Percentage negotiable fee |
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| Please note, if a freehold management company is involved in the transaction, £175.00 plus VAT will be chargeable in addition to the above rate. | |||
Disbursements |
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Local Authority Search (price depends on which Local Authority) | Between £125.00 - £350.00 | VAT @ 20% |
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Environmental Search | £49.00 | £9.80 | £58.80 |
Drainage & Water Search | £52.10 | £10.42 | £62.52 |
Chancel Report/Liability Search | £20.00 | £4.00 | £24.00 |
ID Check per person | £14.95 | £2.99 | £17.94 |
HM Land Registry Registration fee (dependant on property value) | Between £95 – £550 | no VAT payable | £95 – £550 |
Land Registry Priority Search fee | £3.00 | £0.60 | £3.60 |
Land Charges Search fee per person | £2.00 | £0.40 | £2.40 |
Lawyer Checker fee | £10.00 | £2.00 | 12.00 |
Electronic money transfer fee (sending purchase monies to sellers’ solicitors) | £30.00 | £6.00 | £36.00 |
Stamp Duty | TBC | No VAT payable | TBC |
If a Deed of Variation is required, this will incur an additional fee to be discussed.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
These fees may be subject to change if further information relating to your property becomes available.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
This will depend on the purchase price of your property and whether you own an additional property etc. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC's website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority's website here.
Example Pricing
The purchase of a £500,000.00 freehold property:
Our Fee - £1,400.00 + VAT (280.00) = £1,680.00
Disbursements:
- ID Check - £14.95 + VAT (£2.99) = £17.94
- Land Registry Priority Search Fee - £3.00 + VAT = £3.60
- Land Charges Search Fee - £2.00 + VAT = £2.40
- Land Registry Registration Fee - £135.00
- Lawyer Checker Fees - £10.00 + VAT (£2.00) = £12.00
- Bank Charges for sending completion monies - £30.00 + VAT (6.00) = £36.00
- Searches:
- Local Authority Search - £259.17 + VAT (£43.23) = £302.40
- Environmental – £49.00 + VAT (£9.80) = £58.80
- Drainage & Water - £52.10 + VAT (£10.42) = £62.52
- Chancel Report - £20.00 + VAT (£4.00) = £24.00
Our Fees & Disbursements Total = £2,334.66
- Stamp Duty – to be calculated
Purchase Estimated Total = £2,334.66 + stamp duty
Exclusions
We do not undertake tax advice.
Our fees are fixed, however there may be factors which would typically increase the cost of the fees estimated above. Where there is likely to be any additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:
- If a legal title is defective or part of the property is unregistered
- If you discover building regulations or planning permission has not been obtained
- If crucial documents, we have previously requested from you have not been provided to us
- If the property is a new build
- If the property is less than 10 years old
- If you require to exchange within 6 weeks of instructing us
- If you require completion within 6 weeks of instructing us
- If you require simultaneous exchange and completion
Time Scales
For any transaction, the timescales are subject to change depending on when your offer is accepted and factors involved such as:
- Number of parties in the chain
- Whether you have a mortgage in place
- Whether you are buying a new build property
- Whether you need a lease extension for a leasehold property
A typical transaction will take between 10-14 weeks. However, if any of the above apply, or there are other factors we need to take into consideration, it may increase the time by a further 4-6 weeks and additional charges may occur. We will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity, so you always have a clear picture of how long things are likely to take.
Key Milestones
With every transaction there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- Taking your instructions and give initial advice based on the information you have provided
- Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase and contacting the lender’s solicitors if needed
- Receiving and advising on contract documents
- Undertaking searches
- Obtaining further planning documentation if required
- Making any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor
- Providing advice on all documents and information received
- Advising you of the mortgage offer conditions
- Finalising contracts and sending to you for signature
- Agreeing a completion date (the date from which you will legally own the property)
- Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
- Ensuring all monies have been received from you and the lender(s)
- Completing the purchase
- Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Completing and submitting an application for registration at the Land Registry
