Residential Conveyancing

At Garner & Hancock Property Solicitors, we specialize in Residential and Business Conveyancing and provide comprehensive advice on property transfers and associated mortgage arrangements. We understand that purchasing or selling a property can be a significant milestone in one’s life. Therefore, we believe that it is crucial for our clients to be aware of every stage of the process and comprehend the reasons behind it.

Tips & Traps – Residential Conveyancing

Request for a Legal Consultation

Garner & Hancock realise that the prospect of pursuing a legal matter can be challenging, so we offer an initial phone consultation to discuss your options, and to give you information that will help you make the right choices affecting your case.

Call Us Now: 020 8232 9560

The Importance of Conveyancing

Buying or selling a property is not to be taken lightly. Property inspections help identify potential structural problems, but it does not show any adverse items that potentially affect the property and the land it is built on. This requires a thoroughness and attention to detail.

A Broader Range of Legal Support

We differ from standard Conveyancers. Because Property Transactions often bring with them many considerations you can rely on us to support you in many other related areas.

Alongside Conveyancing services, we provide a wider view, including Wealth Protection, Wills Probate & Trusts, Family Law and more for a considered approach to managing your most important assets, your family and your home, now and in the future.

As a member of the Conveyancing Quality Scheme, we are here to ensure that your property deal runs as smoothly as possible.

Conveyancing Steps for buying and selling homes

Buying a Property

Write to seller’s solicitors requesting a draft contract and title papers.
Review and approve contract and title papers when received and raise any relevant queries with the seller’s solicitors.
Request searches and review
Review mortgage offer when received.
Review searches when received and raise further queries if necessary.
Prepare Report on Title and send to the client along with the contract and any relevant documents for signing in readiness for the exchange of contracts.
Request deposit from the client unless there is a related sale
Exchange Contracts.
Send Draft Transfer for approval to the seller’s solicitors.
Request Mortgage funds
Draft and send completion statement to the buyer showing balance due to completepurchase.
Transfer purchase money on day of completion.
Pay Stamp Duty on completion.
Register client’s title to the property and the mortgage in favour of the lender

Selling a Property

Download seller’s title to the property at the Land Registry
Prepare and send draft contract, property information forms and title papers to the buyer’s solicitors.
If selling a leasehold property obtain an information pack from the Freeholder or Managing Agent for which they will charge a fee of between £100-£500 approximately.
Forward queries received from the buyer’s solicitors to the seller for reply.
Respond to queries from the buyer’s solicitors
Exchange contracts when all queries satisfied.
Approve Transfer and send to seller for signature.
Obtain redemption statement from seller’s lenders
Draft and send completion statement to the seller showing the proceeds of sale due after deductions to the seller.
Request Mortgage funds
Draft and send completion statement to the buyer showing balance due to completepurchase.
Complete sale on receipt of purchase funds. Redeem seller’s mortgage and pay any remaining balance to the seller.
Send signed Transfer and any relevant documents to the buyer’s solicitors

Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS)

The buying and selling of a home is probably the largest transaction that most people undertake in their lives. Obtaining the CQS proves we have the necessary skills and expertise to provide residential conveyancing advice.

Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS)

Frequently Asked Questions

This will check if there are any Conveyancing Disbursements such as road building proposals, planning permissions, charges on the property, outstanding notices, public or private drains, Compulsory Purchase Orders and Railway Construction Proposals.

After receiving your Draft Contract, we will edit it to include different details in the transactions. These details may include fixtures, contents, and fittings. Additionally, we will also inform you of the additional costs such as land registry fees, leasehold notice fees, and similar obligatory expenditure.

There are different types of disbursements charged to our clients. We have provided a list of these disbursements below for further reference.

For buying properties, exchange of contracts usually finishes within 6-8 weeks of receipt of the contract pack. Once this process is complete, we will approve the form of Transfer and send it to the seller for signature. For selling properties, once this process is complete, we create Draft Transfer or other purchase Deed. Then prepare and obtain the signatures to Mortgage Deed.

The complete breakdown of the current stamp duty is provided in the charts below.

G&H Awarded the Excellence Mark

Garner & Hancock LLP has secured membership to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme – the mark of excellence for the home buying process.

Our Guarantee

We believe our business begins and ends with you and your needs, as our client. Therefore, we are committed to providing the best client care and advice which will give you confidence that your matter is handled with the utmost care.

How Can We Help?

Happy to help! Feel free to contact us at any time for a consultation on your legal matters.

Our offices will be closed for the holiday season starting on Friday, December 20, 2024. We will resume normal business operations on Thursday, January 2, 2025. Our team will be unavailable to assist with inquiries or processes during this time.

Residential Conveyancing