Conveyancing FAQs

To put a time limit on a transaction is very difficult, as different factors have to be taken into account, for example, how long the chain is, whether people have existing or new mortgages to obtain. We do however estimate a period of approximately eight to ten weeks.

The banking systems used for the electronic transfer of the funds do not allow us to complete on a Saturday and therefore your move has to take place between Monday and Friday.

If you are selling or buying through an Estate Agent you need to advise them of our details in order that they can issue their Sales Memorandum, which shows details of the parties involved and the price agreed. If however, you have sold or purchased privately, then you need to advise us of your seller or buyers conveyancer, in order that we may send them an initial letter confirming our instructions to act on your behalf.

The other most important thing we need you to do is return any forms enclosed with our estimate, duly completed, as this will enable us to obtain your title deeds from wherever they are held, i.e. bank or building society, or solicitors and provides us with your contact telephone numbers.

We recommend that you have your insurance arrangements in place prior to exchange, so that immediately contracts are exchanged your cover can be put in force.

Following Exchange of Contracts we advise our clients to cancel their direct debit payments, as we obtain redemption (balance) statements from the lenders concerned, which are calculated to the Completion date and show all payments made and interest accrued.

When completing the mortgage application forms you would have specified a particular payment date within the month for your Direct Debit, however the lender will contact you shortly following completion advising of the payment amount and date to be collected. Your first monthly payment may be larger then subsequent payments if you complete in the middle of a month.

This is because the estimate of fees provided by us is for our costs in dealing with the sale/purchase, including the fees of the Inland Revenue for Stamp Duty (if applicable) and registration fees to HM Land Registry. However, the completion statement shows the balance required in order to complete the transaction and includes payment/receipt of deposits, estate agents fees and mortgage products.

The money that changes hands on the day of completion passes from one solicitor to another, and depending on the length of the chain can take from as little as an hour. We do however advise that the keys become available at approximately lunchtime, therefore allowing the banking procedures to be carried out and for solicitors to give the required key release consent to the Estate Agents.

We advise all selling clients to deliver their keys to their Estate Agent, from where they can be collected, following the formal confirmation of release by the solicitor.

Following completion we still have a number of procedures that have to be carried out, i.e. stamping at the Inland Revenue (if over £60,000.00) and registration of your Title at the Land Registry. Therefore the Deeds will not be available for at least three months. Your deeds need to be kept safely and can either be lodged with your bank/building society or with our firm in the deeds safe. We do not charge for storing Title Deeds and can make them available for your inspection or collection with just a little notice.

Many clients have tried to get rubbish removed from their properties, but without success. The only way we can help is to write to the seller’s solicitor and request that the letter be forwarded direct to the Seller, in which we can suggest they remove the same, or advise that we will do so, but will provide them with the invoice for settlement.

The best alternative is to visit the property prior to formal completion to physically check that no rubbish has been left at the property