Stamp Duty Land Tax: temporary reduced rates

At Talbots Law, home is where our heart is. We know that property matters to people – that’s why we’ll always do our best to make the transaction smooth and speedy. Whether you’re buying or selling, our conveyancing solicitors can help you through the process with ease.

There’s nothing we like better than the feeling of helping our clients climb from one step on the property ladder to the next. You could be a first time buyer, or you could have an extensive property portfolio. Either way, you can count on us to deliver a high quality service and keep you in the loop from start to finish.  

Purchasing property should be exciting. However, it’s also one of the most important financial commitments you can make. That’s why you need an expert conveyancing solicitor at hand, guiding you through from offer to completion. Our approach is straightforward: you tell us what you want to do, and we’ll help you do it – it’s that simple.

Last year, our specialist conveyancing solicitors helped over 10,000 customers to move home, which put us in the top ten law firms in the country.

Why should I choose Talbots' conveyancing solicitors?

With the largest residential property team in the region, you can guarantee that there’s no question we can’t answer, and we’ll always explain all your options carefully so you don’t dive into decisions without clarity. Property comes in all shapes and sizes. So too does our advice. From day one, our conveyancing solicitors will provide advice that’s tailored to meet your needs. Perhaps you’re looking for a family home to raise your children, or perhaps you’re downsizing to a one-bed city flat. Whatever the property, whatever the situation, we’ll be there to handle all the legal complexities and paperwork of the conveyancing process. We also have foreign language solicitors to help you through the process in a way that is comfortable for you.

What is conveyancing?

If you’re a first time buyer looking to get your foot on the property ladder, you’ve probably heard the term ‘conveyancing’ or ‘the conveyancing process’ by now. But what exactly does it mean? Simply put, conveyancing is the legal work that is carried out when property is being bought or sold. It involves 3 main stages as seen below from the buyer’s perspective:

• The pre-contract stage
  The pre-contract stage involves all the work that is carried out before contracts are exchanged. The seller will send you a contract package: this includes a draft contract, evidence of their legal ownership and the results of their pre-contract property searches. It is then our job as conveyancing solicitors to thoroughly check these documents as well as raising queries or ‘requisitions’ regarding the property searches that have been conducted (learn more about property searches below.)
  
  Once you have confirmed a mortgage offer and we are satisfied with the final results from the searches, the draft contract will be returned to the seller. Then, it’s time for the contract exchange.
   
• The post-contract stage
  We will send the draft purchase deed to the seller’s solicitor, and, once approved, both buyer and seller will sign a copy of the purchase deed. This will activate the terms in the contract. We will then need to obtain the mortgage loan from your mortgage lender, and meanwhile, the seller’s solicitor will confirm with their lender the exact amount of money needed to discharge their mortgage. Finally, your money is transferred to the seller’s solicitor and the deeds are sent to us.
   
• The post completion stage
  You’re practically done! After the seller’s solicitor has sent us a receipt of their mortgage once it’s been discharged, it’s up to us to pay the stamp duty land tax for the property on your behalf. Then, we’ll help you apply to the Land Registry for your legal title on the property to be registered.

There is a fourth and final stage, but it doesn’t require our help. We’ll leave you to get the keys, pack your boxes and start making plans to turn your house into a home.

What are property searches?

Searches are carried out during the conveyancing process in order to gain vital information about the property. The searches carried out normally include:

• Local Searches
  This involves contacting the council to obtain information on any future plans that may affect the value of the property, such as a new by-pass or superstore just by the property.
• Environmental Searches 
  This search is essential, and is carried out to make sure the land where your property is built is not contaminated in any way.
• Water Search
  This vital query is raised to ensure the property has mains water and a drainage system and whether they are in perfect working order.

The conveyancing process may seem fairly straightforward, but without a specialist conveyancing solicitor, it could take double the time. Give us a call on 0800 118 1500 to help you keep conveyancing simple.