Our charges
Fees incurred by you for a freehold purchase are calculated on a fixed fee basis based on the value of the property.

What does this include?
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your freehold property. This includes:

• Acting for you in the purchase;
• Acting for any lender in the purchase

The legal fees are calculated on a fixed fee basis using an hourly rate.  Our fee assumes that:

• This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including, for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion, or the preparation of additional documents which are required for the main transaction;
• The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise;
• All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation or information;
• No indemnity policies are required. Additional costs may be incurred if these are required.

Should any of these become apparent during the course of the transaction, your contact will advise you as soon as possible, and advise you of any cost implications.

Disbursements
Disbursements are expenses that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees.  We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

The disbursements we usually anticipate for a freehold purchase are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list and other disbursements may apply depending on the property:

• Land Registry Fee £40 – £910 (depending on price of property)
• Search fees £350 – £400 plus VAT at 20% (£420 – £480)

Disbursements relating to ID and AML checks include:

• Verification of ID per individual: £6.30 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (UK): £4.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (non-UK): £16.20 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per UK company: £7.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per international company: £10.50 (including 20% VAT)

Normally we require a payment of £400 on account of search fees.

What else will I need to consider?
The below are all payments you will need to consider, which are likely to need to be paid in addition to the fees and disbursements detailed above.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT):
Stamp Duty Land Tax payments are dependent on the price of the property and the buyer’s invidual circumstances. SDLT is payable in addition to legal costs and disbursements. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website link here.

What happens if I change my mind and don’t want to go through with the transaction anymore?
Should you wish to terminate the transaction at any time, you will be liable for any costs and disbursements incurred to date, and will be billed for them.

Management Company requirements
If your property is subject to a freehold estate charge, there may be payments due to the management company to deal with their transfer requirements. The cost of this can vary from property to property and you should budget between £150 – £300 as a minimum.

Additional services and searches
The following additional services and searches are available and will be charged in addition to the fixed fee quoted to you, based on the cost of the additional search (if relevant) and an hourly rate to provide the additional service.

• Locational searches (for example, Coal Mining in the north of the UK)
• Planning searches
• Chancel liability insurance

How long is my transaction likely to take?
How long the Purchase of a freehold can take depends on a number of factors, for example the number of parties in a chain.

If you are a first time buyer, purchasing a chain-free property with a mortgage, it could take as little as six weeks.

If you are buying a freehold property with more complicated arrangements or in a long chain, it may take as much as ten weeks.

The average timescale for a freehold purchase from acceptance of offer to completion is six to eight weeks.

What can I expect from this process?
The key stages in an average freehold purchase:

• Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
• Checking finances are in place to fund purchase and contacting lender’s solicitors if needed
• Receiving and advising on contract documents
• Carrying out searches
• Obtaining further planning documentation if required
• Making any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
• Giving you advice on all documents and information you receive
• Going through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you
• Reporting to you on the purchase
• Sending final contract to you for signature, or reporting to you in person
• Advising you on joint ownership
• Obtaining pre-completion searches
• Agreeing completion date (date from which you own the property)
• Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
• Arranging all monies needed to be received from lender and you
• Effecting legal completion
• Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax
• Dealing with registration at the Land Registry
• Liaising as necessary with your mortgage lender.

We are dependent on information received from the counterparty’s lawyers, and can only work as fast as the information is given to us.  We will keep you informed if we are experiencing any delays which are likely to impact on the desired completion date of the transaction.

Who is going to do this work for me and what is their experience?
The work will be carried out by one or more of our lawyers in the Residential Conveyancing Team. The Team’s Supervising Partner is Tracey Laflin. Follow the links to view their experience.

Our charges
Fees incurred by you for a leasehold Sale are calculated on a fixed fee basis based on the value of the leasehold property.

What does this include?
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the sale of your freehold property. This includes:

• Acting for you in the leasehold sale;
• Acting for any lender in the discharge of any charge

The legal fees are calculated on a fixed fee basis using an hourly rate.  Our fee assumes that:

• This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including, for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion, or the preparation of additional documents which are required for the main transaction;
• The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise;
• All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation or information;
• No indemnity policies are required. Additional costs may be incurred if these are required.

Should any of these become apparent during the course of the transaction, your contact will advise you as soon as possible, and advise you of any cost implications.

Disbursements
Disbursements are expenses that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

There are also certain payments which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the property

The disbursements we usually anticipate are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease, and the property. We will update with you any specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease and other documents.

• Land Registry Fee £6 – £20 plus VAT at 20% (£7.20 – £24)

Disbursements relating to ID and AML checks include:

• Verification of ID per individual: £6.30 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (UK): £4.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (non-UK): £16.20 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per UK company: £7.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per international company: £10.50 (including 20% VAT)

Normally we require a payment of £400 on account of leasehold information (see below).

Note that fees can vary greatly from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can only give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

What else will I need to consider?

The below are all payments you will need to consider, which are likely to need to be paid in addition to the fees and disbursements detailed above.

Final Balances on Ground rent and service charges:
Ground rent and service charges are likely to apply throughout the ownership of your property. We will confirm the ground rent and anticipated service charges as soon as we receive this information.

Management Company information
We will need to obtain a pack of information from your landlord / management company. The cost of this can vary from property to property and you should budget between £150 – £300 plus VAT at 20% (£180 – £360) as a minimum.

Other tax payments on the Leasehold Sale
Any payment of tax relating to the sale is in addition to legal fees and disbursements, and the amount and timing of that payment is dependent on your personal tax position. Please ensure that you consider any potential additional payment required on this basis.

What happens if I change my mind and don’t want to go through with the transaction anymore?
Should you wish to terminate the transaction at any time, you will be liable for any costs and disbursements incurred to date, and will be billed for them.

Additional services and searches

The following additional services and searches are available and will be charged in addition to the fixed fee quoted to you, based on the cost of the additional search (if relevant) and an hourly rate to provide the additional service.

Additional services and searches:

• Copies of planning permissions or other installation certificates

Your contact will advise you if it is considered to be worthwhile to consider any of these additional services on a case by case basis. If possible, and if the conditions are known, this will be done before the transaction is undertaken. If the conditions are not known at the start of the transaction, you will be advised as soon as we are aware of the requirement.

How long is my transaction likely to take?

How long the sale of a Leasehold can take depends on a number of factors, for example the number of parties in a chain, and the time it takes for the leasehold information to arrive from your landlord / management company .

The average timescale for a Leasehold sale from acceptance of offer to completion is eight to ten weeks.

What can I expect from this process?
The key stages in an average freehold sale are:

• Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
• Preparing and submitting draft contract papers
• Obtaining leasehold information
• Responding to enquiries from buyers solicitor
• Giving you advice on all documents and information you receive
• Sending final contract to you for signature
• Agreeing a completion date
• Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
• Effecting legal completion
• Arranging monies to be transferred to you
• Discharging any mortgage or other charges

We are dependent on information received from the counterparty’s lawyers, and can only work as fast as the information is given to us.  We will keep you informed if we are experiencing any delays which are likely to impact on the desired completion date of the transaction.

Who is going to do this work for me and what is their experience?
The work will be carried out by one or more of our lawyers in the Residential Conveyancing Team. The Team’s Supervising Partner is Tracey Laflin. Follow the links to view their experience.

Our charges
Fees incurred by you for a leasehold purchase are calculated on a fixed fee basis based on the value of the leasehold property.

What does this include?
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the sale of your freehold property. This includes:

• Acting for you in the leasehold purchase;
• Acting for any lender in the discharge of any charge

The legal fees are calculated on a fixed fee basis using an hourly rate.  Our fee assumes that:

• This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including, for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion, or the preparation of additional documents which are required for the main transaction;
• The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise;
• All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation or information;
• No indemnity policies are required. Additional costs may be incurred if these are required.

Should any of these become apparent during the course of the transaction, your contact will advise you as soon as possible, and advise you of any cost implications.

Disbursements
Disbursements are expenses that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

There are also certain payments which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the property.

The disbursements we usually anticipate are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list and other disbursements may apply depending on the terms of the lease and the requirements of the landlord | management company. We will update with you any specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease.

• Land Registry Fee £40 – £910 (depending on the price of the property)
• Search fees £350 – £400 plus VAT at 20% (£420 – £480)
• Notice of transfer fee. Often this is between £50 and £75 plus VAT at 20% (£60 and £90)
• Notice of charge fee. Often the fee is between £50 and £75 plus VAT at 20% (£60 and £90)
• Deed of Covenant fee (provided by the management company and can be difficult to estimate. It is often between £100 and £150 plus VAT at 20% i.e. between £120 and £180)
• Certificate of compliance fee (to be confirmed upon receipt of the lease but it can range between £100 and £150 plus VAT at 20% i.e. between £120 and £180)

Disbursements relating to ID and AML checks include:

• Verification of ID per individual: £6.30 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (UK): £4.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (non-UK): £16.20 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per UK company: £7.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per international company: £10.50 (including 20% VAT)

Normally we require a payment of £400 on account of searches and other costs.

Note that fees can vary greatly from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can only give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.

What else will I need to consider?

The below are all payments you will need to consider, which are likely to need to be paid in addition to the fees and disbursements detailed above.

Ground rent and service charges
Ground rent and service charges are likely to apply throughout the ownership of your property. We will confirm the ground rent and anticipated service charges as soon as we receive this information.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
Stamp Duty Land Tax payments are dependent on the price of the property and the individual circumstances of the buyer. They are in addition to the legal costs and disbursements. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using the HMRC’s website link here.

What happens if I change my mind and don’t want to go through with the transaction anymore?
Should you wish to terminate the transaction at any time, you will be liable for any costs and disbursements incurred to date, and will be billed for them.

Additional services and searches

The following additional services and searches are available and will be charged in addition to the fixed fee quoted to you, based on the cost of the additional search (if relevant) and an hourly rate to provide the additional service.

Additional services and searches:

The following additional services and searches are available and will be charged in addition to the fixed fee quoted to you, based on the cost of the additional search (if relevant) and an hourly rate to provide the additional service.

• Locational searches (for example, Coal Mining in the north of the UK)
• Planning searches
• Chancel liability insurance

Your contact will advise you if it is considered to be worthwhile to consider any of these additional services on a case by case basis. If possible, and if the conditions are known, this will be done before the transaction is undertaken. If the conditions are not known at the start of the transaction, you will be advised as soon as we are aware of the requirement.

How long is my transaction likely to take?

How long the Purchase of a Leasehold can take depends on a number of factors, for example the number of parties in a chain.

If you are a first time buyer, purchasing a chain free property with a mortgage, it could take as little as six weeks.

If you are buying a leasehold property which requires a lease extension, or is in a long chain, it may take as much as 12 weeks. In such a situation, additional charges would apply.

The average timescale for a leasehold purchase from acceptance of offer to completion is eight to ten weeks.

What can I expect from this process?
The key stages in an average freehold sale are:

• Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
• Checking finances are in place to fund purchase and contacting lender’s solicitors if needed
• Receiving and advising on contract documents
• Carrying out searches
• Obtaining further planning documentation if required
• Making any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
• Giving advice on all documents and information you receive
• Going through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you
• Reporting to you
• Sending final contract to you for signature or reporting to you in person
• Drafting transfer
• Advising you on joint ownership
• Obtaining pre-completion searches
• Agreeing completion date (date from which you own the property)
• Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
• Arranging all monies needed to be received from lender and you
• Effecting legal completion
• Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax
• Dealing with registration at the Land Registry
• Dealing with Notice of Transfer with landlord | management company
• Dealing with your lender as appropriate

We are dependent on information received from the counterparty’s lawyers, and can only work as fast as the information is given to us.  We will keep you informed if we are experiencing any delays which are likely to impact on the desired completion date of the transaction.

Who is going to do this work for me and what is their experience?
The work will be carried out by one or more of our lawyers in the Residential Conveyancing Team. The Team’s Supervising Partner is Tracey Laflin. Follow the links to view their experience.

Our charges
Fees incurred by you for a mortgage are calculated on based on an hourly rate and are typically between £600 and £850 plus VAT (between £720 and £1020).

Fees incurred by you for a re-mortgage are calculated on based on an hourly rate and are typically between £700 and £950 plus VAT (between £840 and £1140).

What does this include?
Our fees cover all the work required to complete a mortgage or remortgage. This includes:

• Acting for you in the mortgage of the property
• Acting for your lender

Our fee assumes that:

• This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including, for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion, or the preparation of additional documents which are required for the main transaction;
• The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise;
• All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation or information;
• A transfer of the title is not required;
• No indemnity policies are required. Additional costs may be incurred if these are required.

Should any of these become apparent during the course of the transaction, your contact will advise you as soon as possible, and advise you of any cost implications.

Disbursements
Disbursements are expenses that are payable to third parties, such as mortgage fees. We handle to payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

The disbursements we usually anticipate are detailed below. This is not an exhaustive list and other disbursements may apply depending on the mortgage or remortgage process. We will update with you any specific fees upon receipt and review of the documentation.

• Land Registry document fees of £6 – £20 plus VAT at 20% (£7.20 – £24.00)
• Search fees of £350 – £400 plus VAT at 20% (£420 – £480)
• Land Registry fee £40 – £120 (depending on the mortgage value)

Disbursements relating to ID and AML checks include:

• Verification of ID per individual: £6.30 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (UK): £4.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per individual (non-UK): £16.20 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per UK company: £7.80 (including 20% VAT)
• AML search per international company: £10.50 (including 20% VAT)

Normally we require a payment of £400 on account of search fees.

What happens if I change my mind and don’t want to go through with the transaction anymore?
Should you wish to terminate the transaction at any time, you will be liable for any costs and disbursements incurred to date, and will be billed for them.

How long is my transaction likely to take?

The average timescale for a mortgage transaction is four to six weeks.

We are dependent upon the receipt of searches and, sometimes, responses from your mortgage lender which may be outside of our control.

What can I expect from this process?

The key stages in an average mortgage/remortgage are:

• Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
• Receiving your mortgage offer and considering your lender’s requirements
• Applying for searches as necessary
• Examining your title
• Considering the results of any searches
• Obtaining property information from you and considering the same
• Advising you on the terms of the mortgage and the mortgage deed
• Obtaining your signature to all relevant documents
• Agreeing a completion date
• Effecting legal completion
• Accounting to you for any proceeds
• Dealing with registration of your new mortgage and, if necessary, discharge of your existing mortgage

We are dependent on information received from the counterparty’s lawyers, and can only work as fast as the information is given to us.  We will keep you informed if we are experiencing any delays which are likely to impact on the desired completion date of the transaction.

Who is going to do this work for me and what is their experience?
The work will be carried out by one or more of our lawyers in the Residential Conveyancing Team. The Team’s Supervising Partner is Tracey Laflin. Follow the links to view their experience.