Buying, Selling and Mortgaging a Property

Our fee - £1,500 plus VAT of £300

Typical timescale to exchange of contracts – 4-8 weeks

The advice that we will provide and the work we will carry out will generally consist of the following:

• Drafting and negotiating contract for sale.
• Providing evidence of title to the purchaser.
• Providing your completed Property Information Forms and Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form to the purchaser.
• Dealing with purchaser's lawyer’s enquiries before contract.
• Obtaining redemption figure from your mortgagee/lender if applicable.
• Exchanging contracts.
• Replying to pre-completion requisitions on title.
• Agreeing form of and arranging signature of transfer.
• Preparing financial statement.
• Completing sale.
• Paying estate agent's commission.
• Redeeming mortgage if applicable.
• Accounting to you for the balance of sale proceeds.

Our fee - £1,700 plus VAT of £340

Typical timescale to exchange of contracts – 4-8 weeks

The advice that we will provide and the work we will carry out will generally consist of the following:

• Considering evidence of title provided by the seller and reporting to you.
• Considering Property Information Forms and Fixtures & Fittings Form provided by the seller and reporting to you.
• Undertaking appropriate searches and reporting to you.
• Raising Additional Enquiries and considering responses.
• Considering and amending as necessary the draft contract provided by the seller.
• Considering your mortgage offer and reporting to you.
• Exchanging contracts.
• Preparing and arranging your signature to the Land Registry Transfer, Mortgage Deed if applicable and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Form.
• Requesting mortgage advance from Lender if applicable.
• Raising pre-completion requisitions on title.
• Preparing financial statement.
• Undertaking appropriate pre-completion searches.
• Completing purchase.
• Submitting SDLT Form to HMRC and paying any duty payable from funds provided by you.
• Registering purchase at Land Registry.
• Confirming registration to you and your lender if applicable and dealing with storage of documents as appropriate.

Our fee - £1,700 plus VAT of £340

Typical timescale to exchange of contracts – 6-10 weeks

The advice that we will provide and the work we will carry out will generally consist of the following:

• Drafting and negotiating contract for sale.
• Providing evidence of title to the purchaser.
• Providing your completed Property Information Forms, Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form and Utilities Questionnaire to the purchaser.
• Dealing with purchaser's lawyer’s enquiries before contract.
• Requesting leasehold information from your landlord/managing agent.
• Obtaining redemption figure from your mortgagee/lender if applicable.
• Exchanging contracts.
• Replying to pre-completion requisitions on title.
• Agreeing form of and arranging signature of transfer.
• Preparing financial statement.
• Calculating ground rent and service charge apportionments if applicable.
• Completing sale.
• Paying estate agent's commission.
• Redeeming mortgage if applicable.
• Accounting to you for the balance of sale proceeds.

Our fee - £2,050 plus VAT of £410

Typical timescale to exchange of contracts - 6-10 weeks

The advice that we will provide and the work we will carry out will generally consist of the following:

• Considering evidence of title provided by the seller and reporting to you, including the lease to the property.
• Considering Property Information Forms and Fixtures & Fittings Form provided by the seller and reporting to you.
• Considering the management pack provided by the seller and reporting to you.
• Undertaking appropriate searches and reporting to you.
• Raising Additional Enquiries and considering responses.
• Considering and amending as necessary the draft contract provided by the seller.
• Considering your mortgage offer and reporting to you.
• Exchanging contracts.
• Preparing and arranging your signature to the Land Registry Transfer, Mortgage Deed if applicable and Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Form.
• Requesting mortgage advance from Lender if applicable.
• Raising pre-completion requisitions on title.
• Preparing financial statement.
• Agreeing ground rent and service charge apportionments if applicable.
• Undertaking appropriate pre-completion searches.
• Completing purchase.
• Submitting SDLT Form to HMRC and paying any duty payable from funds provided by you.
• Registering purchase at Land Registry.
• Dealing with any post completion requirements of the freeholder/managing agent.
• Confirming registration to you and your lender if applicable and dealing with storage of documents as appropriate.

Our fee – a minimum of £1,250 plus VAT of £250

The advice that we will provide and the work we will carry out will generally consist of the following:

• Considering your title.
• Considering the Property Information Forms you complete.
• Undertaking appropriate searches and reporting to you.
• Requesting leasehold information from your landlord/managing agents.
• Obtaining redemption figure from your existing mortgagee/lender.
• Considering your mortgage offer and reporting to you.
• Preparing and arranging your signature to the Mortgage Deed.
• Undertaking appropriate pre-completion searches.
• Preparing financial statement.
• Redeeming mortgage.
• Completing re-mortgage.
• Accounting to you for the balance of the re-mortgage proceeds if applicable.
• Registering re-mortgage at Land Registry.
• Registering re-mortgage with your landlord/managing agents.
• Confirming registration to you and your lender and dealing with storage of the documents as appropriate.

An indication of what may affect the level of fees involved for the transactions listed above include the following:-

• The value of the property in question
• If we need to meet you at a location other than our offices to discuss the transaction
• If any deed of variation or lease extension is required
• Whether the transaction is a sale, purchase or re-mortgage
• Whether the property in question is leasehold or freehold
• The nature of the mortgage or other funding method
• The urgency of the matter and whether or not there is another transaction with which it must coincide
• Whether the property is a listed building, in a conservation area or subject to other planning obligations requiring specific action or investigation
• Where a freehold property, if the property is part of a managed estate
• Whether title to the property is defective and remedial action required.
• Whether or not the property is registered at the Land Registry, and if so in more than one registered title. If the transaction consists of the purchase of a new build house or flat at which point the new title has not been created or if the land is unregistered then further consideration of the time involved may be required.

This is not an exhaustive list of circumstances that we must take into account when providing you with a cost estimate. However, assuming the initial information we are given is accurate and also taking account of the experience of our qualified staff who give you the costs estimate, it will be possible to provide an accurate estimate at that stage.  In the event of unforeseen circumstances or subsequent changes in instructions, any requirement to revisit and amend the cost estimate would always be undertaken fully in consultation with you but will largely be based on the following hourly rates of the staff dealing with the matter:

• Apprentice Solicitor: £50 plus £10 VAT
• Paralegal Level 2: £100 plus £20 VAT
• Paralegal Level 3: £120 plus £24 VAT
• Trainee Solicitor: £130 plus £26 VAT
• Assistant Executive: £150 plus £30 VAT
• Conveyancing Executive: £200 plus £40 VAT
• Solicitor: £175 plus £35 VAT
• Associate Solicitor: £205 plus £35 VAT
• Legal Director: £225 plus £40 VAT
• Senior Associate Solicitor: £225 plus £45 VAT
• Partner: £250 plus £50 VAT
• Partner, Head of Department: £275 plus £55 VAT
• Consultant: £300 plus £60 VAT

Disbursements (out of pocket expenses) will always be payable and we will provide you with a detailed breakdown of these.  Items forming part of our service (including search fees where the results are used to provide advice) are subject to VAT at 20%.  Items which are paid out on your behalf as agent and do not form part of our service are deemed to be classed as a disbursement for VAT purposes, and therefore outside the scope of VAT.

Typical disbursements include the following:

• For providing Bank Telegraphic Transfer (CHAPS) we charge £30 plus £6 VAT per transfer (including our bank’s charge to us of £13.50).
• SALE ONLY: Land Registry Official Copy Entries, Plans or Documents – £3 per copy (with no added VAT).
• LEASEHOLD SALE ONLY: Landlord/Managing Agent’s Fees for supplying leasehold management information.  This varies considerably but we estimate £150 (plus £30 VAT) to £400 (plus £80 VAT).
• PURCHASE/ REMORTGAGE: Land Registry Registration Fees – £20 - £910 (no VAT). (This depends on value and certain other factors.  The Land Registry website provides the current fee scale).
• PURCHASE/REMORTGAGE: Land Registry Pre-Completion Searches – typically £7 (no VAT).
• PURCHASE/ REMORTGAGE: Property Searches - usually in the range of £200 (plus £40 VAT) to £400 (plus £80 VAT).
• LEASEHOLD PURCHASE/ REMORTGAGE: Landlord/Managing Agent’s Notice/Admin Fees (if required).  These can vary considerably from £30 (plus £6 VAT) to £400 (plus £80 VAT) depending on the landlord’s requirements.