Residential Conveyancing
It is generally accepted that house moving can be one of the most traumatic of life's experiences. For most people, buying a home also represents their largest single investment. This is why using an experienced property lawyer is so essential; to provide both the reassurance you need at this stressful time, and the independent, objective advice that puts your interests first.
At Warners, we pride ourselves on the quality of our service and this includes regular contact with you so that you are aware of what is happening at every stage during the process. You will also receive copies of all relevant documents and correspondence and also, if you are buying, a full written report on the property title and searches etc.
As a buyer, it is well worth contacting us even before you have found a specific house to buy. We can advise you on how to go about making an offer once you find a property you like, assist you with the type of survey which would be best for that property and recommend a local surveyor if you wish.
As a seller, it is a good idea to contact us before you put your present property on the market. Once a buyer has been found and and while negotiations over the sale of an existing property to prospective buyers will mainly be the responsibility of your estate agent, you may well appreciate a second opinion on the merits of any offer made to you.
Having obtained your title papers we can prepare a draft contract, supporting papers and forms so that a complete package can be sent to the buyer’s solicitors quickly.
With our considerable experience in all aspects of buying and selling property, Warners can provide practical advice on key matters at an early stage. Being in touch with market conditions we can recommend the most appropriate action and guide you on decisions you need to make.
In the past, buyers and sellers of houses have often been confused about the stages involved in the legal process, so these are comprehensively explained in our separate leaflets. Clients often worry about what have seemed to them to be unnecessary delays. Frequently such delays occur through no fault of your lawyer, and are often due to the cumulative effect of a "chain" of buyers and sellers.
The Law Society's TransAction scheme, to which Warners belongs, seeks to streamline the conveyancing process and the advantages of this scheme are explained below.
TransAction - The Conveyancing Protocol
“TransAction” is the name given to the conveyancing protocol operated through the Law Society, which aims to make conveyancing both simpler and quicker.
Participating solicitors use a standard and jargon-free procedure. "TransAction" also breaks with traditional house-buying procedures by shifting some of the work in the conveyancing transaction from the buyer's solicitors to the seller’s solicitors. This shift will be taken one step further when the seller becomes obliged to produce a “Home Information Pack” before putting a property on the market.
Contract Deposits
At exchange of contracts (when the buyer becomes legally bound to buy the property), the seller will expect a deposit to be paid. However, as part of the "TransAction" scheme, if you are selling another property your buyer's deposit can usually be passed on.
Leases
We can also advise on short or long leasehold transactions and prepare appropriate tenancy agreements or leases as the situation requires. If property is leasehold, buyers will need to look carefully at the lease terms in order to establish the maintenance obligations for repair, level of rent and any service charges etc, in addition to any restrictions or obligations in respect of gardens, car parking and so on. Preliminary advice can also be given in respect of leasehold enfranchisement and related legislation. This is a right for existing tenants to apply for an extension of 90 years to be added onto the end of the existing lease, at a price based on a laid down formula.
Housing association & “diyso” schemes
We have considerable expertise in dealing with purchases and leases from local authorities, housing associations and under shared ownership schemes. Please ask for our separate leaflet on this if you are interested.
Why use Warners?
At Warners we believe in making the conveyancing process as straightforward and as informal as possible.
We keep in regular touch with the other party's solicitor and we keep you fully up to date with what is going on. In short, we guide you through the whole house moving process, advising on all related financial matters when required - all providing “added value” to our competitive charges.
How much will it cost?
We will always supply clients with a written costs estimate for handling their conveyancing. The estimate will also set out all out of pocket expenses such as searches, stamp duty and land registry fees etc.
For further information, please contact:
Tonbridge:
John McAuliffe 01732 375343
Clare Harvey 01732 375322
Sevenoaks:
Claire Manning 01732 747933
Christine Ellis 01732 747954