Residential Conveyancing
Whether you’re buying or selling a private property, you will need a solicitor familiar with the legal process, also known as conveyancing, to ensure the correct legal transfer of ownership.
But did you know it’s also important to engage the services of an expert legal professional to help with tenancies, leaseholds, freeholds and equity transfers?
Buying and selling your home is one of the most important events you will go through and it can feel like a daunting experience. One that can be fraught with hidden factors and stresses. Our expert team has been there and understand just how important buying and selling your home is to you.
We provide clear, timely and professional advice with genuine care and concern to all our clients from the moment of engagement through to you receiving your keys to your new home.
At Couchman Hanson, we provide expert conveyancing support to our clients across Hampshire, Surrey and Berkshire. Our friendly Solicitors are ready to help you with:
Buying and selling leaseholds
Freeholds
Mortgages
Commercial and residential conveyancing
Buying council houses
Preparation of leases
Tenancy agreements
Transfer of equity
Shared ownership schemes
Give one of our friendly team a call today. We can be contacted in our three locations.
Haslemere team: 01428 774756 or email us at enquiries@couchmanhanson.co.uk.
Crowthorne team: 01344 203217or email us on law@rosemarysmithandco.com.
Camberley team: 01276 23211 or email us on info@constantineandsummers.co.uk.
Our conveyancing team are Mike Brown, Helen West, Kelli Northcott, Gemma Mace and Anila Veseil.
Pricing Information
At Couchman Hanson Solicitors, we know that legal pricing can be confusing at times and we want you to be 100% clear on our fees. We know it’s important that you’re in control of what you’re spending as well as what you’re getting for your money. So we are open and honest about our pricing and keep you informed before we formally undertake any work on your behalf.
Our fees cover all the work required to complete the sale or purchase of your new home, including perusing through the contract package, raising enquiries of the sellers solicitor, arranging for all the usual searches to be undertaken and considering the response received, dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property that you wish to buy is in Wales.
As no two transactions are the same, we will be happy to provide you with a fixed legal fee quote (solicitors fee for acting) on request both inclusive of and exclusive of VAT.
There will also be disbursements due on the sale and purchase. Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as applying for an up to date copy of the title register to your property and any documents referred to in the title register, Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. We will also provide you with an indication of the disbursements payable on your purchase on request.
How long your sale or purchase will take from the offer being accepted until the completion of the transaction will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6 – 10 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.
Key stages of property sale or purchase
The precise stages involved in the purchase or sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. We have below suggested some key stages:
Take your instructions and give you initial advice
Check finances are in place to fund the purchase
Receive and advice on contract documents
Carry out searches
Obtain further planning documents if required,
Make any enquiries of the other side
Advise on all documents and information received
Go through conditions of mortgage (purchase)
Send final contract to you for signature
Agree on completion date (date from which you own/do not own the property)
Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
Arrange for all monies needed to be received from your lender and you (purchase)
Obtain a redemption statement on your sale and where necessary obtain any shortfall from you
Complete the transaction
On a purchase deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax and then application to register at the Land Registry
On a sale preparing the contract package and submitting it to the buyers solicitor
Dealing with all enquiries raised of us by the buyer's solicitor
On a sale dealing with the redemption of any financial charge registered against the property
An additional charge will be made for the following (where applicable)
The completion of the SDLT/Land Tax form
To deal with any restriction registered against the property where action needs to be taken by us before we can register you as the proprietor of the property currently charged at £125 plus VAT((£150)
To deal with retentions on a leasehold property to cover any unknown service charge fees post completion
To deal with/affect indemnity policies to deal with any defect in title currently £50 plus VAT (£60)
To download/copy the contract package where the sellers solicitor insist on only sending this by email currently £50 plus VAT (£60)
Acting for your lender on a purchase
Acting on the redemption of the charge registered against the property
When asked us to act within tight time frames
Having to deal with any unforeseen work/ if the matter becomes more complicated than envisaged when the fixed quote was given. We will advise you of our additional fee before proceeding. For example when the title is defective and/or you do not provide us with all necessary documentation relating to the property
Fees payable to third parties under the terms of the lease when dealing with leasehold property. This would be the notice of assignment of lease and mortgage fee payable to the Landlord and/or managing agent, Deed of Covenant fee where application and the fee payable for the provision of a certificate of compliance where applicable. All these fees are payable to third parties and will only become evident during the course of the transaction
Mike Brown is our specialist in Property Law.
Note for clients: Stamp Duty Land Tax
Please note that from 1st April 2025 the Stamp Duty Land Tax rates will change.
You can read more about these changes in our article:
Are you ready for the 2025 Stamp Duty Land Tax Changes?
If you are unsure how this affects your transaction, please query this with us. Although please note, we can only provide guidance. Please let us know if you would like recommendations of suitable advisers and we can introduce you.