Whether you're a layman looking to understand your own transaction or a lawyer needing assistance with a client's conveyancing our step by step sale and purchase guides will lead you through the process while our mini guides will break the whole thing into manageable chunks and give a deep insight into the key issues and stages. Leasehold, freehold, unregistered, registered – we've got it all covered.
Need help with a remortgage or transfer of equity / deed of gift? Our guides will walk you through the process and highlight some of the common pitfalls. Mortgages and transfers can be very simple procedures but complex issues can sometimes arise and mistakes are easily made. These guides will help you deal with them.
So you want to have a go at your own conveyancing? First you should read about the risks, then if you're still happy to proceed, our guides will take you through each stage of the process telling you what to look out for and helping you avoid falling into expensive traps. Our subscription service will give you access to all of the documents you should need for your conveyancing and we can even supply you with the Land Registry Official Copies you'll need. Our general guides will cover all the obstacles you are likely to face and offer a practical solution. Have a look at our sale and purchase guides too.
A big part of the conveyancing process is the conveyancing searches. This section tells you all about them. What they are, how and when to order them and how to interpret the results. Each search has its own guide and you'll see they are separated into Standard (should be done in every case), Regional (area specific) and Optional (not essential but often useful tools for the would be purchaser). All buyers should beware that when you buy a property, the law assumes that you have seen the information that would have been revealed by searches whether or not you have actually carried them out, so you buy the property subject to the results.
Using a conveyancer to handle your conveyancing will greatly reduce the risk to you and sometimes, particularly if you are taking out a new mortgage, you will have no choice but to instruct a conveyancer. The good news is it doesn't have to break the bank. Get a free, instant quote here. We can also help with quick easy quotes for other moving related services.
Are you looking for the documents you'll need for your conveyancing transaction? Or official copies of the title or other documents from Land Registry. We can help you. Follow the links below.
Hello, I hope you can help.
What is the best way to go about selling a property to my father? We want it done in the legal way, but obviously want to minimise costs. There is no conflict between us on price or conditions etc. There should be a more straight forward way than choosing two different conveyancing teams.
I would appreciate your advice.
Many thanks,
Az
It is always wise for all parties to be represented in any transaction. There could for example be issues with the legal title which you don't know about but which affect the value and you would not want to inadvertently cause your father a loss. Also you need to be sure that your father can register the property in his own name so as to be legally protected. If your father is represented and you are not there may be issues that need to be resolved which you don't know how to deal with. Having said all that you don't need to be represented and indeed, provided your father isn't getting a mortgage he doesn't need to be either. All that is required for the transaction to take legal effect is for you to sign a TR1 in your father's favour which he must then submit to Land Registry with an application form AP1, a completed ID1 form signed by a conveyancer for each of you and if you have a mortgage (this must be repaid) evidence of discharge. This will either be form DS1 signed by the lender or they may elect to submit an electronic discharge direct to Land Registry.
The Code of Conduct for solicitors does not allow the same firm to act for both buyer and seller in most circumstances since there is a risk if a conflict of interest, whereby it is impossible for the solicitor to act in the best interests of both clients simultaneously and even where it is allowed (inter-family transactions are one such exception) many firms are not prepared to take on the work because of the risk that a conflict might arise further down the line when it might be difficult for them to extract themselves.