Instruct a Solicitor
Once your offer is accepted, or you accept an offer when selling, you formally appoint us to act on your behalf. We’ll open your file, issue instruction documentation for you to complete and return, carry out due diligence checks, and request initial information so we can get started without delay.
Draft Contracts Are Issued
The seller’s solicitor issues the draft contract and supporting documents for review and approval by the buyer’s solicitor. When acting for a buyer, we would at this stage provide several documents completed by the Seller for your review and records – if any of the information therein does not match your understanding, any questions you wish to raise can be considered under the Legal Enquiries below.
Pre-contract Searches Are Conducted (Purchase Only)
We (when acting for the buyer) carry out essential searches with the local authority and other bodies to uncover issues such as planning restrictions, drainage, and environmental risks affecting the property. Environmental risks to be considered can often be geographically-specific such as Coal or Tin Mining.
Necessary Legal Enquiries Are Handled
When acting for the buyer, we raise any necessary questions with the seller’s solicitor based on a review of the Draft Contracts to ensure we are able to correctly advise you on the Property so that you have a full understanding before committing. When acting for a seller, we would deal with responding to any such enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitors, which may require input from yourselves as the seller depending upon the nature of such questions.
Mortgage Offer is Issued (Purchase Only)
You arrange for your mortgage application to be submitted as soon as possible – many people would have a Mortgage in Principle prior to an offer being accepted to ensure they are able to financially afford the property. Once the formal offer is thereafter issued by the lender, we liaise with them to ensure all legal requirements are met.
Required Surveys Are Conducted
You arrange a survey to assess the property’s condition should you deem this necessary – a survey is not an obligation however is deemed best practice. This can be done at any stage of the transaction and would be down to personal preference, however it is practical to have this completed at the earliest opportunity to avoid further delays down the line.
Contract Documents Are Signed and Final Checks Conducted
We carry out final searches and checks, report to you on all findings, and ensure everything is in place for the contracts to be signed. The signing of the contracts does not make the transaction legally binding with this only being the case once contracts are exchanged as below.
Completion Dates Agreed and Contracts Exchanged
Once all parties are in position to, a completion date is agreed and your deposit is transferred to us as your solicitor (when buying only). Mortgage funds are also requested at this stage from your mortgage lender. Contracts are then exchanged between the solicitors and the transaction becomes legally binding.
Legal Completion
Purchase monies are transferred by the buyer’s solicitors to the seller’s solicitors. Once the seller’s solicitors receive the funds, the transaction is legally completed and you can collect the keys and move into your new property if buying, or hand over keys if selling. The handing over of keys is often dealt with through Estate Agents. When selling, it would be at this stage existing mortgages are redeemed and surplus monies sent to yourselves.
Post Completion
We handle payment of Stamp Duty (if applicable) and register your ownership/mortgage lender interests with HM Land Registry (when buying), ensuring your legal title is fully protected. When selling, signed documents are provided to the buyer’s solicitors to allow them to facilitate such registration.
