CONVEYANCING

WHY YOU SHOULD PICK US

Competitive Fees

Our fees are competitive and clearly detailed, so there are no surprises at the end of the transaction. You can obtain a quote by completing one of our online forms. Alternatively contact our team of conveyancers by emailing us on  conveyancing@mattrowlandsolicitors.co.uk

The following sets out the costs and conveyancing fees for the sale or purchase of a residential property which is either:

• Freehold sale or purchase
• Leasehold sale or purchase

Please note that the fees will vary dependent on the purchase value of your property ana list of our average fees is below.

Additional Surcharges

Every house is different and once we have established the facts of your individual sale or purchase, we can give an indication of any additional legal costs that may be incurred so that you are aware of the cost up front. However, as a guide please see below:

What do the fees include?

Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including 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 you wish to buy is in Wales.

Additional fees or disbursements

These are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. Matt Rowland will handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Please note that these fees can vary depending on the property and /or any related management companies or freeholders, and we can give you a better idea of these one we have further details on your individual circumstances.

• HM Land Registry Fee: Current Registration Fees
• Notice of Transfer fee – This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £100 + VAT of £20, totalling £120 – £300+VAT of £60, totalling £360.
• Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – This fee is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £100 + VAT of £20, totalling £120 – £300+VAT of £60, totalling £360.
• Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £100 + VAT of £20, totalling £120 – £300+VAT of £60, totalling £360.
• Certificate of Compliance fee – To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £100 + VAT of £20, totalling £120 – £200 + VAT of £40, totalling £240.

For leasehold properties you should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as we receive this information.

What Are The Stages Involved In Purchasing A Property?

Once you’ve had an offer accepted and chosen to instruct a lawyer for conveyancing, the following stages will apply following instruction and initial advice:

• Your case handler will check that finances are in place to fund the purchase and contact the lender’s solicitors if needed.
• Contract documents will be prepared and reviewed to raise any initial issues or enquiries.
• Mandatory conveyancing searches will then be undertaken, which make give rise to additional queries or issues that need to be resolved.
• If required, your case handler may need to obtain planning and Building Regulation documentation.
• Once all parties are happy with everything, your case handler will arrange the signing of the transaction documents. We would also usually request the balance of the purchase funds from you at this stage.
• A completion date will be agreed, (the date from which you own the property) and contracts will be exchanged and your mortgage advance will be requested from your lender. Once contracts have been exchanged, both sides are legally obliged to go through with the sale.
• On the completion date we will transfer the funds required to complete your purchase to the seller’s solicitor and notify you once the seller’s solicitor acknowledges receipt.
• Your case handler will then deal with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax and application for registration at Land Registry.

Timescale

Whilst the timescale will vary based on the complexity of the transaction the average transaction takes between 4 and 6 months:

• Pre-contract stage: 4 – 12 weeks
• Exchange to Completion: 12 weeks
• Completion and beyond: 2 weeks

Strong Reputation

We have a strong reputation with estate agents, other law firms and clients (many of whom return to us). We understand that a good working relationship is vital to a successful and speedy conclusion.

What Qualifications Does The Conveyancing Team Hold?

The conveyancing team is supervised by a qualified solicitor who along, with the team, holds a Law Society quality mark.

We Are Recognized by the Law Society for Professionalism, High Standards and Excellence

We have secured the Law Society’s conveyancing quality mark. Matt Rowland Solicitors has secured membership to the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme which is the mark of excellence for the home buying process. Matt Rowland Solicitors Limited underwent rigorous assessment by the Law Society in order to secure CQS status, which marks the firm out as meeting high standards in the residential conveyancing process.

 Law Society President Andrew Caplen said that “the CQS accreditation is the hallmark of high standards and establishes a level of credibility for regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers.”

CQS is the quality mark of the home-buying sector and enables consumers to identify practices that provide a quality residential conveyancing service. With so many different conveyancing service providers out there CQS helps home-buyers and sellers seek out those that can provide a safe and efficient level of service.

We are delighted to have secured CQS status. Buying and selling a home can be a stressful time. By looking for a CQS firm like ours who have the quality mark, the public can seek out a firm that has proved its commitment to quality.

We believe that the overall beneficiaries will be clients who use Matt Rowland Solicitors Limited when buying a home. They will receive a reliable, efficient service as recognized by the CQS standard. The scheme requires practices to undergo a strict assessment, compulsory training, self-reporting, random audits and annual reviews in order to maintain CQS status. It is open only to members of the Law Society who meet the demanding standards set by the scheme and has the support of the Council of Mortgage Lenders, the Building Societies Association, Legal Ombudsman and the Association of British Insurers.

For more information on the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme visit www.lawsociety.org.uk/cqs or contact the CQS Unit on 020 7316 5550 or CQS@lawsociety.org.uk