Buying a home is one of the most important purchases most people will ever undertake. The experience can be exciting, often emotional, and occasionally stressful. At Bartletts, our solicitors for house purchase specialise in supporting clients during this important step in their lives, offering high-quality legal advice with a human touch.
To speak to our experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
What Do Our Solicitors For House Puchase Do?
Once you have instructed us to act for you in connection with the purchase of your new home, we will make contact with the seller’s solicitors and your mortgage lender, where applicable. Once we have done that, we will make a start on the substantive work.
The seller’s solicitor is responsible for drafting the contract together with the accompanying documentation. Our role is to scrutinise this documentation in detail, looking for any potential issues and ensuring that your rights are protected. Our job here involves confirming the following matters:
- The seller legally owns the property and has the right to sell it to you.
- The boundaries match the physical property you are buying.
- There are no legal restrictions, easements, or covenants that might affect your use or enjoyment of the property.
- Any shared access rights, drains, or maintenance obligations are clearly recorded.
If we identify any defects, inconsistencies, or missing information, we will raise formal enquiries with the seller’s solicitor and ensure that they are resolved before exchange.
A key part of our role as solicitors for house purchase is arranging the property searches in connection with the property you propose to buy. The results of these searches will uncover any issues with the house that are not apparent from viewing it, and can make or break a deal.
Some common searches our solicitors for house purchase undertake include the following:
- Local authority search. This search reveals details vital to any proposed purchase, including planning permissions, building control issues, and enforcement notices.
- Drainage and water search. This search confirms how the property connects to the mains and who is responsible for maintaining the services.
- Environmental search. This search highlights risks such as contamination, flooding, or ground stability.
Depending on the property’s location and type, our solicitors for house purchase may recommend carrying out additional searches, such as coal mining.
Once we have the results of all relevant searches, we will analyse them and liaise with you and the seller’s solicitors to address any red flags before proceeding.
Before you commit to the house purchase, we will send you a detailed report summarising our findings. We will explain the terms of the contract and your rights and responsibilities under it. Only when you are completely happy with the terms of the purchase will we proceed to exchange contracts with the seller’s solicitors.
Exchange is the stage in the conveyancing process at which the transaction becomes legally binding on the parties. If either party pulls out once this stage is complete, they will be in breach of contract and may face financial penalties.
Following exchange, we will move to completion. On the agreed date, your solicitors for house purchase will transfer the remaining funds to the seller’s solicitor, and you will become the official owner. However, our job does not end there. While you are busy moving into your new home, we will be dealing with the post-completion technicalities. They include the following:
- Arranging for any Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) to be sent to HMRC, together with the necessary documentation.
- Registering your ownership with the Land Registry.
- Sending you copies of the updated title register.
Why Professional Conveyancing Support Matters
With the cost of living currently being so high, some buyers seek to reduce the cost of their house purchase by handling the transaction themselves or using cut-price online providers. While this can save money in the short term, the long-term consequences can be financially disastrous. Misinterpreting search results, misreading a boundary plan, or overlooking a restrictive covenant can jeopardise your investment and cause significant problems later on.
By working with experienced solicitors for house purchase like ours, you can ensure that your purchase is sound and your investment is protected. Our sole purpose is to check that everything is as it should be with the house you intend to purchase, and that your transaction proceeds swiftly, seamlessly, and in compliance with the law.
If you have found your dream home and are ready to move forward with your purchase, contact the expert solicitors for house purchase at Bartletts. Our friendly team is on hand and ready to support you every step of the way.
To speak to our experts please call us free of charge on 0800 988 3674 or Make A Free Online Enquiry.
