Residential Conveyancing Services

When buying or selling a property, whether it is your first home or your next move, we understand that it is an exciting time but it can also feel overwhelming. Choosing the right solicitor can make the difference to your experience.

At T A Matthews, we believe in making the transaction as simple and stress-free as possible. From the start of your transaction, you will have a dedicated member of our team who will guide you through the process, who takes the time to understand your needs and answer your questions.

Our conveyancing team is here to support you.

Adam Barnes, solicitor and head of conveyancing, is based in the Hereford Office

Katie Smith, solicitor, is based in the Hereford Office

Emma Eckley, licensed conveyancer, is based in the Leominster Office.

Together our team has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and pride themselves on providing a friendly, personal service.

THE BENEFITS OF WORKING WITH T A MATTHEWS

• You will get direct access to the person dealing with your matter, whether that be by attending the office, phone calls or emails.
• The fee we quote at the start is what you will pay, unless your instructions change. We will then advise you on any changes to your fee before continuing with the work.
• We do not believe in hidden or bolt-on fees, which could vastly increase your quote.
• We are Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accredited with the Law Society.
• We are on the panel of most major mortgage lenders, meaning we can work with the majority of banks and building societies.
• We are SRA regulated, which means we must adhere to specific rules and regulations which protect you as the client.
• Those within our conveyancing team have a vast amount of experience and knowledge, and we work closely with the community. Our recommendations are through our reputation alone.
• Our conveyancing team also works closely with our other departments, which can give you access to a more bespoke and well-rounded experience when needed.

OUR COSTS

Our Costs for Buying and Selling of a Freehold 

The costs payable will depend on the type of service you require, but typically our fees are based on the agreed price for your transaction.

At T A Matthews we provide a fixed fee quotation, which covers all work carried out as well as all correspondence between each party. We will make it clear from the outset what is included in the quote and what is not.

The fee we provide will only change should your instructions to us change. This will give you peace of mind when budgeting. 

Please see the below table as an example of what costs are included within our quotes. For a more detailed quote, please call our offices on 01432 352121.

Please note that VAT is currently 20%.

Residential conveyancing – fees table 

Typical assumptions made when are providing you with a quote:

1. It will be a standard transaction and no unforeseen complications arise, including but not limited to, a defect in title, unregistered land or the preparation of other additional documents.

2. You may be assigning an existing lease rather than granting a new one.

3. No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply to cover the cost of any indemnity policies.

Our Costs for Leasehold Sales and Purchases 

A leasehold transaction is often more complicated than a standard freehold, as there will be more paperwork involved as well as more parties to include. As a result of the additional work, there will be a fee of £150 plus VAT added to the cost set out on the above table.

On a leasehold sale, you are required to provide the buyer with a “pre-sale” enquiry form, known as an LPE1, which is answered by the management company and/or landlord. Please note that before requesting an LPE1, we will require the funds paid on account.

We cannot advise on the cost of the LPE1 as this is set by the management company and/or landlord, but we will let you know the costs of these as soon as we have this information.

On a leasehold purchase, it is likely you will have to pay a fee for giving notice to the management company and/or landlord, and in some cases you may need to enter into a Deed of Covenant or obtain a certificate of compliance from them. Again, we cannot comment on these costs.

As a leasehold purchaser, you should also be aware that Ground Rent and Service Charges will apply throughout your ownership. We will provide you with as much information on these as we can. On completion of your purchase, you may also need to pay “apportionments” towards any Ground Rent and Service Charge, which acts as compensation to the seller for any payments they have made in advance.

Our Costs for Remortgages and Transfers 

Our fees to deal with remortgages and transfers start at £500 plus VAT. Please contact us for a quote so we can provide you with an exact legal fee.

The disbursements for a remortgage are as follow:

Office copies                   £7 plus VAT for each document

Priority searches           £7 plus VAT

Bankruptcy searches    £6 plus VAT

Bank transfer fee           £40 plus VAT

Registration fee             £20 – £40

Your lender may require full searches, but the majority are happy to proceed with a no-search indemnity policy, which can cost upwards from £20. We would have to receive instructions from your lender before confirming this.

Please note that should you be transferring equity, your transaction may be subject to Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) and Land Transaction Tax (LTT)

SDLT and LTT 

SDLT is payable when the property is England, and LTT is payable when the property is in Wales. These are disbursements and they are payable on a purchase of the property and are dependent on the agreed purchase price.

You may also find that a transfer could be subject to payment of SDLT and LTT, if you are paying for a share in a property or take over a portion of someone’s mortgage. Transfers by way of gift are not subject to SDLT or LTT, as there is no ‘monetary consideration’ for that share in the property.

We will advise you on any potential SDLT/LTT liability at the start of the transaction.

You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website (https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax) or if the property is in Wales, you can use the Welsh Revenue’s website (https://beta.gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-calculator).

Please note that if the purchase will result in your owning an additional property, then the higher rates of tax will apply.

We would advise that while we can take your instructions and provide guidance, we are not tax experts. We may suggest that you obtain specialist advise if your transaction requires it.

How long will the matter take?

The average transaction can take between 10 – 16 weeks. It may be quicker or slower, depending on the length of the chain and the parties within it.

Please note if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer. From our experience, there could be a potential wait of 4 to 6 months.

What are the stages of the conveyancing process?

While each transaction differs, the key stages can include:

Purchase

1. Take your instructions and arranging for a file to be opened.
2. Completing ID checks and reviewing your finances.
3. Reviewing the contract paperwork from the seller’s solicitor.
4. Submitting searches and then raising enquiries.
5. Ensuring we are in receipt of your mortgage offer, if one is required.
6. Reporting to you with all of the information and documents received.
7. Sending out the paperwork for your signature.
8. Agree a completion date (this is the date when you would become the owner).
9. Arrange for you to transfer the deposit to us.
10. Exchange contracts and let you know this has happened.
11. Complete the purchase.
12. Deal with the payment of SDLT/LTT.
13. Deal with the application for registration at the Land Registry.

Sale

1. Tak your instructions and arrange for a file to be opened.
2. Complete ID checks
3. Obtain title documents and prepare the contract for the buyer’s solicitor
4. Contact your lender for an initial redemption statement
5. Deal with any enquiries received by the buyer’s solicitor.
6. Send out the paperwork for your signature.
7. Wait for the buyer’s solicitor to report to the buyer.
8. Agree a completion date (this is the date on which you will have to move out)
9. Obtain a final redemption statement, and estate agent fees.
10. Exchange contracts and let you know this has happened.
11. Complete your sale
12. Deal with the payment of the final mortgage redemption statement and estate agent fees.
13. Arrange for the residual funds to be paid back to you. 

At the point of completion, we would advise that there are two stages: legal and practical.

Legal completion:

This is the stage where funds are received from the buyer’s solicitor.

Practical completion:

This is the stage where you can collect keys from the estate agents.

Legal and practical completion do not always take place at the same time. For example, legal completion could take place at 10am when the seller’s solicitor has confirmed safe receipt of the funds, but you may not be able to collect the keys until 1pm which is practical completion.