Conveyancing and Moving House
Moving house requires planning and time. It is not just a case of booking a removal van and filling in a few forms.
The property world is definitely more complex than it used to be – we are not trying to scare you – simply we are telling you that there is more to think about – more you need to know.
At Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson we are entirely independent – we do not and will not pay referral fees to estate agents, whoever they are. We will give you an all-in quotation with no hidden extras, so you can budget properly.
We can advise you on:-
- Your mortgage contract
- Stamp duty land tax
- Searches and enquiries before contract
- Your contract and other documents
- Joint ownership of property
- New-build properties
- Planning and building regulations
- Leases and shared ownership schemes
- Land Registry procedures
Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson are not the cheapest nor the most expensive conveyancing service. We are experienced, friendly and keen to help you move home. We will be professional, independent, and above all good value for money.
Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson have been awarded the Conveyancing Quality Mark by the Law Society.
For more information about the following subjects, please click the relevant link below:-
Sales of Freehold and Leasehold
Our Fees – for residential conveyancing
Freehold or Leasehold* sales & purchases
Our scale of fees for each transaction is set out below. These fees do not include disbursements. Note additional fee for leasehold transactions – see later.
| Sales & Purchases – Each transaction | |
| Up to £125,000 | £675 plus VAT |
| Up to £200,000 | £725 plus VAT |
| Up to £300,000 | £775 plus VAT |
| Up to £400,000 | £850 plus VAT |
| Up to £500,000 | £875 plus VAT |
| Above £500,000 | £975 plus VAT |
| Above £1,000,000 | £1100 plus VAT |
If you are using a Help to Buy ISA or Lifetime ISA we charge a fee of £50 plus VAT for the extra work involved.
*For leasehold transactions, HCA and other shared ownership schemes the additional work involved is significant. We charge an additional £100 plus VAT for each sale/purchase.
Note: – No extra charges are made for preparing and submitting SDLT forms, dealing with unregistered titles or for mortgage work (if we also act for the lender).
Sales & Purchases at auction are normally dealt with on the same scale. However, with auction sales the seller will usually undertake the usual conveyancing searches and pass the cost onto the buyer on completion. Many auction houses charge administration fees or buyer premiums which are in addition to the purchase price.
We do not pay referral fees to estate agents, since we consider this may compromise our independence.
In dealing with any conveyancing matter you will incur certain disbursements. We set out below a guide as to the most common items and an indication of what each item costs.
Conveyancing Disbursements
These will depend on the location, description and value of what you are buying, selling or mortgaging/re-mortgaging. Listed below are the usual disbursements. These costs do vary and are not under our control.
Purchases
Search fees: –
| Local Authority £80-£250* | |
| Water/drainage £50-£80* | |
| Mining £50-£80* |
(*Depending on what each authority charges, plus VAT)
Land Registry registration fees £20-£655 (depending on purchase price) – presently not subject to VAT
For properties in the range –
£100,001 to £200,000 the fee is £100
£200,001 to £500,000 the fee is £150
SDLT – There is an online calculator for you to use. Remember there is an additional 3% levy for second homes
Sales
Land Registry title entries – £3-£20 (usual range) plus VAT
Planning & Building regulation documents £5-£50 (usual range) – may be required
Indemnity policies £20-£300 (usual range) – to cover title problems and local authority planning/building regulation issues. We will advise you if a policy is required and the reasons why.
Leasehold sales and purchases
Experience shows that leasehold sales and purchases entail significant extra work and disbursements. In any sale we are normally required to obtain a “Management Pack” from the landlord/management company. The cost varies between £200 to £500 plus VAT.
On completing any purchase of a leasehold house or flat, notice has to be given to the landlord regarding the transfer and your mortgage. You may be required to enter a Deed of Covenant with the landlord/management company and take up a share in the management company. The precise requirements vary as do the costs, but are usually in the range of £50-£400. Until we see the actual documentation we cannot give precise figures.
Mortgages/re-mortgages
We do not charge extra when we act for both you and the lender. The same scale of fees as shown above applies. Where a lender employs their own lawyers, that cost will need to be met by you and is usually in the range of £300-£750 plus VAT. We are on most lender panels, holding the Conveyancing Quality Mark, but where a lender instructs its own lawyer this does result in extra work for which we will charge between £75 and £125 plus VAT extra depending on the lenders requirements. For re-mortgages involving no purchase, many lenders have “fee free” schemes. Where we do act for you we will usually charge between £250-£350 plus VAT depending on the size of the loan and actual lender requirements. In addition, the lender may require searches to be carried out. Also, HM Land Registry fees will be payable based on the amount borrowed.
Timescales
Average timescales of sales/purchases range between 8-14 weeks. Where there is a chain of sales and purchases, you may find longer periods involved. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee timescales, which are frequently dependant on other parties. Re-mortgages (not involving a purchase) are usually far quicker, most taking place between 4 to 6 weeks.
In order to assist you we have provided a brief summary of the work we carry out on both freehold and leasehold sales and purchases.
What work do we carry out in conveyancing timescales?
For a brief summary of the work Harrop White, Vallance & Dawson will carry out on your behalf we have provided a brief guide which is set out by clicking on the links above, dealing with the purchase of freehold properties, leasehold properties, and sales generally. Please take time to read these – they will help you better understand what is involved in property transactions.
Summary
Before you instruct us, we are always willing to discuss your proposed sale/purchase/mortgage or re-mortgage. Whilst our website attempts to be informative, it cannot cater for every eventuality and must inevitably be a guide only. When we are instructed by you we will supply our terms of business letter which will details most of the figures applicable to your particular transaction.
