Residential Property Conveyancing

So what is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the process of legally transferring the ownership of a property from a seller to a buyer. It usually starts when an offer is accepted and finishes when the keys are handed over.

If you are a first-time buyer or moving house, the chances are that a mortgage lender will be involved. Therefore you will need to have a mortgage offer in place and will need a mortgage valuation. You will also need to take into consideration whether the property is freehold or leasehold. In addition, we recommend that you think carefully about when you are reasonably expecting to complete the sale or purchase.

Protecting Your Land or Property From Fraud

Property title fraud can have a devastating impact and, though rare, can lead to people losing their homes.

The scam happens when a fraudster changes the registered details of a building to pose as its owner. The fraudster then applies for a mortgage or sells the property to an unwitting buyer and disappears with the proceeds.

If you already own a property, or who are thinking of buying one, you may find this useful guide, (produced late Dec 2021) by the Fraud Advisory Panel, HM Land Registry and the Law Society of England and Wales helpful.

How Curtis Parkinson can help

We can assist you with all aspects of the conveyancing process. Our services include; contracts, dealing with the ‘other side’s solicitor’ and tying up all the details such as registering the ownership with the Land Registry.

For residential conveyancing, we work on a fixed cost basis. Our promise is to provide you with an efficient, friendly and timely service, tailored to meet your exact requirements.

We also take pride in making the whole process as stress-free as possible.

Our experience

Louise Gardner carries out the residential property conveyancing work. She has 20 years of experience of all kinds and complexity of conveyancing work. She handles on average 300 conveyancing transactions a year and spends 100% of her time carrying out residential conveyancing. Louise (who is a Senior Conveyancer but not a solicitor) has completed many years of professional development courses in conveyancing.

For Louise’s full biography and testimonials, please click here.

She is supervised by the head of conveyancing and partner Kenneth Curtis who is a solicitor of 19 years experience.

For Kenneth’s full biography and testimonials, please click here.

We are a member of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme.

Equity Release

Equity release refers to a range of products that let you access the money (equity) tied up in your home if you are over the age of 55. You can take the money you release as a lump sum or, in several smaller amounts or as a combination of both.

Right to Buy

Under the Government’s Right To Buy scheme, if you have been a council or housing association tenant for more than three years, you may be eligible to purchase the property you live in at a discount. Take a look at the following link to find out more and see if you are eligible http://righttobuy.gov.uk.

Tenancy Agreements

As a landlord, ensuring you have an ASTA (assured shorthold tenancy agreement) in place is vital. This will ensure you comply with lender requirements and also that you are able to enforce debt recovery and repossession if required. We can also assist you in relation to the statutory tenancy deposit schemes. Don’t leave yourself open to loopholes which can be exploited by bad tenants. Protect your investment by allowing experts such as ourselves to draw up a fair agreement that will protect your interests.

Freehold Reversions & Lease Extensions

If any property your own is leasehold and on a long lease such as 999 or 125 years, you may wish to consider purchasing the freehold. With our years of experience, we can liaise with the freeholder on your behalf. In addition, we will organise all aspects of extending a lease or purchasing a freehold. Contact us for details.