Thank you for looking at our property services. Whether you are a first-time buyer or an investor, we are here to take the stress out of buying and selling residential property.
We will guide you through each step of your transaction and offer a service that that fits your exact requirements. Where necessary we can recommend other professionals such as Surveyors, IFA’s and property valuers.
At a time where money really matters, we always provide a quality service at a fair price. We will keep you up-to-date with all of the relevant information so you can make informed decisions and have complete confidence that every detail has been properly taken care of.
Why choose Bright & Sons' residential property solicitors?
We have an experienced team who understand the stress involved in buying, selling or re-mortgaging your property. Our approach is simple; we provide a first-class service from our expert team who make the difference by removing confusion and uncertainty, dealing with all of the legal details of a property transaction on your behalf.
Our team is made up of highly qualified solicitors and licensed conveyancers who have the legal and technical “know how” to resolve any issues as they arise in a professional and efficient manner. We understand that communication is key, so will make sure we are always available to answer your questions in plain English and ensure you are kept up-to-date with everything you need to know.
You will have the confidence that you are our priority, with our aim being that any member of the team is available to speak with you when you need some clarity and certainty at any stage in the process. We feel this provides reassurance and gives you an outlet for any concerns that you may have. Potentially this is the biggest investment of your life and we not only want to provide that first-class service, but value for money and no hidden fees.
We are proud to hold Lexcel and CQS Accreditations, issued by the Law Society. This involves the firm undergoing a rigorous audit process which ensures we maintain high levels of client care.
Pricing
The fees involved in any transaction are important and we review our fees on a regular basis, considering clients’ feedback so we can make sure we always offer the best value for your money.
We typically work on a fixed fee basis, ensuring that you know what the fees will be for your transaction from the outset. If, during the transaction, there is a new development, we will discuss the change in fees with you and agree a way forward.
Our fees cover all 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.
To obtain a quote, please click here
Help to Buy Equity Mortgage
If you are purchasing your property with the aid of a Help to Buy Equity mortgage your conveyancer will need to review the Homes & Communities Agency paperwork to check their legal requirements. Additional advice will need to be provided to you the legal implications of the equity mortgage and arrange for you to execute additional documents. Your conveyancer will need to verify your first lender's mortgage offer to check it meets the Homes & Communities Agency requirements. There will be strict time frames to meet in respect of expiry dates of your Help to Buy Equity Mortgage and serving the relevant request to Homes and Communities Agency to provide authority to exchange and complete. This involves further time and paperwork to be completed and will be subject to an additional charge of £750.00 plus VAT**.
New Build
If you are purchasing a new build property there will be a substantial amount of documentation to review which will be subject to an additional charge of £250.00 plus VAT**.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
These fees may be subject to change if further information relating to your property becomes available, for example, if you require additional searches such as a flood search, which typically costs £24.00 plus VAT**. The figure quoted for search fees above indicates local authority, water and drainage, chancel repair and environmental searches.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
This will depend on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC's website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority's website here.
Exclusions
We do not undertake tax advice.
Our fees are fixed, however there may be factors which would typically increase the cost of the fees estimated above. Where there is likely to be any additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.
Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:
- If a legal title is defective or part of the property is unregistered
- If you discover building regulations or planning permission has not been obtained
- If crucial documents, we have previously requested from you have not been provided to us
- If the property is a new build
- If the property is less than 10 years old
- If you require to exchange within 4 weeks of instructing us
- If you require completion within 5 weeks of instructing us
- If you require simultaneous exchange and completion
In our experience it is rare that we need to change our original quote.
Time Scales
For any transaction, the timescales are subject to change depending on when your offer is accepted and factors involved such as:
- Number of parties in the chain
- Whether you have a mortgage in place
- Whether you are buying a new build property
A typical transaction will take between 12-14 weeks. However, if any of the above apply, or there are other factors we need to take into consideration, it may increase the time by a further 4-6 weeks and additional charges may occur. We will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity so you always have a clear picture of how long things are likely to take.
Key Milestones
With every transaction there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. They may be as follows:
- Taking your instructions and give initial advice based on the information you have provided
- Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase and contacting the lender’s solicitors if needed
- Receiving and advising on contract documents
- Undertaking searches
- Obtaining further planning documentation if required
- Making any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor
- Providing advice on all documents and information received
- Advising you of the mortgage offer conditions
- Finalising contracts and sending to you for signature
- Agreeing a completion date (the date from which you will legally own the property)
- Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
- Ensuring all monies have been received from you and the lender(s)
- Completing the purchase
- Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Completing and submitting an application for registration at the Land Registry
**VAT, currently at 20%
