Conveyancing Solicitors in Kent

If you’re selling a property then you may wish to ensure that it is ready to go as soon as you accept the offer?

We can assist you at an early stage to check the title and other documents and deal with any potential issues so that the conveyancing process runs smoothly and efficiently once you accept the offer.

Once an offer has been accepted on a property, which marks the start of the conveyancing process, we will then progress the matter swiftly and work towards your preferred completion date which is the date that keys are handed over and ownership transferred.

We work with you through to the  registration of the property ensuring the legal process is managed smoothly and risks minimised.

Purchase
We will conduct searches, such as local authority, environmental, and drainage searches, plus we’ll also review the property’s title deeds, looking out for any legal issues, like restrictive covenants.

Sale

We shall issue the contracts and send this with all the supporting documentation to the buyer’s solicitor.

We will work with you to answer any questions they may have.

After contracts are exchanged, the sale becomes legally binding. This is usually done over the telephone between the respective solicitors acting for the buyer and seller.

Even though you have signed the contract it is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged.

You need not be present for this but you must authorise the exchange of contracts on the day. Sometime contracts may not exchange and we need to do so on another day. You may in these circumstances given authority on a few days every morning.

Purchase
On the final day, we will handle final payments, including transferring funds to the seller’s solicitor and paying any associated taxes, like Stamp Duty.
We also register the property with HM Land Registry in the buyer's name – at which stage, the purchase is complete.

We will settle any outstanding mortgages and charges and pay the estate agent and transfer the balance of the sale proceeds to you.

We have set fees, which we will let you know about and agree with you before you instruct us. We will also let you know of any potential extra costs at this stage, or as soon as we realise them.

We will charge you for the work done. If it falls through at an early stage we will reduce the fee by a greater margin than if it falls through at a later stage and if it falls through at the point of exchanging contracts the full fee is payable. Have a look at our fee structure here – it is based around a few different aspects, like the property value and mortgage status.

You’ll receive updates at every stage and we will answer any questions you might have. One of our team will be your main point of contact, but if they are not here, another team member can help – their absence won’t hold you up.

It involves extra checks on planning, warranties and estate infrastructure, plus strict exchange deadlines.

A payment (usually £500–£2,000) to secure your plot. It’s often non-refundable if you miss the exchange deadline.

You exchange contracts before the property is finished. When it’s ready, you’ll have about 10 working days ‘notice’ to complete.

A final deadline for completion. If the developer misses it, you can usually withdraw and reclaim your deposit.

Your Solicitor checks, and will advise, whether there are adoption agreements to avoid unexpected maintenance costs, or whether you would be expected to pay service charges towards the maintenance of communal spaces, roads and potentially drainage systems.

Most new builds come with a 10-year NHBC or similar structural warranty. If you have a mortgage your Solicitor will check that the warranty offered is one which is accepted by your Lender as each Lender has different requirements.

You can - but choosing an independent Solicitor ensures impartial advice.

We will conduct property searches, verify the title deeds, and ensure any legal issues (like planning permissions or restrictive covenants) are cleared before the lender commits. We also help secure the mortgage on the property and ensure it’s registered correctly for the lender's security.

We give you a fees quote and stick to it – always letting you know of any potential fees outside of this as son as we become aware of them.

These fees will cover our time, plus fees for property searches, title investigations, and lender requirements.

No surprises!

It can take around 12-16 weeks from when the offer is accepted. Delays can add to this time and might be caused by issues in the conveyancing chain, pending survey results, or if additional searches or document verifications are needed beyond what was initially required.

We will verify your identity, examine your property title deeds, ensure required documents are in order, and assist in transferring the funds to you.  

We will also arrange the final transfer of funds after liaising with the lender ‘s conveyancers once all paperwork is complete. 

Delays might arise from issues with property deeds, unresolved debts, or legal encumbrances. We have a very robust system that keeps your case moving on, alerting us when we need to do something and the deadline to do it. 

We want to resolve your case as quickly as possible, and are experienced in anticipating potential issues.

Bridging finance is a short-term loan to provide quick funds to cover costs while waiting for more permanent financing like a mortgage or monies from another property sale.

We’ll handle all legal checks, review loan agreements, and can also advise on property sales or refinancing. We’ll make sure that you understand your legal obligations and potential risks.

We will also work with you to satisfy the lender’s requirements.

We work on a fixed fee basis, Bridging Loans almost always have a higher interest rate. The Lenders often instruct their own solicitors, and you are usually liable to pay their legal fees upfront in addition to your own.

Bridging loans are often used for properties that might not qualify for standard mortgages; renovations, development and auction properties are the more usual ones we deal with.

It’s important to have finance in place so that the bridging loan can be paid on time, because the penalties for late payment can be high. They usually run for around 12 months but the Lender will set this out in their offer.

A statutory extension is legally binding and extends the lease by 90 years with a reduced ground rent.
A voluntary extension is negotiated directly with the landlord, which may vary terms such as extension length and ground rent reduction.

The premium, or price paid to extend the lease, depends on several factors, including the remaining lease term and property value. A professional valuation is often recommended, as it considers variables like if the lease has less than 80 years left.

This amount might be contested if not agreed upon with the landlord.

Extending a lease as soon as it nears 80 years remaining is advised, because premiums increase significantly below this threshold.

Delaying could lead to added fees and higher negotiation costs, making it vital to consider timing carefully.

For a statutory lease extension, a Section 42 Notice starts the formal process, and it’s essential to meet deadlines throughout. The notice officially informs the landlord of your intent to extend, including the proposed premium. Missing any deadline may delay or reset the process.

When a freeholder resists or disputes the lease extension, leaseholders can apply to a tribunal to decide on fair terms. This process requires expert legal guidance to ensure compliance with all procedures, including securing valuation advice and meeting tribunal requirements.

When you’re close to completing your home purchase, we’ll use your Help to Buy ISA closing letter and a First Time Buyer Declaration to apply for your government bonus via the official portal following exchange of contracts. The bonus is then transferred directly to us ready to be used on the day of completion.

The Help to Buy ISA bonus can only go towards the property purchase itself. It can’t be used for solicitor fees, estate agent fees, or any other associated costs.

Some banks may issue the closing letter immediately, while others could take several weeks. We advise our clients to factor in this delay.

No, you don’t have to close it right away. You can continue making contributions to maximise the government bonus, but you’ll need to receive the closing letter in time for completion.

It can take up to 30 days for the ISA account to be closed, depending on your provider, so you’ll need to allow time to receive the closing statement prior to completion taking place.  Our expert team can guide you on the best time to close your account.

Yes, if your home purchase is unsuccessful, we can provide a ‘purchase failure notification.’ directly to your ISA provider
You can then reopen your Help to Buy ISA account, potentially with the full deposit amount you previously saved.

 If you’re selling, we prepare the Seller’s Pack and if you’re buying, we review the Seller’s Pack, advising on anything you might need to know before you make your bid.

The auction pack contains documents like title deeds, lease terms, and any property restrictions. Legal eyes are needed to interpret the details to confirm that there are no hidden legal complications with the property.

At auction, once the hammer falls, the sale is legally binding.

 Auction sales typically complete within 28 days, so you must ensure finances are available to you to meet the deadline, to avoid losing the deposit or incurring other penalties.

 Some properties come with additional fees or requirements. We’ll advise you of these before you make a bid, to clarify any unusual conditions.