Solicitors For Buying a House
Buying your first home, moving house, or adding a property to your portfolio is exciting. It can also be stressful with large financial stakes.
Our experienced property solicitors will support you through the purchase of your property. We’ll be with you every step of the way. From pre-contract through to completion, to ensure the process goes smoothly.
Call for a Conveyancing Quote Get a Conveyancing QuoteWhat’s the Process of Buying a Property?
It doesn’t matter if you’re:
- A first time buyer
- Moving up the property ladder, or
- Adding a property to your portfolio
at Rothera Bray, the process involves:
Instruct Us to Act On Your Behalf
When you instruct us to look after your property transactions, we’ll assign you a case manager. They will take your instructions and ask you to complete the initial paperwork and various documents. These include:
- Proof of identity, such as a driving licence or passport
- Proof of your current address, in the form of a council tax or utility bill
- Proof of funds, including recent bank statements and mortgage offer letter
- Proof of insurance for the property you wish to buy (if you’re using a mortgage to fund the sale)
Advice on Property Surveys
There are different types of property surveys you can have done when buying a property. Their purpose is to identify any problems with the condition of the building before you legally commit yourself to the purchase.
The most common types of survey are;
- Home buyers report
- Condition report
- Home condition survey
- Building survey
These surveys vary in their comprehensiveness. The more comprehensive the report, like the building survey, the more expensive they are.
The type of survey you choose will depend on the age of the building and/or if there are any other areas of concern about its condition.
Contract and Title Documentation
The seller’s solicitor is responsible for sending the Title to the house and drafting the contract and supporting documents to us.
When we receive the contract pack, we’ll raise any queries and provide you with an initial report. At this point, you’ll have the opportunity to go through the report and raise any questions.
Mortgage Offer
Once your mortgage has been checked and approved, we’ll review the terms and advise you of your obligations to the lender.
Property Searches
We’ll advise you on which searches are relevant to your transaction. We’ll also provide you with a report on each search and offer advice on any further search that might be relevant.
Exchange of Contracts
Once everybody in the chain has signed their part of the contract, we can arrange a completion date.
At this point, we’ll request your deposit (if applicable). On exchange of contracts, the completion date is legally binding for all parties.
With the exchange of contracts complete, we’ll release your mortgage funds, together with any other relevant fees.
Completion
This is your moving day. With all funds transferred and received, we’ll call you to confirm that you can collect the keys to your new property.
Following Completion
We’ll pay stamp duty and deal with Land Registry requirements . We’ll then provide you with a copy of the Title in your name.
Why Do I Need to Instruct a Solicitor to Help Me Buy a House?
You’re not legally obliged to use a solicitor when buying a house. So you could, in theory, do your own conveyancing.
However, in the UK, property is sold on the principle of ‘caveat emptor’ which means ‘buyer beware’. As the buyer, you are responsible for checking the quality and condition of the property you intend to buy.
Once you’ve agreed a price through the estate agent on the house you want to buy, there’s a process that must be followed before the legal ownership of the property can be transferred to you. Searches need to be carried out, to make sure the property is in good order and contracts will need to be drafted and reviewed.
If you’re not qualified to do your own conveyancing, it could lead to;
- Significant delays to the process
- A complete collapse of the sale, and
- Substantial financial losses
Your conveyancing solicitor will follow this process and look after your best interests.
Can I Use the Same Property Solicitor For Buying and Selling?
Yes, you can.
In fact, if you’re selling a house and buying a new one, it’s a good idea to use the same solicitor. This way, they can act on both sides of the sale to make sure the process goes well.
What Are Rothera Bray’ Solicitor Fees When Buying a Property?
Buying a house can be stressful, even when things are going well. That’s why we’re upfront about our conveyancing fees.
From the very start, we’ll provide you with all the costs involved, including:
- Disbursements from third parties
- Search fees, and
- Stamp Duty
Freehold Sale or Purchase Fees
Our fees for a standard house purchase range from around £800 up to £3,000 including VAT. The simpler the transaction, the lower the fees.
Read More About Our Freehold Sale or Purchase Fees
Leasehold or Purchase Fees
Our fees for leasehold purchase range from around £1,300 to £3,000 including VAT. Again, the simpler the transaction, the lower the fees.
Read More About Our Leasehold Sale or Purchase Fees
Mortgage and Re-mortgage Fees
These range from £595 – £795 including VAT.
Read More About Our Mortgage and Re-Mortgage Fees
How Long Does the Conveyancing Process Take?
On average, a property sale will take 14-18 weeks to complete. Although each transaction is different, so the length of time can vary depending on;
- How long searches take to complete
- Mortgage offers
- Other parties in the chain, and
- The complexity of the transaction
At Rothera Bray, we understand the importance of dealing with property transactions. After all, it’s your future family home. That’s why we always strive to complete your purchase as quickly as possible.
What Is Stamp Duty Land Tax? And How Much Will I Have to Pay?
Stamp duty is a tax which you might have to pay when you buy a house or piece of land.
If:
- You’re a first time buyer, you’ll qualify for First Time Buyer’s Relief. This means you won’t pay stamp duty on properties costing up to £300,000. You’ll also get a discounted rate on properties costing up to £500,000.
- You’re not a first time buyer, you’ll pay Stamp Duty Land Tax on properties costing more than £125,000. The percentage you pay will depend on the cost of the property.
- You’re buying a second home, you’ll pay an extra 3% on properties costing more than £40,000.
The table below shows you how much you’ll pay.
Purchase Price | Stamp Duty % | Additional Property Rate |
£0 – £125,000 | 2% | 3% |
£125,000 – £250,000 | 2% | 5% |
£250,000 – £925,000 | 5% | 8% |
£925,000 – £1,500,000 | 12% | 15% |
Example:
If you’re buying your next house for £300,000, you’ll pay:
- Nothing on the portion up to £125,000
- 2% on the portion between £125,001 and £250,000 and
- 5% on the remaining £50,000
Why Should I Use Rothera Bray When Buying a House?
Our property and conveyancing team is made up of experienced solicitors who deliver a reliable service. We aim to make the process of buying your house as quick and as painless as possible.
Once you’ve instructed our conveyancing team, we’ll assign you a dedicated team member. They will look after your transaction from the very beginning through to completion. You’ll get their direct phone number and email address and we’re flexible about how we work with you. If you prefer face to face meetings, email or phone communication, we can help.
We speak in plain English and we’ll keep you up-to-date at each step of the transaction. If any issues arise, like a dispute for example, we’ll deal with it on your behalf, to get a quick resolution.
Our fees are transparent, competitive and communicated upfront so you won’t be surprised later on.
Send us a message
“We explain costs clearly – so there’s no hidden surprises”
Michelle Young
Head of Conveyancing
FAQs
If you’re a first-time buyer, from April 2021 you can get a mortgage with a 5% deposit, following the government’s announcement of a new mortgage guarantee scheme, with several banks now offering 95% mortgages. However, the bigger the deposit you can put down, the better the mortgage deal you will be able to get.
Start off by deciding how much you can borrow to work out how much you need to save for a deposit. For example, for a property worth £250,000, you would need to put down £12,500 for a 5% deposit, £25,000 for a 10% deposit and £37,500 for a 15% deposit.
It can vary from move to move, but on average it can take 14-18 weeks overall, taking into account time to find your ideal property (approx. 8-12 weeks), making and negotiating an offer (0-2 weeks), getting a mortgage (3-5 weeks), exchanging contracts (3-4 weeks) and completing the sale (1-4 weeks).
Our prices range from £695 including VAT for a simple transaction to £3000 including VAT for larger, more complex properties. Our fees cover all of the work required to complete your purchase, including dealing with registration of your ownership at the Land Registry and dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax if the property is in England.
Visit our page https://rotherabray.co.uk/conveyancing/conveyancing-fees/ for more information on our fees for freehold and leasehold purchases.
The cost of buying a house can vary significantly, depending on several factors including the type of property, the types of surveys you have carried out, and whether your property is liable to stamp duty. Fees can vary anywhere from £1000-£6000 and include the following:
- Mortgage costs
- Valuation fees
- House survey costs
- Conveyancing fees
- Removals costs
It is usually the surveyor who organises a survey when buying a house, as the survey makes you aware of what state of repair the property is in and any possible risks. The survey is normally arranged by the homebuyer after their offer has been accepted by the seller.
Searches can take anywhere from 48 hours to four weeks to complete, depending on the area and workload of the relevant local authority. These are all now done electronically.
The following are typical searches undertaken; however the searches you will need will be specific to your property:
- Local authority search
- Drainage and water search
- Environmental search
- Coal Authority search (if the property is in an area affected by coal mining)
There are several things you should look out for when buying a house, including:
- What’s the nearby area like?
- Are there any signs of damp?
- Is the property structurally sound?
- Is there enough storage space?
- Are the rooms big enough and will your existing furniture fit?
- Have the current owners made the place look more appealing than it really is?
- Is the roof old and in need of repair?
- What’s the attic like?
- Is the house sufficiently sound-proofed?
- Is the plumbing in good condition?
- Is the wiring safe and are there enough plug sockets?
Searches are carried out by your solicitor and are checks of the local area to see whether there are any historical problems in the area or if any future planning developments will affect the property you are looking to buy.
The searches you will need will depend on the area you are buying in; if you are a cash buyer searches are not legally required, but mortgage lenders do require them.
The main searches are:
- Local authority searches-look into planning issues, pollution issues, rail schemes, highways issues, building control issues, whether the home is listed, in a conservation area or subject to a tree preservation order
- Environmental searches-look into flooding issues, subsidence issues, landslide issues, contaminated land issues, gas hazards, landfill sites
- Water and drainage searches-check that the house is connected to a public water supply and sewer, where the public sewer and drainage pipes are, if you would need permission from the water company to extend the house, if the water supply is metered or rateable
- Land Registry search-checks the current owner actually owns the property by checking the up to date ‘title register’ and ‘title plan’ at the Land Registry
The house-buying process can be lengthy and complex, but if you’re aware of the stages that are coming up and any steps that you need to take it can make the experience a bit easier:
- Work out how much you can borrow
- Get a Mortgage in Principle and check your credit score
- Look for and book viewings for properties
- Make an offer on a property
- Offer accepted and Memorandum of Sale received
- Find a solicitor
- Agree on a suitable mortgage with your mortgage adviser and complete your mortgage application
- Mortgage valuation organised by mortgage lender
- Get a house survey
- Instruct your solicitor
- Contract sent to solicitor by the seller’s solicitor
- Solicitor confirms with seller’s solicitor exactly what is included in the sale and makes enquiries
- Solicitor carries out searches
- Receive mortgage offer
- Get quotes for buildings and contents insurance so your policy is in place from the date of the exchange of contracts
- Sign contract
- Agree on dates for exchange of contracts and completion and get quotes for removal vans
- Exchange contracts
- Contact utilities companies and other contacts such as your bank, employer and relatives to confirm change of address and confirm moving date with removals company
- Complete and receive keys
On average buying a house takes 14-18 weeks overall. It can be a lot quicker if it’s a straightforward transaction, or it can take a lot longer. It largely depends on the length of the chain, and your solicitor can only go as fast as the slowest link in the chain.
Completing on a house basically just requires the buyer’s solicitor to receive the mortgage from the mortgage lender, the buyer’s solicitor sending monies to the seller, and the seller releasing the keys. Completing can be done on the same day as exchanging contracts, but since this can be very stressful it is normally advised that completion takes one to two weeks as it gives both parties time to make preparations for moving, such as packing and organising removal vans.
Posted 11/02/2021
I was extremely pleased with the service that Kerry provided in order to sell my mothers house. Good, prompt communication and all questions dealt with or answered as requested. Consequently I would recommend yours services to others.
Adam Stevens
Posted 26/01/2022
Kerry and Carolyn were always friendly and professional and kept meet up to date every stage of the journey. Most of our communicating was online which was great as documents could be sent instantly and our conversations were in writing in case I needed to refer back to them later on. I cannot recommend them enough.
Tony Stott
Posted 26/01/2022
Kerry and Carolyn were always friendly and professional and kept meet up to date every stage of the journey. Most of our communicating was online which was great as documents could be sent instantly and our conversations were in writing in case I needed to refer back to them later on. I cannot recommend them enough.
Tony Stott
Posted 26/01/2022
After almost a year of being messed about by potential buyers my house sale went through. I feel that both Kerry and Carolyn of Rothera Bray conveyancing team were patient and understanding of my situation and nothing seemed too much trouble. The actual conveyancing process seemed effortless on my part and when the actual final purchase of the property went through, they kept me informed of what was happening throughout all stages. I would certainly recommend Rothera Bray for any conveyancing required and only wished others were as professional and understanding in their approach.
Julie Wyer
Posted 26/01/2022
After almost a year of being messed about by potential buyers my house sale went through. I feel that both Kerry and Carolyn of Rothera Bray conveyancing team were patient and understanding of my situation and nothing seemed too much trouble. The actual conveyancing process seemed effortless on my part and when the actual final purchase of the property went through, they kept me informed of what was happening throughout all stages. I would certainly recommend Rothera Bray for any conveyancing required and only wished others were as professional and understanding in their approach.
Julie Wyer
Posted 07/03/2022
The service was exceptional and Vicki went above and beyond to make the whole process a much less stressful process , especially buying through the Covid period.
Gavin Crossland
Posted 07/03/2022
Thank you so much to Emily and her team. We managed to buy a house within 6 weeks and connect the selling of our property together, saving a lot of stress, being a young family of 5 in a current pandemic. Professional and approachable with quick responses. Emily went above and beyond to help us get what we wanted!
Rachel and Austin Dekker
Posted 22/05/2023
I needed a solicitors to recreate a set of title deeds and sell my parents property after they moved in their care home. Having made numerous calls to some of the 'big' names in Nottingham and searched online for 'specialist' solicitors no one wanted to deal with me or put me off as I was POA and told me it could take months if not years to sort the title deeds. I went through the address book and I contacted Rothera Bray who were fantastic from the word go. They fully understood what was required and the urgency, and from day one made me feel special and gave me the confidence that everything would be sorted as quickly as possible. It took just 2 months to have confirmation that the title had been accepted and therefore we were able to remarket the house and get this sold. From being told 12 months to get the tile deeds sorted it took Rothera Bray just 6 months including selling the property. I want to thank Kerry and Shelby for the patience they had in my many questions and for their swift replies to my many emails. These two are a credit to the profession and I can only speak in high regards. I will be using you guys again and will recommend anyone who requires a solicitors. Thank you so much.
Ady
Posted 22/05/2023
I needed a solicitors to recreate a set of title deeds and sell my parents property after they moved in their care home. Having made numerous calls to some of the 'big' names in Nottingham and searched online for 'specialist' solicitors no one wanted to deal with me or put me off as I was POA and told me it could take months if not years to sort the title deeds. I went through the address book and I contacted Rothera Bray who were fantastic from the word go. They fully understood what was required and the urgency, and from day one made me feel special and gave me the confidence that everything would be sorted as quickly as possible. It took just 2 months to have confirmation that the title had been accepted and therefore we were able to remarket the house and get this sold. From being told 12 months to get the tile deeds sorted it took Rothera Bray just 6 months including selling the property. I want to thank Kerry and Shelby for the patience they had in my many questions and for their swift replies to my many emails. These two are a credit to the profession and I can only speak in high regards. I will be using you guys again and will recommend anyone who requires a solicitors. Thank you so much.
Ady
Posted 23/05/2023
Ellie and Michelle from the West Bridgford branch did a very good job on my house purchase. Very efficient and professional solicitors.
MB
Posted 23/05/2023
I recently used Rothera Bray for a house sale and had a very smooth, positive experience. They are far better than any other conveyancer I have used in the past. It's a real bonus having an office you can visit to deal with paperwork etc. Ellie went above and beyond, nothing was missed and she was very efficient. It felt like a personal service and I would instruct them again for any future conveyancing or legal matters.
Rebecca Tyler
Posted 23/05/2023
I have used Rothera Bray for some 30 years. I wouldn't go anywhere else. Starting with Chris Carling, and more recently Ellie Robinson at the West Bridgford office. Ellie is foremost professional, kind and supportive. I recently used this company for a family matter that was most difficult to deal with, along with dealing with cancer. Ellie has made the whole situation easier for me to deal with, taking a big weight off my shoulders. Keeping me up-to-date and advising me on the best course of action. Ellie brought this horrible situation to a quick and satisfactory conclusion. I will always use Rothera Bray, you know what you're going to get. Reliable expert work and advice. I wish Ellie all the very best in her future and thank her for a job well done.
Susan Harper
Amanda Sutcliffe
a.sutcliffe@rotherabray.co.uk
Amanda has extensive residential property experience with over 30 years practising law. This has included a great deal of commercial conveyancing which gives her a particular expertise in the selling and buying of leasehold property and complex titles.
Michelle Young
m.young@rotherabray.co.uk
Michelle Young is a residential property specialist and heads up the residential property team at Nottingham-based law firm Rothera Bray Solicitors. She’s based in our West Bridgord office.
Johanna Goddard
j.goddard@rotherabray.co.uk
Jo Goddard has over 20 years experience specialising in all aspects of residential conveyancing and regularly acts for clients on sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers of equity and is part of one of the largest conveyancing teams across the East Midlands. She works in out Lace Market office.
Lucy Pettitt
l.pettitt@rotherabray.co.uk
Lucy Pettitt is based in our Mapperley Office and has amassed over 12 years of experience in all aspects of Conveyancing.
Lucy Walsh
l.walsh@rotherabray.co.uk
Lucy Walsh is a Senior Associate Solicitor in the Residential Conveyancing team and is based primarily at our Derby office.
Emily Weston
e.weston@rotherabray.co.uk
Emily Weston is as a Senior Associate Solicitor in the Residential Conveyancing team and is based primarily at our Beeston office.
Julekha Nathani
j.nathani@rotherabray.co.uk
Julekha specializes in residential conveyancing and is based at our Leicester office. Having qualified in 2016 she has an extensive property knowledge dealing with a wide range of conveyancing matters.
Kiran Phagura
k.phagura@rotherabray.co.uk
Kiran Phagura is an Associate Solicitor based in our Leicester Office. She specialises in all aspects of Residential Conveyancing.
Rupa Popat
r.popat@rotherabray.co.uk
Rupa Popat is an Associate Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Derby office.
Christopher Sweetman
c.sweetman@rotherabray.co.uk
Christopher is a Licensed Conveyancer based at our Market Harborough office. He specialises in all aspects of Residential Property including New Build Purchases and Unregistered Properties.
Kerry Brown
k.brown@rotherabray.co.uk
Kerry Brown is a residential property specialist at West Brigford.
Abbey Freeman
a.freeman@rotherabray.co.uk
Abbey Freeman is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing team and is based at our West Bridgford and Nottingham Lace Market offices.
Hayley Hart
h.hart@rotherabray.co.uk
Hayley Hart is a Solicitor in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office.
Carla Morris
c.morris@rotherabray.co.uk
Carla is the Conveyancing Assistant at our Market Harborough branch. She has 5 years’ experience working in residential conveyancing having previously worked for a large specialist conveyancing firm.
Tina Rana
t.rana@rotherabray.co.uk
Tina is a solicitor in the residential conveyancing department. She has extensive experience in dealing with all aspects of residential conveyancing including, leasehold and transfer of equities.
Kerry Redfern
k.redfern@rotherabray.co.uk
Kerry Redfern is a residential property specialist in our Mapperley office.
Karen Westwood
k.westwood@rotherabray.co.uk
Karen is an experienced fully qualified Legal Executive specialising in residential conveyancing. She is based at our Leicester Office and specialises in freehold sales and purchases.
Toby Byford
t.byford@rotherabray.co.uk
Toby is a Trainee Solicitor in our Residential Conveyancing department and is currently based at our West Bridgford office.
Sophie Bellaby
s.bellaby@rotherabray.co.uk
Sophie Bellaby is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office in the heart of Nottingham city centre.
Vicki Ettles
v.ettles@rotherabray.co.uk
Vicki Ettles is a Senior Paralegal in the conveyancing department at Rothera Bray and is based at our Lace Market office.
Schiennel Holness
s.holness@rotherabray.co.uk
Schiennel Holness is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office in the heart of Nottingham city centre.
Grace Millward
g.millward@rotherabray.co.uk
Grace Millward is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray Residential Conveyancing department and is based at the Beeston office.
Shelby Richardson
s.richardson@rotherabray.co.uk
Shelby Richardson is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our West Bridgford branch.
Ellie Robinson
em.robinson@rotherabray.co.uk
Ellie Robinson is a Senior Paralegal in the residential conveyancing department at Rothera Bray and is based at our West Bridgford office.
Kavita Vashisht
k.vashisht@rotherabray.co.uk
Kavita Vashisht is a Senior Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Residential Conveyancing department and is based at our Beeston office.
Samantha Buckle
s.buckle@rotherabray.co.uk
Samantha Buckle is a paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Lace Market office in Nottingham city centre.
Safina Metcalfe
s.metcalfe@rotherabray.co.uk
Safina Metcalfe is a Paralegal based within our Residential Conveyancing department. Safina is based at our Head Office in the Lace Market.
Laura Runcak
l.runcak@rotherabray.co.uk
Laura Runcak is a Paralegal in Rothera Bray’s Conveyancing department and is based at our Derby office.
Sally Cooper
s.cooper@rotherabray.co.uk
Sally is our first point of contact for any new conveyancing enquiries that come in to the department and provides a bespoke quoting service for prospective clients, estate agents and other referrers of work.
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