Diversity Data for 2025
In accordance with SRA regulations we collect Diversity information, every two years, which is...- 04 July 2025
Complete your property purchase with confidence. Our conveyancing solicitors will walk you through every stage of buying a property, whether you’re a first-time buyer, buying a second property, or any other property transaction.
Buying a property represents a significant investment and a pivotal moment. At THB Legal, our conveyancing solicitors provide comprehensive legal expertise to streamline your purchase, ensuring a reliable and efficient transaction from initial offer to completion. We act as your dedicated legal partner, meticulously navigating every aspect of the conveyancing process to safeguard your interests and provide complete peace of mind.
Our team is committed to delivering a superior client experience, characterised by clear communication, genuine relationships with our team, and rigorous attention to detail. We manage all legal complexities, from comprehensive property searches and contract review to liaising with all parties and overseeing the secure transfer of funds.
Begin your journey with our experts
When it comes to buying a property, selecting the right legal partner is crucial. At THB Legal, our conveyancing solicitors go beyond standard legal representation, working alongside you to ensure your purchase is as seamless and stress-free as possible. We keep you fully informed, every step of the way.
Here’s what sets us apart:
We provide a calm, clear, and highly personalised approach. This means you benefit from our deep, nuanced expertise in all aspects of buying a property, including complex purchases, new build homes, and intricate leasehold transactions.
You’ll work directly with a consistent team, guaranteeing continuous communication and support from the moment your offer is accepted until you receive the keys. This continuity means you’re always up-to-date and never need to repeat vital information – a key reason many clients return to us for their future property needs.
Our team regularly navigates challenging property purchase scenarios, such as those involving complicated titles, specific property covenants, or unexpected issues that may emerge. Our experienced conveyancing solicitors are adept at resolving these complexities swiftly, ensuring your purchase remains on track.
The process of buying a property can often feel overwhelming. We simplify everything into clear, manageable steps, explaining legal concepts in plain English. Our approach ensures you fully understand each stage, and you’ll receive regular updates whenever something changes in your transaction.
We believe in complete transparency regarding costs. Our fees for guidance when buying a property are competitive and clearly outlined upfront, giving you financial certainty and peace of mind without any hidden charges or unexpected surprises.
When buying a property, there are a number of stages that you need to progress through between making an initial enquiry, and reaching completion.
Our conveyancing solicitors will walk you through this process without any jargon, and we’ll make sure you’re informed every step of the way.
This can be done before you have had your offer accepted, or once the buyer has agreed to sell the property to you. When looking for the right solicitor for you, it is important to consider not only costs, but also to check that the solicitor is the right person to guide you through the transaction. They should also understand your expectations and be able to fully meet them. We will be happy to discuss this matter with you and provide you with a free, no-obligation quotation.
It is important to recognise the distinction between a survey and a mortgage valuation. The former is undertaken for your benefit and will highlight possible structural problems that may require attention and which could ultimately be very costly to you, should they not be discovered prior to exchanging contracts. Typical problems that a Surveyor’s report can identify include damp in the walls, wet or dry rot, subsidence and electrical issues. By comparison, a mortgage valuation is a simple report prepared for your lender’s benefit, to establish that the property is good security for their loan.
At the start of the transaction, we will need to carry out some standard identification checks. This will require that you produce proof of your identity and address. This can be by way of either producing your passport or photocard driving licence, along with a utility bill or bank/building society statement dated within the last three months. If, for any reason, you are unable to attend our offices, in certain circumstances, we would be prepared to accept copies of these documents that have been certified by another solicitor.
The seller’s solicitors will supply us with a pack of documentation, which will comprise a draft contract for us to approve, a copy of the seller’s Title, property information forms and any other documentation that the seller holds in connection with the property.
Upon receipt of the Title, we will be able to put in hand the searches. Ordinarily, this will include a Local Authority Search, Water and Drainage Search and Environmental Search. Depending upon the results of these reports, additional searches may be required, such as a Flood Report or Ground Stability Report. At this time, we will raise any enquiries that we may have on the property, which will be sent to the seller’s solicitors for response. If the property that you are purchasing is Leasehold, we will also send a standard Managing Agents Questionnaire to the seller’s solicitor, which will in turn be sent on to the relevant Landlord/Managing Agents/Residents Association. This will provide information about Service Charges, Ground Rent and any planned Major Works.
There is no set time for a mortgage offer to be received, but the earlier in the transaction we have the offer, the better. This will allow us to report any issues to the Lender early on in the transaction so as to avoid any delays. Upon receipt of the offer, we will report to you on its contents and send the mortgage deed of signature. Please note that we will also require a copy of the mortgage valuation, and you should forward this to us. Many Lenders do not send these with the Mortgage Offer anymore.
Once we have received satisfactory results of the searches and enquiries raised with the seller’s solicitor, we will prepare a report on the property. This will contain information about the Title and will detail any relevant rights, covenants and restrictions which may affect your use and enjoyment of the property. We will explain the search results and highlight anything that may be adverse to your purchase. It is important that you read our report carefully and confirm to us that you are happy with its contents. When sending our report, we will also provide you with the Contract for signature. It is important to be aware that signing the Contract at this stage does not commit you to the purchase. The Contract only becomes binding upon formal exchange between us and the seller’s solicitor.
It is usual for a 10% deposit to be paid on the exchange of contracts. However, where you have a property that is also being sold, it is common for the deposit received on your sale to be used in connection with your purchase. It is important that any reduced deposit be agreed early on in the transaction. The deposit acts as security for the seller in case you change your mind or, for some reason, are unable to pay the balance and complete the purchase. If that happens, the seller can keep your deposit and may commence court proceedings if the deposit is not enough compensation for breach of contract.
Once we are satisfied with the search results and replies to enquiries and are in receipt of a mortgage offer (if required), contracts can be exchanged. It is important that prior to this, all parties have agreed on a suitable completion date and the estate agent will be best placed to help negotiate this if needed. Exchange is undertaken over the telephone, and there is no need for you to be present. Once contracts have been exchanged, both parties are committed to the agreed-upon completion date. The Law Society’s Standard Conditions of Sale state that the property is at your risk as of the exchange of contracts, and therefore, buildings insurance must be put in place on the day of exchange.
Once contracts have been exchanged, we will carry out our pre-completion searches and request the mortgage advance from your Lender. Please note that most Lenders require a minimum of five working days to draw down the mortgage, and some can take longer than this. We will also prepare a transfer deed for you to sign, which is the document that will transfer formal ownership of the property from the seller’s name to your name, and which will be sent to the Land Registry following completion. Finally, we will request any balance due from you in order to complete your purchase. Please do be aware that cleared funds will need to be in our account no later than the close of business the day before completion.
On the day of completion, we will send the purchase monies to the seller’s Solicitors. Once they have received this, the property will be yours and you can arrange to collect the keys, which are usually left with the estate agent. It is your responsibility to update your Council Tax details, utility suppliers and rearrange your post.
We will pay the Stamp Duty payable to HMRC, and once we are in receipt of the Title Deeds, Transfer signed by the seller and proof of the discharge of their mortgage, we will register your ownership with the Land Registry. A copy of the updated Title will be sent to you and any Lender once registration is complete.
We have dedicated conveyancing solicitors in our Chelmsford and Shoeburyness offices, who are ready to deal with your initial enquiry and help you understand the process of buying a property from start to finish.
Please get in touch today, and a member of our conveyancing team will be happy to assist you. Alternatively, come and visit us in the office to discuss your requirements face-to-face.
- 04 July 2025
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