What we do
Our team of conveyancing lawyers deal in a wide range of residential and commercial property transactions.
The sale or purchase of a home or business premises represents a major transaction, often the biggest and most important for the individuals concerned. Similarly, while not personal, the acquisition of new business premises or land can be a major step in the development of a business. Such transactions can be stressful experiences. Our aim is to provide a conveyancing service tailored to you, maintaining a good level of communication with all parties at all times. We bring the benefit of experience as well as a calm level-headed approach to the processes, helping to smooth the transaction for you and to achieve your desired result.
BWK is a member of the Law Society’s accredited Conveyancing Quality Scheme. This provides a best practice quality standard for residential conveyancing by setting out a preferred practice for how residential property transactions should be completed.
Costs
We provide itemised estimates for any type of property transaction, whether a residential or commercial conveyancing matter.
We are very competitive on price for the area. Our quotations clearly details the costs and disbursements involved.
There are no hidden extras.
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the sale of your home.
Our basic fixed fee
| Property sale price |
Our fee |
| Up To £200,000 |
£1100 +VAT |
| Up To £300,000 |
£1200 +VAT |
| Up To £400,000 |
£1300 +VAT |
| Up To £500,000 |
£1500 +VAT |
| Up To £900,000 |
£1600 +VAT |
| Up To £1,000,000 |
£1700 +VAT |
| Up To £1,250,000 |
£2000 +VAT |
| Up To £1,500,000 |
£2100 +VAT |
| Up To £2,000,000 |
£2500 +VAT |
| Over £2,000,000 |
By quotation |
Additional fees and disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
- Our fee for acting on behalf of your lender: £175 +VAT
- If the property is leasehold an extra fee of £350 + VAT is payable
- If the property has shared areas maintained by a Management Company £250 plus VAT
- If the property is under 10 years old £150 plus VAT
- Land Registry document fees: typically £6–£12
- Electronic money transfer fee to redeem your mortgage and/or send funds to you: £36
- Electronic ID fee: £15 per person
You must also factor in the fee you have agreed to pay your Estate Agent for marketing the property. This will appear in our completion statement detailing the total costs and disbursements in the matter following exchange. We will also pay the Estate Agent directly for you.
Our fees cover all of 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.
Our basic fixed fee
| Property purchase price |
Our fee |
| Up To £200,000 |
£1145 +VAT |
| Up To £300,000 |
£1250 +VAT |
| Up To £400,000 |
£1350 +VAT |
| Up To £500,000 |
£1450 +VAT |
| Up To £750,000 |
£1550 +VAT |
| Up To £900,000 |
£1650 +VAT |
| Up To £1,000,000 |
£1750 +VAT |
| Up To £1,250,000 |
£2050 +VAT |
| Up To £1,500,000 |
£2250 +VAT |
| Up To £2,000,000 |
£2750 +VAT |
| Over £2,000,000 |
By quotation |
Additional fees and disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
.
- For acting on behalf of your mortgage lender: £175 plus VAT
- If you buy a newbuild property: £250 plus VAT
- If you are purchasing with the assistance of a Help to Buy Equity Loan £250 plus VAT
- If you are purchasing a property that has shared areas maintained by a Management Company £250 plus VAT
- If you are purchasing a Shared Ownership £250 plus VAT
- If you purchase in the name of a Company: £150 plus VAT
- Search fees: approximately £400 but depends on the area
- Electronic money transfer fee: £36
- Land Registry search fees: approx. £15
- Onboarding fees per client £25 plus VAT
- HM Land Registry registration fee which is based on the Land Registry’s fee scale and we can confirm this for you
| Property purchase price |
HMLR fee |
| 0 to £80,000 |
£20 |
| £80,001 to £100,000 |
£4 |
| £100,001 to £200,000 |
£95 |
| £200,001 to £500,000 |
£135 |
| £500,001 to £1,000,000 |
£270 |
| £1,000,001 and over |
£455 |
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
This depends 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.
Leasehold property transactions
Our fees
- All other fees and disbursements as set out above for the sale or purchase of freehold property.
- A further fee of £350 plus VAT
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the property. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease from the seller’s solicitors.
Anticipated disbursements *
On a leasehold sale
- Landlord’s or Managing Agent’s fee for the provisions of standard sales information – we will not know this fee until we have made enquiries with the landlord/agent directly. Often it is between £150 and £250 +VAT.
On a leasehold purchase
- Notice of Transfer fee – this fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £200.
- Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – this fee is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £200.
- Deed of Covenant fee – this fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £150 and £250.
- Certificate of Compliance fee – to be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £150 and £250.
* These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.
* Our fee assumes that:
- This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction.
- If leasehold this is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease.
- The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise.
- All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation.
- No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.
If it is the case that you have been referred to us by a third party, then we may have an agreement with them to pay up to £200 for that referral. This fee is paid by the firm and is not passed on to you.
The property purchase and sale processes
Below is a brief indication of the steps you can expect in a standard property transaction. This is not an exhaustive list of all the work that is carried out to progress each step but an overview which we hope will help with your understanding of the normal conveyancing process.
How long it will take from an offer being accepted until you can move in to your new property will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 8-12 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, a cash purchaser with no chain above could conclude the matter within 4 weeks. If a first time buyer is purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 6 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property, this can take significantly longer.
We will do our best to guide you on timescales throughout the process but can offer no actual guarantees on timescales due to factors outside of our control.
- You instruct a solicitor and complete some information forms, returning them together with any title deeds that you hold.
- Memo of sale is received from the agent, showing the details of the transaction and the parties, including the solicitors acting.
- Introductory letters are exchanged between solicitors and an initial mortgage redemption figure is obtained from your lender.
- The contract is drafted and sent to the buyer’s solicitor with title papers and property information forms.
- Enquiries are raised by the buyer’s solicitor which will be reviewed and discussed with you in order to respond. If the contract has been approved this will be provided to you for signature.
- Enquiries are replied to and parties enquire if it is now possible to proceed to exchange. If further enquiries are then raised these are then dealt with.
- Contracts are exchanged, and during this process a completion date is fixed.
- A final redemption statement is requested from your lender and an invoice requested from your agent.
- A completion statement is finalised and sent to you confirming any sums due to you on completion.
- On completion, the buyer’s solicitor transfers the purchase funds to us. Upon safe receipt of these funds the keys are then released to the buyer.
- We redeem your mortgage, pay all fees and disbursements, including the agent’s, and transfer any balance to you.
We have prepared a step by step guide to the process which you can download here
- Memo of sale is received from the agent. This contains the details of the transaction and the parties, including the solicitors acting.
- Introductory letters are exchanged between solicitors.
- The draft contract is received from the seller’s solicitor together with property information forms and title documents.
- The contract and supporting documents are reviewed and sent to you for your initial view and comment.
- Searches are requested, the nature and need for which will be discussed with you at the outset of the transaction.
- Any enquiries arising from the papers and the searches are raised with the seller’s solicitors.
- Replies are received and a full report is sent to you containing all documents and searches for your consideration prior to proceeding to purchase the property.
- If all is well, you are asked to return the signed contract and deposit funds in order to exchange contracts.
- Contracts are exchanged, and during this process a completion date is fixed.
- Any mortgage funds are requested and a completion statement is prepared showing sums required from/due to you on completion.
- On completion, we send the funds to your seller’s solicitor and upon receipt of the funds the keys are released for your collection.
- Following completion, we deal with the Stamp Duty and register your purchase and any mortgage with HM Land Registry.
We have prepared a step by step guide to the process which you can download here
Our property team
Our Property Department is ‘lawyer led’ so your case is always managed by your designated property lawyer. We are proactive and reactive and will give you regularly agreed updates. We are also friendly, approachable and local – so any time you feel you need to talk to us, it is easy for you to do so.
Our ever-expanding department is led by Eleanor King. Eleanor has a wealth of knowledge and experience in both residential and commercial property transactions.
Our property lawyers are Lorraine Wilde (Chalfont and Stone), Faith Sutton (Stone) Mike Wragg (Stone) and Joanne Edwards (Chalfont St Giles).
All our offices are covered by members of the team and clients can be seen at any office by appointment.
