Chester: 01244 354800
Liverpool: 0151 3210000
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Solicitors in Chester and Liverpool

The SRA have asked all regulated law firms who carry out Residential Conveyancing to publish information on average Residential Purchase matters.  We believe there is no such thing as an average residential transaction; we like to treat each client as an individual.

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any queries about the information below.

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What is the price range for this service?

  • Our fees are dependent on the sale price of the property:
    • £0-100K – £750.00
    • £100-150K – £800.00
    • £150-200K – £850.00
    • £200-250K – £900.00
    • £250-300K – £1,000.00
    • £300-400K – £1,100.00
    • £400-500K – £1,200.00
    • £500-600K – £1,250.00
    • £600-700K – £1,500.00
    • £700-800K – £1,600.00
    • £800-900K – £1,700.00
    • £900-1mil – £1,800.00
  • If the property is Leasehold, an additional £295.00 (+ VAT at 20%) may be charged.

What hourly rates do you charge?

  • We do not charge for Residential work on an hourly basis. If your matter requires additional steps to be undertaken, you may be charged a fixed additional fee (please see “What services may be required in addition to the above, and what will they cost?” below).

What disbursements will I need to pay?

  • Pre completion searches (estimated £7.00)
  • SDLT (depends on price of property and purchaser’s situation)
  • Standard search pack (locally – £168.00, out of area – £184.00)
  • Land Registry Fees based on the purchase price:
Value Electronic transfer of whole Electronic transfer of leases and of part Voluntary first registration
£0-£80,000 £20.00 £45.00 £30.00
£80,001-£100,000 £40.00 £95.00 £70.00
£100,001-£200,000 £100.00 £230.00 £170.00
£200,001-£500,000 £150.00 £330.00 £250.00
£500,001-£1,000,000 £295.00 £655.00 £495.00
£1,000,001+ £500.00 £1105.00 £830.00

Will I be charged VAT?

  • We charge VAT at 20% on our fees and searches and if required, on Land Registry documents.

What steps are involved?

  1. On receipt of instructions, ID and evidence of source of funds from the you, carrying out due diligence and complying with money laundering regulations.
  2. On receipt of contract pack from the Seller’s solicitor – investigation of title and property information forms.  Raising enquiries with the Seller’s solicitor, forwarding Property Information Form and Fittings and Contents Form to you.

Steps 1 & 2 will be completed within three days of receipt of the contract pack.

  1. Applying for searches as soon as the above points have been satisfied.
  2. Receiving searches, raising any necessary enquiries and forwarding reports to you on receipt of the searches.
  3. Receiving and checking mortgage offer, if any, and reporting to you and the lender.  Sending you the mortgage deed to sign within three days of receipt of mortgage offer.
  4. Sending Transfer and Requisitions within five days of approval of draft Contract.
  5. Agree dates for exchange and completion with the parties in the chain.
  6. Exchange as expeditiously as possible.
  7. Completion – All completions will be dealt with expeditiously on the agreed completion date.
  8. Attend to registration at HM Land Registry within a week of completion.
  9. Sending completed registration documents to you and, where applicable, the lender, within two days of receipt from HMLR.

What services are included in the price?

  1. Negotiate and agree a Contract and Transfer.
  2. Investigate and report on the title to the Property.
  3. Provide a written Report on Title to you.
  4. Co-ordinate the transaction to achieve exchange of contracts and completion in accordance with your instructions.
  5. Attend to exchange and completion on your behalf.
  6. Attend to post-completion matters including submitting a Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) Return at HMRC and making an application to the Land Registry to register the transaction

What services may be required in addition to the above, and what will they cost?

Additional charges may be applicable for work and services required over and above the standard legal procedures in a conveyancing transaction.  If we are aware of these at the outset we endeavour to include them in our estimate of charges.  However, sometimes it only becomes apparent during a transaction that additional work will be required.  For your assistance we have listed below some of the more common additional charges.

Where possible, we will give you a fixed price, however sometimes we can only tell you that an hourly charge will apply.  Should this be necessary we shall advise you of the hourly rate prior to commencing the additional work and obtain your authority to do so.

Additional Work Charge (+ VAT at 20%)
Purchase/sale of additional plot/piece of land with a separate title To be agreed depending on parcel and price
If a property is being purchased through an Auction (does not include a fee for checking the auction pack nor does it cover attendance at the auction) Minimum of £450 depending on price
If the property is being purchased as a Buy to Let with specialist Lender £200.00
If you require completion to take place in less than 14 days from exchange of contracts No charge
If we are instructed in a contract race with more than one buyer No charge
Straight forward Declarations of Trust £250.00
Deed of Covenant (each) £250.00
Deed of Postponement £150.00
Defective Title Hourly rate
Unregistered Property £200.00
Freehold Reversion £250.00
Gifted Deposit from third party £50.00
HMO if the property is bought or sold with multiple occupation £125.00
Arranging Indemnity Insurance (excluding the cost of the insurance policy) £100.00
Key Undertaking £100.00
Leasehold houses £175.00
If you are using a non-high street lender £595.00
Licence to assign on leasehold properties £150.00
New build Properties (if not aware when instructed) £150.00
If your lender requires occupiers to sign a consent or release £50.00
If there are other solicitors related to the transaction, either dealing with a related sale/purchase or matrimonial £295.00
If the property is sold under an existing Power of Attorney £50.00
Acting for your Lender £50.00
If the Seller is an executor on a probate sale £75.00
If we need to remove a notice, caution or restriction (each) £95.00
Shared ownership leases £150.00
If there are solar panels on the property and subject to a lease £250.00
Statutory declaration or statement of truth £95.00
If we are required to draft or approve a tenancy agreement £195.00
If a charge is to be transferred/ported to another property £75.00
Transfer of Equity £350.00
Transfer of Part £350.00
If the title to the property is to be upgraded with the Land Registry (excluding Land Registry Fee) £50.00
If we have to apply for registration at the Land Registry prior to sale (excluding Land Registry fee) £150.00
Where retentions are required £100.00
Apartment purchases subject to the Building Safety Act 2022

  • Block under 11m or 5 storeys
  • Block over 11m or 5 storeys
£695.00
£1,950.00

These prices are excl VAT which is charged at 20%.

Due diligence has to be carried out on all files in respect of the receipt of funds.  This includes evidence of the source of your funding for this purchase.  Please note that in instances where the source of funding is unclear and requires further investigation, an additional fee from £110.00 – £350 plus VAT will be charged.

Who will handle my matter?

  • With more than 70 years of collective experience, the Residential Team are ably assisted by:

Who supervises the work?

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Residential Conveyancing Team

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