Conveyancing Solicitors

Conveyancing Solicitors

Buying or selling a property is a hugely significant transaction, with various stages and many financial and legal considerations. To safeguard your interests and ensure that everything runs smoothly, our specialist conveyancing solicitors can support you.

At Watkins Solicitors, we understand that our clients are looking for as smooth a conveyancing process as possible, avoiding any potential risks that may slow down their transaction. With our wealth of expertise and efficient approach, we’ll ensure that your conveyancing process is as straightforward as we can. Our team will carefully explain the stages and expectations to you in simple terms, promptly dealing with any concerns.

Our experts can assist with all conveyancing matters and projects, including:

  • Residential conveyancing transactions
  • Remortgages
  • Buy-to-let investments
  • Leaseholds
  • Shared ownership
  • New builds
  • Adverse possession
  • Transfers of equity
  • Right to buy

 

Contact our conveyancing solicitors in Bristol, Bath, Hereford and Evesham

For specialist advice and support with your conveyancing project, please get in touch with our conveyancing lawyers today.

We support clients from our offices in Bristol, BathHereford and Evesham, the surrounding areas and across the rest of the UK. Give us a call or email us at info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.

Our solicitors will communicate in a way that suits your needs and preferences, whether that’s in person, by phone, video conferencing or email.

Why choose Watkins as your conveyancing solicitors?

When you choose us as your conveyancing lawyers, you’ll be working with highly experienced professionals with a friendly and practical approach. We always strive to provide a client-focused service; your solicitor will ensure that they appreciate your unique circumstances and preferences.

You’ll be working with the same expert lawyer from start to finish, allowing us to base our support on your preferences, streamline the process and ensure easy and swift communication at all stages.

Thanks to the outstanding expertise and skills of our team we have a fantastic reputation in the sector and have secured accreditation from the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) and Lexcel

Besides our legal work, we engage with our local community, participating in charity projects across Bristol and the surrounding areas. To learn more about our team, please get in touch with our residential conveyancing solicitors in the UK.

How our residential conveyancing solicitors can help

Purchasing or selling residential property

The purchase or sale of residential property is a significant life event, whether you are a first-time buyer or a homeowner looking to move to a new area. Our conveyancing team at Watkins have experience working with a wide range of individuals and families. We can deal with all of the legal parts of the transaction for you, ensuring a quick and comfortable process.

Our team work hard to anticipate potential issues you may face, resolving these fast or avoiding such problems altogether. We will handle all stages, including carrying out property searches and checks, reviewing and drafting Contracts of Sale, ensuring that Stamp Duty and other relevant taxes are covered and exchanging contracts.

Remortgaging

If you decide to remortgage, this means that you’ll be trading in your existing mortgage for a new loan, whether that’s with the same lender or a new one.

There are several benefits associated with remortgaging, for instance, the option to reduce your monthly payment, take money out of your property’s equity and potentially pay off your mortgage faster.

To avoid problems and make a well-informed decision, expert legal advice is well advised. We’ve supported a diverse range of clients with remortgaging, having much expertise in the necessary processes.

Legal assistance with leasehold properties

Leasehold and freehold are different ways of owning a property. The process for buying and selling them is the same in many ways, but there are additional steps that must be taken when buying or selling a leasehold.

The owner of a leasehold property is only the owner according to the term and specifications of the lease and so, when the lease ends, ownership is returned to the freeholder. As a result, specialist legal assistance is advised when approaching this type of transaction, whether you are purchasing, selling or extending a lease.

Shared ownership

The Shared Ownership Scheme refers to a Government-offered programme, serving to provide affordable homeownership options, supporting first-time buyers in particular. With Shared Ownership, individuals can purchase a portion of the property and then pay rent on the remaining share.

If you are buying or selling a shared ownership property, we can ensure that you are making confident decisions at every stage and have the legal support you need. Contact our residential conveyancing solicitors in Bath, Bristol and Hereford for more information.

Buy-to-let investments

Buy-to-let properties can be highly profitable investment projects; however, to avoid potential complications and obstacles, working with an expert buy-to-let conveyancing solicitor is crucial.

Our team at Watkins Solicitors have much experience in buy-to-let conveyancing, so we can handle all steps of the transaction and ensure that you appreciate all of your obligations and options.

New builds

The conveyancing processes associated with new build properties can be complicated, and as such, it’s advisable to work with a specialist solicitor.

Our new build conveyancing experts at Watkins can offer full support at every stage, including:

  • Checking the property title, and ensuring that all is well with the property
  • Assessing the contract terms for the property
  • Liaising with the developer concerning planning permission and construction matters
  • Informing you regarding ‘new build guarantee’ details

Adverse possession

Adverse possession refers to a situation where someone who does not own an area of land occupies that area for 10 years or more. When this occurs, ownership can then be transferred to that individual who has been occupying the land, depending on the specific circumstances.

Our expert team at Watkins can offer legal advice on whether there are potential grounds for an adverse possession claim, or assist clients to defend these claims.

After reviewing your case, we can provide advice on what methods might be appropriate to resolve your adverse possession dispute, for example, with mediation processes.

Transfers of equity

A transfer of equity is a legal process of removing an individual from the title deeds of a property, and or, adding an individual to the title deeds. There are various situations where you might need to do this, for instance, to form a co-ownership, or to transfer ownership from one person to another.

Our solicitors can assist clients to transfer equity in various scenarios, including:

  • A couple are splitting up and one partner will remain living in the property
  • The property owners would like to transfer full or part ownership to their children

Right to buy

Right to buy refers to a government provided scheme, giving social tenants the opportunity to buy their council property, at a more affordable price in comparison to the general property market. Those who have been a council tenant for five years or more are eligible to participate in the scheme.

At Watkins Solicitors, we can support clients to purchase property under the right to buy programme. Though this can be an exciting opportunity for tenants, the associated processes can be lengthy and complex, so it’s important to have the right legal support.

With our wealth of experience we can expertly guide clients through the process. If you are considering purchasing a property through the right to buy scheme, and require legal assistance, please get in touch.

What our clients say about us

“I recently used Watkins for a house sale and would have no hesitation in recommending their services - helpful, efficient and reasonably priced.”

“Jagoda did a fantastic job handling the conveyancing process on my behalf. I felt very supported throughout, mainly because communication was always timely and clear. As a first-time buyer everything felt super daunting and confusing, but the initial documentation I received from the firm was very useful in explaining the process. Definitely recommended!”

“Having heard many horror stories about buying houses we were a little fearful but the team at Watkins Solicitors were very helpful, had excellent communication levels and made the whole process run smoothly. Our thanks to the team and we would definitely recommend them and use them again in the future!”

Our residential conveyancing solicitors fees

We provide fixed fees for our conveyancing services, ensuring that you know how much you are required to pay from the very beginning. Our team also offer quotes for disbursements up front, so that you have a full picture of your expenses early on.

To see how much your conveyancing might cost, please request a no-obligation quote for our conveyancing services.

Alternatively, call us on 0117 939 0350 or complete our online enquiry form for any other queries.

Frequently asked questions about conveyancing processes

How long does the conveyancing process take?

Conveyancing should typically take somewhere between 12 and 16 weeks, though it may be longer or shorter than this average, depending on how complex your purchase or sale is and whether or not issues arise along the way.

Can conveyancing be done without a solicitor?

Though working with a conveyancing lawyer is not mandatory, it is highly recommended to protect your interests, both financially and legally.

Conveyancing solicitors have expertise across all areas of property transactions and can assist you with contract checks, performing enquiries and searches, and ensuring that Land Registry Titles are correct.

Unless you have an in-depth knowledge of such tasks, it can be both difficult and time-consuming to carry out the conveyancing process yourself. It is also really easy to miss key details which could significantly impact the value of a property and your experience of living there.

Which documents do solicitors ask for when buying a house?

Your solicitor will ask for various documents, including bank statements as evidence of funding and a mortgage document from your lender. The mortgage document should detail the amount, the terms and repayment details. You’ll also need to provide proof of your address and identity.

Our solicitors for buying a property will ensure that you have all the information that you need and are well-prepared for the conveyancing procedure.

Which documents do you need to sell your house?

If you are preparing to sell your property, your conveyancing solicitor will ask for guarantees, certificates and documents for planning permission. They’ll also need the Title Deeds, the property information form, Energy Performance Certificate, mortgage information or any information about the freehold or leasehold. As with buying a property, you’ll also need to prove your address and show identification.

How much do conveyancing fees cost?

Conveyancing fees cover legal fees and disbursements, referring to costs charged by third parties, for example, for property searches. The conveyancing fees that you incur will generally depend on the circumstances and the property value. You can use the link below to receive a quote.


 

Contact our conveyancing solicitors in Bristol, Hereford and Evesham

For specialised legal advice and guidance, please get in touch with our friendly and professional solicitors.

We have offices in Bristol (Southville and Fishponds), Hereford and Evesham, as well as working with clients across the rest of the UK and internationally. To discuss your case in more detail, please call us on 0117 939 0350 or email info@watkinssolicitors.co.uk.