For Individuals
No matter your circumstances, buying and selling your home or completing any conveyancing transaction is an exciting yet stressful prospect. That’s why it’s essential to enlist the support and guidance of conveyancing solicitors in Kent who can provide a straightforward and regional service.
At Kingsfords, our residential property solicitors and specialist lawyers have a wealth of combined expertise and experience handling a wide range of conveyancing matters not only in the Kent region but Nationwide. We fully understand the pitfalls of a long-distance move and how best to advise you.
Whether you are looking to sell your home, raise some finances, or want to renegotiate an existing lease on a property, our team can provide carefully tailored advice and support that ensures every detail is taken care of.
Our firm’s expertise in conveyancing matters has been recognised by the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme for our outstanding client care.
Our expertise in residential conveyancing matters includes:
Speak to one of our residential conveyancing experts at our offices in Ashford, Cranbrook or Hythe today by calling 01233 624545 or fill in our enquiry form on the right hand side of the page to request a call back.
While buying and selling a freehold property is relatively straightforward, leasehold properties are not so simple, as you do not own the property outright.
When you own a leasehold property, you only own what is specified in the lease and only for the lease term. When the lease ends, the property reverts to the landlord or freeholder.
In addition, a leaseholder is usually required to pay the freeholder an annual ground rent together with the Service Charges, which reflect the cost to the Landlord or freeholder for the upkeep of the building.
This will also include the cost of any management company the landlord uses to manage the building. It is important that the management of the building and the costs involved are established and that you are fully aware of them before moving forward with the exchange.
At Kingsfords, our residential conveyancing solicitors and specialist lawyers in Kent can provide expert advice in relation to all types of freehold and leasehold transactions, ensuring that everything goes ahead as smoothly as possible and without any unexpected complications.
Kingsfords’ solicitors are on most UK lender panels, so we can act for both our clients and the lender equally in purchases and mortgages. This removes the risk to the client of having to pay for two separate lawyers as not all conveyancers or solicitors are acceptable to lenders for various reasons.
Our conveyancers can provide legal advice in relation to all types of residential mortgages, including equity release products.
We provide clear, practical guidance in relation to the terms of your mortgage and the best way to proceed, ensuring that your mortgage is completed in a timely manner.
Leasehold ownership of a property is determined by a lease, which could be for several years, decades, or centuries. It is important to note that the length of a lease can have a significant bearing on the value of a property.
Typically, the shorter the length of a lease, the lower the value and appeal to any future buyer. A leasehold property that has less than 80 years may be more difficult to sell or remortgage. If this is the case, you may want to negotiate with the landlord to secure a lease extension.
Our leasehold conveyancing solicitors can assist with lease extension either through:
If you own a leasehold property, you and the other tenants may have a legal right to purchase the freehold, so long as you fulfil certain criteria and are a qualifying tenant.
Buying the freehold of a property means that you will be free from paying ground rent. Also, you can self-manage the building and its maintenance, and importantly, your property will likely be more appealing to a future buyer.
Our conveyancing solicitors in Kent can work alongside you to prepare for the purchase of the enfranchisement and lease extension, whether that’s through a formal or informal method.
Tenancy agreements govern the terms and conditions of the rental agreement and specify each party’s rights and responsibilities. Unfortunately, disputes between landlords and tenants over tenancy agreements are common.
To draw up a tenancy agreement, you will need the assistance of an experienced conveyancing solicitor or specialist lawyer who can review your situation and draw up an agreement that protects your best interests.
Our expert residential conveyancing solicitors in Kent can also advise on other related issues, such as if the other party has breached an agreement or the process of repossession.
Our experienced conveyancing lawyers can assist you with other property transactions, such as Adverse Possession Claims, New Build Property, Auction Purchases, Land Purchases, Easements, Grazing Agreements, Mobile home purchases, Shared Ownership, and Overage Agreements.
No matter how specific or unclear your needs are, our experts can help. Reach out today and we will assess your situation, providing comprehensive guidance towards a resolution.
Frequently asked questions about conveyancing
What is conveyancing?
Simply put, conveyancing is the legal process of buying or selling property. Given the complexity of property transactions, conveyancing tends to involve several different aspects, which require specialist legal knowledge and administrative work.
Conveyancing also covers many other aspects such as claims for adverse possession (Possessory Title), Upgrading of titles, Auction Purchases, Land Purchases, Easements, Grazing and Overage Clauses.
What does the conveyancing process involve?
The conveyancing process will likely involve various steps, depending on your circumstances and the type of transaction you’re looking to complete.
The process may include, but is not limited to:
What searches are involved in conveyancing?
If you’re buying a residential property, your conveyancer will likely carry out various searches that will be specific to the location of your chosen property. The most common searches made are a Local Search, Environmental Search and a Water Search.
Depending on the type of property and where it is located, further checks may be required. Our conveyancing solicitors and specialist lawyers in Kent will keep you advised if this is the case.
How long does conveyancing take?
As you might expect, the time it takes to complete a conveyancing transaction depends on several interconnected factors.
Under normal circumstances, the current national average for a conveyancing transaction is between 12 and 14 weeks, but this timeframe can be far less if the chain is small with very straightforward properties. Likewise, it can also be extended if there are unforeseen additional delays somewhere along the property chain.
Ultimately, the chain can only move as quickly as the slowest person in the chain. However, Kingsfords’ residential conveyancing solicitors in Kent work diligently to complete your matter as quickly and efficiently as possible and within your desired timeframes.
What are the main stages of conveyancing for a house purchase in the UK?
For a house purchase in the UK, there are three main stages. These are:
Do I need a conveyancer for every property transaction?
Although you are not legally required to use a conveyancer for your property transactions, you are strongly advised to do so, particularly if you are dealing with mortgages. The complexities and potential risks involved in property transactions make legal advice necessary to shield you from expensive future disputes or issues coming from improper searches.
What are the most common delays in UK conveyancing and how can they be avoided?
There are a range of common delays to the conveyancing process in the UK which our conveyancing solicitors can help you to avoid. These could include:
Our service includes strategic and effective avoidance of these delays and a range of approaches for resolving matters if progress slows down.
What documents will I need to provide for conveyancing in the UK?
Conveyancing documentation processes are notoriously complicated. Not only is the process intensive, but there is a lot of specific documentation involved for everyone taking part in the process. If you are the seller, you will need:
Likewise, if you are buying a property, you will need:
Speak to one of our residential conveyancing experts at our offices in Ashford, Cranbrook or Hythe today by calling 01233 624545 or fill in our enquiry form on the right hand side of the page to request a call back.
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