Residential Property Solicitors

If you are thinking of moving house, buying or selling investment property or are involved in property development, contact our expert team for a quote.

Residential Property Solicitors

If you are thinking of moving house, buying or selling investment property or are involved in property development, contact our expert team for a quote.

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY & CONVEYANCING SOLICITORS

We understand very well that one of the most important things in anyone’s life is their home. Your home means much more to you than just bricks and mortar. At Bretherton Law we provide a bespoke service that can meet all your residential property and conveyancing needs.

If you’re planning to buy or sell your home, remortgage or transfer the property ownership into a new name, we will guide you through the conveyancing process. If you are a property developer we can help with the acquisition and disposal of land, plots and units. Whether you’re buying, selling, investing, developing or remortgaging, there will be times when you need an experienced residential property solicitor to help everything run smoothly.

Our team of dedicated residential property and residential conveyancing solicitors are experts in their field and have a wealth of local knowledge in the St Albans and Hertfordshire area. They also act for clients based throughout England and Wales.

Should you encounter problems with your property, having a knowledgeable residential property solicitor on your side is invaluable. We’re here to provide guidance and support whatever your circumstances may be.

We will always be clear about our costs and keep you up to date on our progress. We’ll be sure to explain all the processes clearly and answer any queries you have. We’ll keep everything on track, giving you clear timescales, eliminating delays and keeping you posted at every step. You can read more about our conveyancing costs and likely timescales in the ‘Our Costs’ section below.

WHY BRETHERTON LAW?

• Fixed fee quotes with no hidden costs
• Same day response promise
• An experienced, friendly and accessible team
• In-depth local knowledge
Lexcel and Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditations

CONVEYANCING CASE STUDIES

Sometimes during the process of buying or selling a property unexpected problems arise. This is why using an experienced conveyancing solicitor, who has the knowledge and experience to find and negotiate a solution, is a wise choice. Putting your affairs in the hands of professional and experienced conveyancing solicitors will go a long way in avoiding delays and costly mistakes, a fact that is illustrated in our conveyancing case studies. 

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Our Residential Property Solicitors Services
  • New Build

    If you are buying a new build property, you need help and advice from specialist new build conveyancing solicitors with a wealth of experience in this niche area.  It is important to ensure that you have all the rights you require to enjoy your new home and that the developer has the right mechanism in place to rectify any defects.

    Developers often require very quick turnaround times despite the usually complex nature of many new build transactions. We are very proud to be a firm that a number of developers of all sizes recommend to their buyers.

    We have huge experience acting for buyers purchasing with the assistance of government schemes such as shared ownership schemes.

    To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293 or book online.

  • Sale & Purchase

    There are many reasons for moving house but the one thing that everyone buying or selling a property has in common is that they want the process to be as smooth as possible.

    One of the most important factors in the success of your sale or purchase is having the residential property solicitor. Although conveyancing fees can be very similar from one firm to another, the service you receive can vary greatly. It’s therefore important to choose a conveyancing solicitor who has your best interests at heart – you have a choice about which lawyer you use and don’t have to instruct the one recommended by your mortgage provider.

    At Bretherton Law we make buying and selling property straightforward. We’ll keep the conveyancing process on track, giving you clear timescales, eliminating delays and keeping you posted at every step. Our conveyancing fees are easy to understand and cover any necessary legal checks and conveyancing searches. We also give you our ‘same day response’ promise which is really important when you’re buying or selling a home. It means you’ll always know what stage the process is at and won’t have to chase for updates.

    We’ll ensure that all your property documentation is checked and explained thoroughly and we can liaise with your lender, estate agent and other parties to ensure that there is clear and prompt communication between everyone at all times.

    Whether you’re buying a property or selling a house, there are lots of things to think about. By trusting Bretherton Law to handle your conveyancing, you can relax safe in the knowledge that all the legal details are taken care of. That’s why our clients recommend us to their friends and family.

    To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293 or book online.

  • Buying at auction

    Buying property at auction can be an exciting experience and is often a great way to get a good deal. However, it can also be a step into the unknown – particularly if it’s your first time. By talking to a legal expert before buying at auction you can approach the process with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.

    Bretherton law can advise you on all the important aspects to consider before bidding at auction, helping to ensure that any property you do bid on will be a sound investment. We can also take care of all the legal practicalities of the sale, from checking property ownership to arranging surveys and conveyancing searches. Our friendly and knowledgeable property auction lawyers will give you all the guidance you need to be able to enter the purchase with confidence.

    To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293 or book online.

  • Remortgaging

    As a homeowner, at some point you may wish to consider remortgaging – either to take advantage of a better mortgage deal or to release money from your property.

    At Bretherton Law our remortgage solicitors make the process as quick and simple as possible. We’ll guide you through, taking care of any paperwork and legal checks. We’ll also review the terms of your existing mortgage so that you don’t uncover any surprises further down the line.

    To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293 or book online.

  • Leasehold properties

    If you’re looking for advice about leaseholds, our specialist leasehold solicitors here to help. Leasehold is a particular type of property ownership that comes with its own legal rights and responsibilities. Many flats in the UK are sold on a leasehold basis but leasehold can apply to other properties too.

    Because leasehold is a specialist area of property law, it’s a good idea to seek legal advice before entering into any leasehold agreements. Leases vary from one property to another and it is essential that you understand all your legal rights when buying a leasehold property. You’ll want to know details such as how long the lease has left to run, whether you are allowed to make any improvements to the property and who is responsible for ongoing maintenance costs.  This is all taken care of during the leasehold conveyancing process when you work with our specialist leasehold solicitors We can also advise you on your rights and provide help if you’re experiencing difficulties with a current leasehold property.

    To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293 or book online.

  • Investment and Buy to Let properties

    More and more people are enjoying the rewards of investing in property. Buy to Let can be a great way to ensure that your property provides a regular income and strong return on your investment. The key to successful property investment is to do your homework and seek expert legal advice before investing in a property.

    At Bretherton Law we can help you with every stage of the property investment journey from choosing the right property to finding suitable tenants. We’ll take care of all the legal aspects from arranging searches and surveys to drafting a sound tenancy agreement. When purchasing a Buy to Let, there are different legal requirements to buying your own home so it’s important to speak to a lawyer that specialises in buy to let conveyancing.

  • Acting for developers

    We act for a number of house builders in relation to the purchase of land and can handle plot sales all over the country, including off-plan sales.  We also boast experience dealing with international plot sale exhibitions for clients, in particular in the Far East.

  • Transfers of title

    Are you looking to transfer the ownership of a property from one person to another? Although this is a fairly straightforward process, it’s important that it is completed correctly to ensure everything progresses smoothly and to avoid unexpected problems in the future.

    Our expert residential property solicitors can help with every stage of a transfer of title, providing the support to complete your transfer efficiently and correctly. We’ll contact the Land Registry on your behalf and ensure that all the necessary documentation is completed properly. We will also explain any factors that may arise from the transfer – giving you the peace of mind that all the legal details have been covered correctly.

  • Registering Unregistered Property

    If you own a property that is not currently registered with the Land Registry we can help to register a property. Registering a property is beneficial in numerous ways including securing ownership, improving the marketability of the property, resolving issues and providing access to Land Registry services.

     

  • Shared Ownership Property

    If you are buying or selling a shared ownership property it’s important to instruct a specialist shared ownership solicitor to support you through the conveyancing process. The conveyancing process can be complex and you need to ensure that you interests are protected throughout. The team at Bretherton Law can help.

  • Right to Buy

    The Right to Buy scheme has helped thousands of people become homeowners and has been a key factor in the growth of affordable housing in England and Wales. However, navigating the legal process of buying a property under the Right to Buy scheme can be tricky with strict time limits, which is why it is important to have specialist right to buy solicitors guiding you the conveyancing process.

  • Our Costs

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority requires us to publish certain information about our costs for residential conveyancing transactions on our website. We charge fixed fees for freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, mortgages and remortgages. There are no hidden extra charges for items such as completing the Stamp Duty Land Tax Return, arranging an indemnity policy, dealing with a Deed of Covenant or a gifted deposit.

    We will inform you if any unforeseen additional work becomes necessary that could increase our fixed fee, for example because the legal title is defective or because the property is unregistered land.

    VAT at twenty percent and disbursements (payments that we must make to other parties on your behalf) are not included in our fees. Likely disbursements are:

    Sale disbursements When
    payable
    Amount
    HM Land Registry fee for official copies and filed plan On completion £6.00
    HM Land Registry fee – per document (if applicable) On Completion £3.00
    Bank transfer fee to transfer monies on completion Prior to completion £48.00
    Purchase disbursements When
    payable
    Amount
    Searches on property Prior to completion £350.00
    (approx)
    HM Land Registry Bankruptcy Search Prior to completion £2.00
    per name
    HM Land Registry Search Prior to completion £3.00
    per name
    Bank transfer fee to transfer monies on completion Prior to completion £48.00
    Stamp duty land tax Prior to completion Calculate
    HM Land Registry fee for registration of title following
    completion
    Prior to completion Land Registry
    fee scale

    Key stages & Timescale

    Although it is hard to generalise, we set out approximate timescales below. Please be aware that we remain heavily reliant on information from third parties e.g. local authorities, bank/building societies, surveyors and Landlords/Management Companies (for leasehold transactions). Therefore, unless we have all the information necessary from such institutions, there can be a delay.

    During the conveyancing process, we will update you regularly either by means of telephone, letter or e-mail as you prefer.

    You can see more about our conveyancing team on the Our People page.

    Purchase key stages Timescales
    Carrying out searches
    Checking contract and title
    Raising enquiries
    Checking mortgage offer
    Reporting to you
    Exchange of contracts
    6-7 weeks
    Requesting mortgage funds
    Carrying out final Searches
    Attending to completion
    1-2 weeks
    SDLT Return Within 5 days
    of completion
    Remortgage Key Stages Timescales
    Checking title and mortgage offer
    Reporting to you
    Attending to completion
    Discharging existing mortgage
    2-3 weeks
Testimonials

I have used Bretherton Law (specifically Isobel Doherty) for both the purchase and then the sale of my property. Isobel is efficient, professional and caring, which is exactly what you need during the stressful time of purchasing/selling a property. Everyone I have spoken to at the firm has been friendly and helpful. I would happily use Bretherton Law again.

Kyri is an absolute credit to your profession.  Your wider team also more than adequately supported while he was unavailable. You always looked after my family’s interest, made sure we were kept up to date but also took the time to explain various options whilst we navigated unknown territory.

I found Bretherton Law very professional and easy to deal with, in particular dealing with any queries quickly and always easy to contact.  I would recommend their services to anybody seeking legal support.

Having heard all sorts of stories about the stress of buying a property and dealing with solicitors, I found Isobel and Brethertons a pleasure to deal with and very calm and professional in all their work.

Thank you for all your help and support during a difficult and challenging time and especially as I live in the Republic of Ireland.

As a first time buyer, I felt Isobel was approachable and informed me of all the options and the best course to take in a way that was easy to understand.

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