Property Law

Residential Property

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Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from one party to another. So, if you are buying or selling a residential property or even re-mortgaging, you will need a conveyancing solicitor to assist you with the process, which we can help with.

Timeframes

It is not possible to predict the timing of any transaction as there are different variables involved, many of which are outside of our control and involve, for example, the co-operation of the other party (i.e. the buyer or seller), third parties (i.e. banks / lenders) and the results of searches which then result in further due diligence regarding the property. We would aim to keep you updated on timings as the transaction progresses, however, as a general estimate for a straightforward transaction we might expect three months for a sale or purchase and one month for a re-mortgage.

We have set out more specific estimates within the guides (below) regarding each transaction.

Remote Conveyancing
There is no obligation to see your solicitor face to face as the transaction can be ran remotely. We would communicate with you via email and telephone calls to provide advice and updates regarding the transaction.
Team

We charge our fees on an hourly basis plus VAT. The hourly rate depends on the team member, but the rates range between £310 – £370 & VAT per hour. More information regarding the likely costs for a transaction can found within the specific guides (below).

There are three members of our team who may work on your matter and, whoever does so, your matter will be supervised by a Partner.

Helen Lucas, Partner
Helen spent several years as a real estate lawyer at leading international law firm Allen & Overy LLP, before joining property and private client specialists Boodle Hatfield LLP. In 2015, she then joined Ignition Law, where she made partner and now heads up the firm’s experienced real estate team.
Her practice includes all aspects of commercial real estate including leases, licences, property sales and purchases, development, real estate finance, property aspects of corporate transactions and advisory work. Residential experience includes strategic advice to investors regarding the purchase of residential property and re-mortgage transactions. A specific recent matter Helen has worked on includes acting for multiple high net worth investors on the purchase of a series of luxury short stay units adjacent to Silverstone race track which are currently under development.

Catherine Campbell Barnard, Consultant
Cath Campbell-Barnard is a real estate lawyer with more than a decade of experience working in private practice at CMS and Speechly Bircham (now Charles Russell Speechlys) and over 5 years of experience managing Farrow & Ball’s growing retail property and intellectual property portfolios. Her experience covers all aspects of real estate law, including leases for a wide range of premises, occupation licences (including for co-sharing spaces), freehold and leasehold sales and transfers, property finance, property development, and advising on the property aspects of corporate deals.

Lauren O’Sullivan – Senior Consultant
Lauren O’Sullivan, our property dispute resolution expert, accumulated 10 years’ experience working in private practice at Pinsent Masons, before leaving to join the Ignition team. Lauren has a broad range of experience, from supporting large institutional landlords with the management of their property portfolios, to advising tenant start-ups across a variety of sectors. Residential experience includes strategic advice to investors regarding the purchase of residential property.

Purchasing a residential property

No two properties or transactions are the same, so it can be difficult to provide cost estimates for residential property transactions.

Matters can arise during the course of the transaction which could not have been anticipated at the outset which means that there is always a degree of uncertainty and there are numerous variables that we are not within our control. We will aim to update you as soon as we become aware of any reason for our initial estimate to be exceeded. We discuss each transaction with our clients at the outset in order to scope out the work we anticipate we will be required to undertake.

Stages of the Transaction

A typical transaction will involve:
How much will it cost?
Total estimated costs (excluding VAT chargeable at 20%)
Property ValueLower RangeUpper Range
£0 – £1,500,000£2,250£6,000
£1,500,000 - £3,000,000£6000£11,000
£3,000,000 - £10,000,000£16,000+

What factors can influence the fees?
The fees set out in the table above could be affected by the following (this list is not exhaustive);

Additional charges will also apply if we are acting for your mortgage lender.

Our current hourly rates are between £310 – £370 & VAT depending on which solicitor is involved.

Expenses and additional charges Expenses and additional charges that you are likely to be required to pay include:

How long will it take?
There are a number of factors that can impact the length of time between your offer being accepted and completion. A straightforward transaction should complete within three months of a sale being agreed and receipt of all documentation if the matter proceeds smoothly. However, there are a number of variables beyond our control and which will influence exchange and completion including the co-operation of other parties involved in the transaction, especially where there is a chain and where mortgage finance is required. If you have a preferred date for exchange or completion we shall endeavour to meet that date. However, we are not always able to influence other parties in the transaction and unforeseen complications and delays can arise

Selling a residential property

No two properties or transactions are the same, so it can be difficult to provide cost estimates for residential property transactions.

Matters can arise during the course of the transaction which could not have been anticipated at the outset which means that there is always a degree of uncertainty and there are numerous variables that we are not within our control. We will aim to update you as soon as we become aware of any reason for our initial estimate to be exceeded. We discuss each transaction with our clients at the outset in order to scope out the work we anticipate we will be required to undertake.

Stages of the Transaction

A typical transaction will involve:
How much will it cost?
Total estimated costs (excluding VAT chargeable at 20%)
Property ValueLower RangeUpper Range
£0 – £1,500,000£2,250£5,500
£1,500,000 - £3,000,000£5,500£10,000
£3,000,000 - £10,000,000£10,000£14,500+

What factors can influence the fees?
The fees set out in the table above could be affected by the following (this list is not exhaustive);

Our current hourly rates are between £310 – £370 & VAT depending on which solicitor is involved.

Expenses and additional charges Expenses and additional charges that you are likely to be required to pay include:

How long will it take?
There are a number of factors that can impact the length of time between your offer being accepted and completion. A straightforward transaction should complete within three months of a sale being agreed and receipt of all documentation if the matter proceeds smoothly. However, there are a number of variables beyond our control and which will influence exchange and completion including the co-operation of other parties involved in the transaction, especially where there is a chain and where mortgage finance is required. If you have a preferred date for exchange or completion we shall endeavour to meet that date. However, we are not always able to influence other parties in the transaction and unforeseen complications and delays can arise.

Remortgaging a residential property

No two properties or transactions are the same, so it can be difficult to provide cost estimates for residential property transactions.

Matters can arise during the course of the transaction which could not have been anticipated at the outset which means that there is always a degree of uncertainty and there are numerous variables that we are not within our control. We will aim to update you as soon as we become aware of any reason for our initial estimate to be exceeded. We discuss each transaction with our clients at the outset in order to scope out the work we anticipate we will be required to undertake.

What’s Involved?

The amount of time spent on each stage of the process will depend on the complexity of the remortgage.
A typical transaction will involve:
How much will it cost?
Total estimated costs (excluding VAT chargeable at 20%)
Property ValueLower RangeUpper Range
£0 – £1,000,000£1,450£2,500
£1,500,000 - £3,000,000£2,500£5,000+

What factors can influence the fees?
The fees set out in the table above could be affected by the following (this list is not exhaustive);

Our current hourly rates are between £310 – £370 & VAT depending on which solicitor is involved.

Expenses and additional charges Expenses and additional charges that you are likely to be required to pay include:

How long will it take?
A straightforward re-mortgage should complete within one month of receipt of the satisfactory mortgage offer and lender instructions.

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