Residential Conveyancing in Cambridge

Conveyancing is the process of handling all the legal, administrative and financial requirements involved in buying, selling or remortgaging a property.

The process of conveyancing begins when an offer on a property is accepted. The process ends when the sale of the property is completed.

A conveyancer is a specialist legal professional who handles the legal, administrative and financial processes involved in buying, selling or remortgaging a property.

Conveyancers can be solicitors, chartered legal executives or licensed conveyancers. They are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

When you choose a solicitor as your conveyancer you get the benefit of additional property law expertise, which can be invaluable.

Generally speaking, it takes between eight and 12 weeks to conveyance a property.

Sometimes, conveyancing doesn’t take as long, for instance if the property purchase isn’t part of a chain of other purchases.

On the other hand, if there are legal complexities, for example in the searches, or if the purchase is part of a long chain, it can take much longer.

We’ll always move things as quickly as we can for you, and keep you informed at every stage of the process.

It depends. There are standard costs involved in every conveyancing transaction.

If you’re buying a house, these costs include a local authority search, an environmental search, a water and drainage search, a chancel liability search, a bankruptcy search, Stamp Duty Land Tax and HM Land Registry Fees.

If you’re selling a house, these costs include a Land Registry document fee and a bank transfer fee.

There are also the legal costs. These will differ depending on the complexity of the transaction.

We will always provide a detailed estimate of the total costs involved before you engage us. We will also always discuss any changes to the estimate if these are required.

You can view our pricing transparency for residential property conveyancing here.

It is sometimes possible to negotiate conveyancing fees. However, conveyancing is typically a competitive market. You can usually expect the fee you are quoted to be an accurate reflection of the quality and experience your solicitor will bring to your house purchase.

It is not essential to use a local Cambridge solicitor for conveyancing in Cambridge. However, there are a number of benefits to choosing a local Cambridge solicitor for your house purchase.

It is likely to be more convenient for you if you need or want to have a face-to-face meeting or sign paperwork associated with your transaction.

A local solicitor will also have knowledge of the Cambridge area and property market that may be invaluable in the home buying process.

Yes, licensed conveyancers are usually cheaper than solicitors.

However, a solicitor may bring additional legal property knowledge that is useful in a home buying or selling transaction.

When you choose a full-service law firm such as HCR Law there are even more benefits. These include a single firm being able to handle all associated legal services, including estate planning and making a will.

A licensed conveyancer specialises in house purchases and sales. A property solicitor handles house purchases and sales as well as a range of other property-related legal issues.

If you have a straightforward property transaction, a licensed conveyancer will have the expertise you need. If not, a property solicitor is advised. Unfortunately, many complications don’t reveal themselves up-front! If in doubt, we always recommend a property solicitor.

If you are buying a home, your conveyancing quote should include:

• Legal fees
• Search fees, including local authority, drainage and environmental search fees
• Land Registry fees
• Stamp Duty Land Tax fees
• Bank transfer fees
• Any other fees, such as ID verification

If you are selling a home, your conveyancing quote should include:

• Legal fees
• Bank transfer fees
• Land Registry fees

A reputable solicitor will always give you a detailed quote with a complete breakdown of fees so you can see exactly what is included.