Conveyancing

Throughout the process, you may hear your solicitor referring to “the completion date.” Completion happens exactly when you think it would: once the transaction is complete. After contracts have been signed and exchanged, your solicitor will inform you of the agreed date on which the funds from your mortgage will be released and transferred to the seller. Once this has happened, you will be the new legal owner of the property, and all that’s left is for you to pick up the keys and get moving.

During the conveyancing process, your solicitor will carry out property searches. As with the survey, these searches provide essential information regarding the property you plan to purchase. There are three searches that are normally arranged by the solicitor on your behalf:

• Local Authority Search
  This search is crucial in discovering information about the land where your property lies and the plans for the surrounding area. Your conveyancing solicitor will send a list of enquiries to the Local Authority on your behalf to find out about any upcoming developments in the area along with crucial information including but not limited to planning permissions, building regulations approval and guarantees, adopted roads and highways and tree preservation orders.In some cases, the results of these enquiries can effect the buyers decision to purchase, making it a vital part of the process.
• Environmental Search
  The Environmental search is carried out to check whether the land on which your property lies is safe and uncontaminated. This may seem unnecessary, but in fact, the by-products caused by old industries may still present a health hazard for property owners, for example if the property lies where a landfill site used to exist.
• Water Drainage Search
  Your solicitor will also raise enquiries with the local water company to ensure that your property is connected to mains water, mains drainage and ‘surface water drainage’.

Generally speaking, the conveyancing process tends to take between six to eight weeks on average. However, certain issues can delay the process – for example, if you find yourself in a long chain of interlinked sales and purchases waiting for the seller to complete their property purchase before selling their current home. There could also be a delay in obtaining documents if, for example, the sellers solicitor is slow to respond. Your conveyancing solicitor should keep you regularly updated where they feel there will be potential delays as well as working to tackle them and keep the process moving.

Conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another. The process involves a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer who acts on behalf of the buyer to ensure their client receives the title deeds to the property and the land it sits on. Conveyancing encapsulates the entirety of the legal and administrative work required to ensure a house purchase is valid under the law.

In order to satisfy the requirements of the Immigration Rules for an Unmarried Partner visa, you will need to demonstrate that there is adequate accommodation for yourself, your partner and any dependants.  Our immigration solicitors can arrange for a qualified surveyor with specialist knowledge and skills to attend your property to assess and produce a comprehensive report that can be submitted in support of your application.