Conveyancing in Bath
Conveyancing is the process of preparing legal documents for a property sale, remortgage or lease extension, and transferring legal ownership if the property is being sold. If you need a solicitor for conveyancing in Bath, we can help you with fast & proactive conveyancing from a national panel of conveyancing specialists.
We have helped clients in Bath and throughout Bath & North East Somerset with buying, selling, buy-to-let, Help to Buy, Right to Buy, shared ownership, new build, leasehold, lease extensions, remortgage and transfer of equity.
Buying property in Bath
The largest city in Somerset, Bath was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1987. Its stunning architecture and history have made it a tourist hotspot, and much of its economy is built on the millions who visit every year. Key industries include software, publishing, education and health.
There are plans to develop the riverside area with new housing, plus some of the city's old industrial sites have been earmarked for new build homes, increasing the housing stock and offering new opportunities to live in this very desirable city. Further out in the suburbs and villages the housing market also remains buoyant, particularly with young and growing families.
Council Tax in Bath (2023/24)
Bath is in Bath & North East Somerset Council.
| Band | Amount |
|---|---|
| A | £1,368.06 |
| B | £1,596.07 |
| C | £1,824.08 |
| D | £2,052.09 |
| E | £2,508.11 |
| F | £2,964.13 |
| G | £3,420.15 |
| H | £4,104.18 |
What does a Bath conveyancing solicitor do?
The conveyancing solicitor will handle all the legal elements of buying a property.
Your solicitor will raise questions for the seller's solicitor, order searches, review the lease (if applicable) and complete any post-sale actions, such as paying SDLT and HMLR registration.
Bath conveyancing solicitors would also undertake a flood risk assessment.
Purchasing with a mortgage?
During the process of buying a house, your solicitor also has to take care of legal matters for the bank or building society.
If your solicitor isn't accepted on your chosen mortgage provider's panel, it could take weeks longer to buy your house.
Our chosen panel solicitors have established relationships with the majority of building societies, banks and lenders, from larger lenders like Nationwide to Coventry Building Society, ensuring your transaction will complete without delay.
Read more:
Conveyancing for buying a property
Find out if our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
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We can also help Bath home movers with the legal work for:
When buying a house or flat in a conservation area, your solicitor or licensed conveyancer will check for covenants and restrictions, which could include street appearance restrictions, and easements. Conservation areas in Bath and the Bath and North East Somerset local authority include Chew Stoke, Timsbury and Woollard.Buying a house or flat in a conservation area
There are over 500,000 listed properties across the country - around 3,820 of which are in Bath & North East Somerset Council. Bath listed buildings include: Listed buildings come with complex rules that the owner must adhere to. Examples of the duties that listed building owners face include use of traditional methods and materials for maintenance, consent required for energy efficient alterations and a requirement to use original or historically appropriate materials. Our specialist panel of solicitors will help you understand the additional legal obligations your planned listed building purchase will entail. Read more:Buying a listed building
New Build
The legal work for purchasing a new build home in Bath can be more involved that the process for purchasing an already-owned property.
A good solicitor in Bath will need to be qualified to handle things like dealing with delays associated with off-plan, confirming rights to use pipes and cables (e.g. phone, data, fibre, electricity) and checking new build warranties with warranty providers, including NHBC, Advantage HCI and Aedis.
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Leasehold flats
Over 90% of flats in the UK are leasehold. There are also an estimated 1 million leasehold houses throughout the country. Buying leasehold property will usually take more time than a freehold house because there is more to prepare.
Delays in leasehold transactions could include anything from absent freeholders to slow delivery of managing agents' documents.
Expert leasehold conveyancers look after hundreds of leasehold clients every month. With specialist expertise there should be far fewer delays.
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Selling property in Bath
When you're looking to sell homes in Bath, you can expect your conveyancing solicitor to first arrange all the necessary documentation, including the contract of sale and the TA6 and TA10 property information forms, and help you fill out this paperwork.
The solicitor's role involves responding to enquiries from the buyer's solicitor and sorting out potential snags. By taking action to work with both sides, like estate agents, landlords and lenders, your conveyancer will help make sure your move completes without a hitch.What do I need to know if selling a leasehold property in Bath?
The conveyancing process for a leasehold property is much more technical than for a freehold house.
Leasehold complexity involves additional work on the part of conveyancing solicitors in Bath, which could include requesting the latest service charge and ground rent statement, through to ascertaining if a license to assign is required.
In order to resolve any leasehold issues faster, It is recommended that the vendor contact a solicitor as soon as is practicable.
Conveyancing for selling a property
Remortgaging a property in Bath
The Bank of England's current base rate is 5.25% (9 December, 2024)
Before you instruct a remortgage solicitor, you will need to check that your remortgage solicitor can act for your chosen mortgage lender.
Our partner panel solicitors are approved members of the majority of lenders, so whether you are changing to an offset mortgage with the Co-operative Bank or moving to a capped mortgage with Cynergy Bank, we can help your remortgage complete quickly.
Read more:
Check our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
Transfer of equity in Bath
Whether you are estate planning, adding one or more people to the deeds or gifting a home, you will need to work with a solicitor who specialises in transfers of equity.
Your legal representative will handle all the required documentation for a low, fixed fee.
Read more:
Transfer of equity Stamp Duty calculator
Get a transfer of equity conveyancing quote
What are typical Bath conveyancing fees?
You can get a conveyancing quote online in minutes, but making sense of what you actually be paying can be a challenge.
Conveyancing fees
The conveyancing quote should clearly detail the legal fees, including VAT, to be paid when the conveyancing transaction completes. These fees are what your solicitor charges you for the work they carry out during your property transaction.
Disbursements (third party costs)
Disbursements are fees that your solicitor will have to pay on your behalf for third-party services. Examples of disbursements include Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), HM Land Registry fees and property searches.
Check what's included in your quote
Some solicitors' quotes may set out extra costs in the small print, resulting in an inflated final bill. Watch out for additional charges, if you are comparing conveyancing quotes.
