Conveyancing in Bristol
Conveyancing is the legal process carried out by a solicitor to transfer the ownership of a property from one person to another. If you need a solicitor for conveyancing in Bristol, we can help you with fast & proactive conveyancing from a national panel of conveyancing specialists.
We have helped Bristol and South West clients with buying, selling, buy-to-let, Help to Buy, Right to Buy, shared ownership, new build, leasehold, lease extensions, remortgage and transfer of equity.
Other areas covered: Bath, Chippenham, Clevedon and Swindon
Buying property in Bristol
A city in the South West, Bristol is known for its historic harbourside, the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and its thriving arts scene. Clifton and Redland are highly desirable areas. Major employers include Airbus and the University of Bristol. Bristol has excellent transport links, including a railway station and an international airport. Bristol has a population of approximately 463,400.
Council Tax in Bristol (2023/24)
Band | Amount |
---|---|
A | £1,563.49 |
B | £1,824.07 |
C | £2,084.66 |
D | £2,345.24 |
E | £2,866.40 |
F | £3,387.57 |
G | £3,908.73 |
H | £4,690.48 |
What do conveyancing solicitors do?
A conveyancer oversees all post-offer aspects of purchasing a house or flat, and helps the buyer with the legal side of buying a home.
Your lawyer will carry out comprehensive due diligence, such as raising enquires of the seller, arranging property searches and handling the transfer of funds.
Further to the standard checks and searches, Bristol conveyancing solicitors would also undertake local searches and checks including for mining hazards, flood risk, and contaminated land.
Are you purchasing a property with a mortgage?
Whether you are purchasing a second home or buying a listed building, your solicitor must also complete legal work for the bank arranging your mortgage.
Your transaction could take significantly longer to complete and cost more if your solicitor is not on your chosen mortgage provider's panel.
Over 100 lenders have approved our chosen partner solicitors, so we can help you complete your Bristol transaction smoothly.
Read more:
Conveyancing for buying a property
Find out if our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
We have also helped buyers in Bristol with the legal work for:
There are over 500,000 listed buildings across the country - around 2,180 of which are in Bristol City Council. Listed buildings and properties in and near to Bristol include: Buying and owning a listed property is not for the faint-hearted. Our specialist panel of solicitors will advise you on the commitments a listed building owner must make. Examples include maintenance of historic features, consent for additions like satellite dishes or external lighting and an obligation to preserve or restore original windows and doors. Read more:Listed buildings
When you buy a share in a property from housing associations that offer part-buy, part-rent schemes, you should use a specialist property lawyer. Purchasing a shared ownership home can be more involved than buying the property outright. Quittance's panel of solicitors has extensive experience handling shared ownership conveyancing (including staircasing).Shared Ownership Conveyancing
Selling a house or flat in Bristol
As part of the property selling process in Bristol, your conveyancing solicitor will prepare vital paperwork, including the title deeds and assorted property information forms, and help you fill out this paperwork.
The role of a conveyancer acting for the seller includes responding to the buyer's solicitor's questions and handling obstacles like lack of consent for alterations. Your lawyer will also liaise with key parties, like estate agents and banks or building societies, to confirm that the sale is completed without incident.I am selling a leasehold property in Bristol - what do I need to know?
Conveyancing for a leasehold flat (leasehold houses are rare) is a great deal more technical than it is for a freehold home.
The complex nature of leasehold property means that conveyancing solicitors in Bristol must undertake additional tasks, for example sourcing the latest service charge and ground rent statement, through to ascertaining if the incoming lessee (i.e. the seller) is required to buy a share in the building's management company.
In order to resolve any leasehold problems faster, It is highly recommended that the vendor contact a lawyer as soon as is practicable.
Conveyancing for selling a property
Remortgage in Bristol
Latest Bank of England base rate now at 4.5% (18 February, 2025)
It's important that you double-check your conveyancer's lender panel status before you instruct.
We work with remortgage solicitors who are on the solicitor panels of over 100 mortgage lenders. Whether you are switching to an equity release mortgage from TSB or moving to a lifetime mortgage with Darlington Building Society, our experienced conveyancing team can guide you through the remortgage process.
Read more:
Check our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
Transfer of equity
Whether you are changing the legal ownership structure, transferring the ownership of your property to a child or dealing with inheritance tax planning, you'll need a solicitor who specialises in transfers of equity.
Your conveyancer will complete the legal work for a fixed fee.
Read more:
Transfer of equity Stamp Duty calculator
Get a transfer of equity conveyancing quote
How much does conveyancing cost in Bristol?
Legal fees
The quote will detail the fees for the legal work, including VAT, to be paid when the conveyancing transaction completes. These fees are what your lawyer charges you for the legal work that they complete on your behalf.
Disbursements (third party costs)
The conveyancing quote should also include any disbursements, which are third-party costs, including Local authority searches, Stamp Duty or a flood risk report.
Check the T's & C's
Some solicitors' quotes include extra costs in the small print, resulting in a final bill that is higher than the original quote. When comparing quotes, beware of hidden charges not mentioned in the initial conveyancing quote.