Conveyancing in Colchester
Conveyancing is the legal process used for transferring ownership of a property from one party to another, or the work involved in a remortgage or transfer of equity. If you need a solicitor for conveyancing in Colchester, we can help you with fast & proactive conveyancing from a national panel of conveyancing specialists.
We have helped Colchester and Essex 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.
Buying property in Colchester
The historic market town of Colchester in Essex, established almost 2,000 years ago is a thriving modern metropolis. Easy access to London on the Great Eastern main line, yet close to coast and countryside and with a high quality of life for residents has made it one of the fastest growing towns in the UK according to recent data showed. Statistics showed that Colchester was attractive to young working professionals seeking more affordable housing.
There is an extensive regeneration programme in place, with plans to build around 12,000 new homes over the next 11 years. Key areas for development are East Colchester, St Botolph's and the Garrison.
Council Tax in Colchester (2023/24)
| Band | Amount |
|---|---|
| A | £1,340.94 |
| B | £1,564.43 |
| C | £1,787.92 |
| D | £2,011.41 |
| E | £2,458.39 |
| F | £2,905.37 |
| G | £3,352.35 |
| H | £4,022.82 |
What does a Colchester property lawyer do?
During the home purchase, a property lawyer will address all the legal details of buying a home.
Your lawyer will perform due diligence on the property, like raising questions about how the seller has used the property, obtaining searches from relevant authorities, such as Colchester Council and ensuring necessary funds are correctly transferred.
Colchester conveyancing solicitors may carry out flood risk assessments due to large low-lying areas, and potential for London's green belt issues.
Purchasing a property with a mortgage?
If you are planning to buy with a mortgage, your solicitor will verify that the property is worth the loan that the lender will provide.
If your property lawyer is not on your bank or building society's panel, your purchase could take weeks longer to complete.
We work with lawyers who can represent the vast majority of building societies, banks and lenders, so your conveyancing will complete sooner.
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 help Colchester buyers with the legal work for:
Around half a million listed buildings exist across the country, and around 1,610 of which are in Colchester Borough Council. Listed buildings and properties in and around Colchester include: Listed buildings come with complex rules that the owner must adhere to. Our expert solicitor panel will explain to you the commitments a listed building owner must make. Examples include consent required for energy efficient alterations, and an obligation to maintain the property's surroundings in a manner consistent with its historic character. Read more:Listed buildings
When you purchase a share in a house or flat from a social housing provider, you should use a specialist property lawyer. Although this is a more affordable route to home ownership, shared ownership conveyancing is more involved. This is because contracts are more complicated, and housing associations work to tight deadlines. With years of experience, our expert panel of solicitors can help you with your shared ownership purchase or staircasing.Buying a Shared Ownership property
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When we factored in eveything that was included - this was the best quote we could find
Selling a house or flat in Colchester
At the start of the property selling process in Colchester, your lawyer will prepare vital paperwork, including the draft contract and the various property information forms, and help you fill out this paperwork.
The lawyer will sort out potential snags and respond to inquiries from the buyer's solicitor. Your lawyer will also work with both sides, including agents, managing agents and lenders, ensuring that the move completes quickly.Does it take longer to sell a leasehold property?
Correct, it can take much more time to complete the legal work on leasehold properties when compared to conveyancing on a freehold house.
The buyer's solicitor will expect to see this leasehold-related paperwork. These could include an up-to-date statement of service charges and a copy of buildings insurance for the common parts of the property. The time required by your lawyer to gather this paperwork is commonly the source of delays.
Your solicitor should commence this even before you have found a buyer, because the managing agent's information can take weeks to collect if it is difficult to contact the managing agent or landlord.
Read more:
Selling a leasehold flat? What to do before going on the market
Conveyancing for selling a property
Remortgaging
Latest Bank of England base rate now at 5.25% (9 December, 2024)
Make sure you double-check your lawyer's lender panel membership before you instruct your solicitor.
Our partner panel solicitors can work with 99% of all banks and building societies. Whether you are changing to a standard variable rate mortgage with TSB or moving to a home reversion mortgage with Barnsley Building Society, we can assist.
Read more:
Check our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
Transfer of equity
Whether you are dealing with inheritance tax planning, resolving joint ownership or transferring the ownership of a property (in part or in full) to your children, a transfer of equity is required.
Your conveyancer will deal with the legal work for a fixed fee.
Read more:
Transfer of equity Stamp Duty calculator
Get a transfer of equity conveyancing quote
How much are solicitors' conveyancing fees in Colchester?
When you are comparing quotes, it isn't always easy to be certain you are comparing like to like.
Conveyancing fees
These fees are what your solicitor or conveyancer charges you for the work they complete during your transaction. Your solicitor's quote will detail the fees for the legal work, including VAT, that you pay when the property transaction is complete.
Disbursements (costs payable to third parties)
Disbursements are additional costs on top of your solicitor or conveyancer's fees for third-party costs incurred on your behalf. Third-party disbursements include Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), HM Land Registry fees and property searches.
Check for additional fees
Some firms list extra charges in their terms and conditions. This can lead to an inflated final bill. When you compare conveyancing quotes, beware of hidden fees or extra charges.
