Conveyancing in Dorchester
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring a property from one person to another or the process of securing a mortgage. If you need a solicitor for conveyancing in Dorchester, we can help you with fast & proactive conveyancing from a national panel of conveyancing specialists.
We have helped Dorchester and West Dorset 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: Blandford Forum, Bournemouth, Oxford and Wareham
Buying property in Dorchester
A town in Dorset, Dorchester is known for its Roman remains, Dorset County Museum, and the nearby Maiden Castle. Popular residential areas include Poundbury and Fordington. Dorchester has two railway stations, providing links to Bristol and Bournemouth. Dorchester has a population of approximately 20,000.
Council Tax in Dorchester (2023/24)
Dorchester is in West Dorset District Council.
What does a Dorchester property lawyer do?
In a property purchase, the conveyancing solicitor will handle the legal aspects of transferring ownership from the seller to the buyer. They will perform due diligence on the property, such as raising questions for the seller's solicitor, arranging searches from entities including Dorset Council UA, reviewing contracts of sale and registering your ownership of the property at HMLR.
Further to the standard checks and searches, Dorchester conveyancing solicitors would also undertake searches for flood risk.
Purchasing a property with a mortgage?
If you are buying with a mortgage, your solicitor will verify that the property is worth the loan that the bank arranging your mortgage will provide.
Your transaction could take weeks longer if your lawyer is not on your mortgage provider's panel.More than 100 banks and specialist lenders have approved our chosen partner solicitors. We can help you complete your Dorchester transaction smoothly.
Read more:
Conveyancing for buying a property
Find out if our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
Approved by over 100 more
We can assist buyers in Dorchester with conveyancing for:
When buying a property in a conservation area, your conveyancer will need to check for restrictions on how you can use the property, including restrictions on animal ownership, and parking issues. Conservation areas in Dorchester and the West Dorset local authority include:Buying a property in a conservation area
There are more than 500,000 listed buildings across the country, and around 4,740 of which are in West Dorset District Council. Listed buildings in and near to Dorchester 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 for additions like solar panels and an obligation to employ traditional construction techniques . Our specialist panel of solicitors will offer guidance on the obligations imposed by listed property ownership. Read more:Listed buildings
New Build
The conveyancing for purchasing a new build home in Dorchester is often more complex than that for an existing property.
A property lawyer in Dorchester must be able to deal with things like checking the suitability of new build insurance, confirming building regulation compliance and checking new build warranties with warranty providers such as NHBC Buildmark, Advantage and ICW.
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Leasehold property
Buying a leasehold flat in the UK can be complex when compared to purchasing a freehold. The many potential problems lying in wait for an uninformed purchaser can include legally technical issues like and onerous covenants.
A leasehold solicitor will look into all potential issues with the lease and report back to you.
Read more:
What you need to know about buying a leasehold property
Should I be wary of buying a leasehold house?
Should I buy a property with a short lease?
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Selling a property in Dorchester
For the sale of a property in Dorchester, your lawyer will assemble all essential documents, such as the draft contract and property information forms, and help you fill out these forms.
The conveyancer will sort out potential snags, handle questions from the buyer's side and handle the mortgage redemption.
By taking steps to coordinate with all parties, including estate agents, landlords and lenders, your lawyer will ensure the home move completes quickly.
Does sale conveyancing take longer for leasehold?
Compared to freehold property, yes. Sale conveyancing for a leasehold property can be seriously delayed.
The buyer's conveyancer will want to see this leasehold-related paperwork. These could include details of any breaches by other leaseholders and a copy of the freehold property's buildings insurance. The time required by your lawyer to gather this paperwork is the common cause of such delays.
It can take weeks to collect the managing agent's information if it is difficult to contact the landlord or managing agent or they are slow to respond, so the solicitor should commence this even before you have found a buyer.
Read more:
Selling a leasehold flat? What to do before going on the market
Conveyancing for selling a property
Remortgage in Dorchester
The base interest rate is 5.25% (12 October, 2024)
You should check the remortgage solicitor you have chosen is approved by your lender before you instruct your solicitor.
Our partner panel solicitors are members of all major lenders' panels. Whether you are switching to an offset mortgage from Yorkshire Building Society or moving to a shared ownership mortgage with Atom Bank, our panel solicitors can guide you through the remortgage process.
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Find out if our panel solicitors can act for your lender
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
Transfer of equity
Whether you are buying out an ex-partner, giving a property to a family member or tax planning for the future, a transfer of equity is required.
Your solicitor will complete the process for a guaranteed fixed fee.
Read more:
Transfer of equity Stamp Duty calculator
Get a transfer of equity conveyancing quote
How much are solicitors' conveyancing fees in Dorchester?
Conveyancing fees
The quote will set out the legal fees (inc. VAT) that you pay when the property transaction is complete. These fees are paid to your lawyer for the tasks they complete.
Disbursements (third party costs)
Disbursements are fees that your lawyer will have to pay on your behalf for third-party services. Third-party disbursements include Stamp Duty and Land Registry fees.
Are the conveyancing fees fixed?
Double-check for additional fees or charges, if you are comparing quotes. Some solicitors' quotes include extra costs in their terms and conditions, resulting in a total cost that's much higher than the initial quote.
