Conveyancing in Gillingham
Conveyancing is the legal process of buying and selling a property, involving the work a solicitor does to investigate the property, handle mortgage requirements and register the new owner. If you need a solicitor for conveyancing in Gillingham, we can help you with fast & proactive conveyancing from a national panel of conveyancing specialists.
We have helped clients in Gillingham and throughout Medway 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: Medway, Rochester and Sittingbourne
Buying property in Gillingham
Gillingham in Kent is one of the key towns in the River Medway area, close to the historic Chatham docks where HMS Victory was built. Previously overlooked by commuters, average house prices are considerably lower than in other areas of south-east England. With direct rail links to central London, however, the town has become a magnet for first-time buyers looking for an affordable place to live.
Over a 20-year period the area will see a total of a billion pounds invested to regenerate old industrial areas and build new housing.
Council Tax in Gillingham (2023/24)
Gillingham is in Medway Council.
| Band | Amount |
|---|---|
| A | £1,339.04 |
| B | £1,562.21 |
| C | £1,785.38 |
| D | £2,008.56 |
| E | £2,454.91 |
| F | £2,901.25 |
| G | £3,347.60 |
| H | £4,017.12 |
What does a Gillingham conveyancing solicitor do?
In a property purchase, the solicitor will handle the legal aspects of the transaction. They will raise questions for the seller, order property searches, review the lease (if applicable) and take care of tasks after the sale, including paying Stamp Duty Land Tax and HMLR registration.
In addition to standard searches, Gillingham conveyancing solicitors may undertake chalk mining searches.
Are you purchasing a home with a mortgage?
When you purchase a property, your solicitor also needs to carry out some legal work for your lender.
Your transaction could take significantly longer to complete if your conveyancing solicitor is not on your bank or building society's panel.
Over 100 building societies, banks and lenders have approved our chosen panel solicitors, so we can help you complete your Gillingham 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 have also helped Gillingham buyers with the conveyancing for:
When purchasing a flat or house in a conservation area, your lawyer will check for planning approval issues, which could include an unapproved loft conversion or conservation oversight. Conservation areas in Gillingham and across the Medway local authority include:Buying in a conservation area
Roughly 500,000 listed properties exist in England and Wales - around 720 of which are in Medway Council. Listed buildings and properties in and around Gillingham include: Owning a listed building can be a challenge for the unwary. Examples of the obligations placed upon listed building owners 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 expert solicitor panel will offer guidance on the additional legal obligations your planned listed building purchase will entail. Read more:Listed buildings
Shared ownership conveyancing is the service you will need, when purchasing a share in a house or flat from a social housing provider. Shared ownership conveyancing is more complex than a straightforward purchase, as shared ownership properties are always leasehold. Whether you are staircasing shares in your current home, or buying a shared ownership property, our panel of specialist solicitors will walk you through every step of the process.Shared Ownership Conveyancing
Leasehold property
Selling a leasehold property can be very involved. The numerous common problems awaiting an uninformed purchaser can include legally technical issues like unpaid service charges by the existing leaseholder and onerous clauses in the lease.
A good property lawyer 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
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Selling a house or flat in Gillingham
When selling a property in Gillingham, your conveyancer will prepare vital paperwork, including title deeds and assorted property information forms, and will help you answer these forms.
The conveyancer will resolve any potential issues and advise on enquiries sent by the buyer's conveyancer. By taking action to coordinate with all stakeholders, like estate agents and banks or building societies, your conveyancer will help make sure your sale of your home is completed without incident.
I am selling a leasehold property in Gillingham - what do I need to know?
The legal work for a leasehold flat (leasehold houses are uncommon) is much more involved than for a freehold house.
Leasehold complexity involves extra work on the part of conveyancing solicitors in Gillingham, including getting the latest service charge and ground rent statement, through to insurance premium details accounts.
In order to resolve any leasehold difficulties faster, It is highly recommended that you instruct a property lawyer as early in the process as possible, and ideally before marketing the property.
Conveyancing for selling a property
Remortgage in Gillingham
Latest Bank of England base rate now at 5.25% (22 January, 2025)
Before appointing a solicitor, you should always verify your lawyer's lender panel status.
Quittance panel solicitors are on the panels of all major building societies and banks, so whether you are changing to a 5-year fixed rate with Virgin Money or moving to a buy to let mortgage with Holmesdale Building Society, our experienced conveyancing team can guide you through the remortgage process.
Read more:
Find out if our panel solicitors can act for your mortgage lender
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
Transfer of equity in Gillingham
Whether you are taking over the share of another owner, transferring the ownership of your property to a child or tax planning for the future, you will need to work with a transfer of equity solicitor. Your lawyer will handle the legal side for a fixed fee.
Read more:
Transfer of equity Stamp Duty calculator
Get a transfer of equity conveyancing quote
How much should I budget for conveyancing in Gillingham?
What is and is not included in an online conveyancing quote isn't always clear at first glance.
Conveyancing legal fees
These fees are paid to your solicitor for the legal work that they complete during your transaction. The conveyancing quote will set out the legal fees (inc. VAT) that you pay when the property transaction is complete.
Conveyancing disbursements
The quote will include necessary third-party costs, called disbursements, including Stamp Duty, property searches and
Check what's included in your conveyancing quote
When comparing quotes, make sure you question any charges not set out in your initial quote. Some firms may include additional charges in their terms and conditions. This can mean an inflated final bill.
