Housing & Property Solicitors

Buying and selling your home

Buying or selling a property is one of the biggest financial decisions most people ever make, and the legal process behind it — properly called conveyancing — can feel unfamiliar and stressful. Our residential property solicitors protect your interests at every stage, from the initial offer through to exchange of contracts and completion, so you can focus on the move itself rather than the paperwork.

This covers the legal transfer of ownership (whether that’s a straightforward sale and purchase, a transfer following separation or divorce, a name change, or gifting a property to a family member), registering the change of ownership with the Land Registry, and handling property searches — including local authority, water and drainage, and environmental searches — to check for anything that could affect the property’s value or your ability to use it as you plan to. Stamp Duty Land Tax may also be due depending on the purchase price and your circumstances; the thresholds and reliefs available (including for first-time buyers) change from time to time, so we’ll always confirm exactly what applies to your purchase rather than relying on a figure you may have seen elsewhere.

If you’re getting a mortgage, it’s worth instructing your solicitor and speaking to your lender before you start viewing properties — having your legal and financial groundwork in place from day one can shave real time off the process once you’ve found somewhere. First-time buyers face their own particular pressures, from budgeting for costs beyond the deposit (survey, legal fees, moving costs) to understanding schemes such as Shared Ownership, where you buy a share of a property and pay rent, often at a reduced rate, on the remainder.

Commercial property

Our commercial property solicitors advise businesses of all sizes, from a start-up taking on its first lease to established companies managing a large property portfolio. We provide practical, commercially minded legal advice on every aspect of commercial property law.

This includes negotiating and reviewing commercial leases (including break clauses, which let a tenant end a lease before the full term is up), advising on development projects and the planning process, managing a property portfolio — lease renewals, sub-letting, recovering rent arrears, and consent for alterations — and handling the formalities after a deal completes, such as registering changes at Companies House and the Land Registry and submitting any Stamp Duty Land Tax return that’s due. We also help businesses stay on top of their ongoing legal and regulatory obligations as a property owner or tenant.

Leasehold and shared buildings

Leasehold ownership brings its own legal complexities. We advise on leasehold properties generally, on extending a lease as it runs down in value, on leasehold enfranchisement (where leaseholders buy the freehold together), and on exercising your right to manage the building without buying the freehold outright.

Disputes and problems with your property

Not every property matter is a straightforward transaction. We also act where things have gone wrong — boundary disputes with a neighbouring owner, disagreements that fall under the Party Wall Act, neighbour disputes and anti-social behaviour, contract disputes connected to a property transaction, and more serious situations such as possession and repossession proceedings or unlawful eviction. If you’re a landlord or tenant, we also advise on tenancy agreements and deposits.

How our property solicitors can help

Between residential conveyancing, commercial property, leasehold matters, landlord and tenant issues, and property disputes, our network covers the full range of housing and property law. Every QualitySolicitors firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, and every enquiry starts with a free initial assessment.

Related Services

• Get a conveyancing quote for buying or selling Conveyancing Quote
• Get an instant conveyancing quote online Conveyancing Quote Online
• Instruct a solicitor to handle your house move Conveyancing
• Buy a property at auction Buying at Auction
• Formally transfer ownership of a property Transfer of Title
• Remortgage your home Remortgaging
• Buy a property to let or invest in Investment and Buy to Let Properties
• Understand your position as a leasehold owner Leasehold Properties
• Extend the lease on your flat Leasehold Extensions
• Buy the freehold with other leaseholders Leasehold Enfranchisements
• Take over management of your building Right to Manage
• Set up or review a tenancy and deposit Tenancy Agreements and Deposits
• Resolve a disagreement over a shared boundary Boundary Disputes
• Get advice on a Party Wall Act notice or dispute Party Walls
• Resolve an ongoing dispute with a neighbour Neighbour Disputes and Anti-Social Behaviour
• Resolve a dispute over a property contract Contract Disputes
• Get general advice on a housing dispute Housing Disputes
• Respond to a possession or repossession claim Possession and Repossession Proceedings
• Get help if you’ve been unlawfully evicted Unlawful Eviction
• Get advice on a planning application or dispute Planning Law
• Get a document notarised for an overseas property Notarial Services for Residential Property