What are disbursements?

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties (e.g. Land Registry fees).

We handle the payment of disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

An estimated cost of typical disbursements incurred in respect of a freehold property purchase are:

Anti-money laundering and ID check:	£12.00 per person
Search fees:	£50.00 to £400.00
Bankruptcy search:	£2.00 per name
HM Land Registry official search:	£3.00 per title and search
HM Land Registry fee:	£20.00 – £540.00

Buying a leasehold property? There are other typical disbursements which may be payable to the freeholder or management company on completion of the transaction. The cost of these disbursements are known once the transaction is underway.

They include:

Notice fee (per notice):	£50.00 to £150.00
Deed of Covenant fee:	£150.00 to £250.00
Certificate of Compliance:	£150.00 to £250.00

How long will my house purchase take?

The average process takes between 6-8 weeks. How long it will take from your offer being accepted until completion of the purchase will depend on several factors, including the complexity of your purchase and the parties involved in the chain.

The purchase of a leasehold property or an extension of lease may take longer than a straightforward freehold property purchase.

A leasehold extension will incur additional charges and you should speak to our specialist conveyancing solicitors, Amrit Bhogal or Sunny Bains for more information.

What are the stages of buying a residential property?

It’s important to remember that the precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property may vary according to the circumstances. However, below is an indication of the key stages in a typical purchase transaction:

• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Receive and advise on contract documents
• Carry out searches
• Make any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
• Attendance with you to sign or sending final contract to you for signature
• Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
• Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
• Complete purchase
• Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
• Deal with application for registration at Land Registry

How much Stamp Duty or Land Tax will I have to pay?

You must pay Stamp Duty if you buy a property or land over a certain price in England or Land Tax if the property you wish to buy is in Wales. The amount of Stamp Duty or Land Tax that you will have to pay depends on the purchase price of your property.

If your property is located in England, you can use HM Revenue and Customs’ Stamp Duty Land Tax calculator to work out how much tax you’ll pay. If the property is in Wales, please use the Welsh Revenue Authority’s Land Transaction Tax calculator.