Leasehold Residential Purchase Pricing

We appreciate that the fees involved in any transaction are important and we review our fees regularly to make sure we always offer excellent value for money.  No property or transaction is exactly the same and because of this we will always give you an individual costs estimate at the start of the transaction taking into account the actual circumstances of the matter. 

Our fees (including VAT at 20%) for purchasing a leasehold residential property range from £1,400.00 for the most straightforward registered land transaction involving a property with a low purchase price, to over £3,500.00 for a more complex purchase of a property with a high value.

By way of example, our fees for the purchase of a leasehold property without unforeseen complications at the price of £250,000.00 (roughly the average price of a property in Gloucestershire) will be as follows:-

Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

Disbursements are dependent upon the circumstances of the transaction.  Typical disbursements which would apply to the purchase of a leasehold residential property at the price of £250,000 would be as follows:-

In addition to the above standard disbursements there will be other notice and compliance fees payable on the purchase of a leasehold property.  These will be dependent upon the terms of the lease and the requirements of the landlord/management company.  They can only be ascertained during the transaction but typically can range between £240-£480 including VAT.

The total cost, including legal fees and known disbursements, but excluding Stamp Duty Land Tax and landlord/management company fees, for the purchase of a leasehold property at the price of £250,000 will be £2,261.60.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

In addition to the costs and disbursements quoted above it is likely that Stamp Duty Land Tax will also be payable.  This will depend on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website here.

Please note that we do not undertake tax advice.

Our fees are generally fixed and assume a straightforward transaction with no unforeseen difficulties.  However there may be factors which could increase the cost of the fees estimated.  If there is likely to be any additional cost, we will make sure you are informed of this at the earliest opportunity and a clear estimate of those extra costs will be provided.

Factors that may lead to an increase in cost include:

• If you are purchasing a new lease
• If a legal title is defective or part of the property is unregistered
• If you discover building regulations or planning permission has not been obtained
• If crucial documents, we have previously requested from you have not been provided to us
• If the property is a new build
• If your mortgage lender instructs its own solicitor
• If you require to exchange or completion to be expedited
• If you require simultaneous exchange and completion

For any transaction, the timescales are subject to change depending on the factors involved such as:

• Number of parties in the chain
• The status and progress of the parties in the chain
• Whether you have a mortgage in place
• Whether you are buying a new build property
• Whether you need a lease extension

A typical transaction will take between 8-12 weeks. However, if any of the above apply, or there are other factors we need to take into consideration, it may increase the time. We will discuss this with you at the earliest opportunity so you always have a clear picture of how long things are likely to take.

With every transaction there are key milestones, which may vary according to individual circumstances. The most usual stages of the process are:

• Taking your instructions and giving initial advice based on the information you have provided
• Carrying out the usual anti-money laundering and client identification checks
• Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase and contacting the lender’s solicitors if needed
• Receiving and advising on contract documents
• Undertaking searches
• Obtaining further planning documentation if required
• Making any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor
• Providing advice on all documents and information received including the terms of the lease
• Advising you of the mortgage offer conditions
• Finalising contracts and either meeting with you or sending the contract to you for signature
• Agreeing a completion date (the date from which you will legally own the property)
• Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
• Preparing and agreeing a deed of transfer of the property
• Arranging for you to sign the transfer deed and any mortgage
• Undertaking final searches at the Land Registry
• Ensuring all monies have been received from you and the lender(s)
• Completing the purchase
• Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax
• Notifying the landlord of your purchase and any mortgage
• Completing and submitting an application for registration at the Land Registry