Residential Property Conveyancing

Residential Property Solicitors

Prosperity’s team of conveyancing solicitors can provide the full suite of legal support you need when buying, selling, or securing a remortgage for your residential property.

Every conveyancing experience is different; each with its own set of requirements and complexities. In each case, choosing the right conveyancer will ease what can be a stressful situation; keeping you fully informed of the process, its progress, and ensuring the best outcome for you.

We recently used Prosperity for our house purchase. We had to change from a previously instructed solicitor and I’m so glad we did… very responsive, chased the sellers’ solicitors and progressed things quickly and thoroughly, everything you want when going through the process.

Ms D

Prosperity’s Residential Property Solicitors

What do our solicitors help with?

Our experienced residential property solicitors can support you with any / all of the following elements of residential property transactions:

Offering on a property
Property purchases
Property sales
Transfer of equity / titles
Granting a secure loan

Repaying a secured loan
Discharging a mortgage
Remortgaging
Planning advice
Title queries

We take the time to understand your specific circumstances and provide clear, constructive advice at every stage of your case whether it’s a trust, estate , a will or probate.

Property buyers and sellers guide

View our costs

Why Choose Prosperity?

Partner‑Led Support Throughout Your Transaction

A senior conveyancing solicitor oversees your matter from start to finish, giving you a consistent point of contact who understands your move and keeps everything on track.

Specialist Team With Full Property Expertise

Our residential property team handles sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers daily. As part of a full‑service firm, we can also support related issues such as wills, tax, and family arrangements when needed.

Efficient, Responsive Service When Timing Matters

We work proactively to keep your transaction moving, reduce delays, and minimise stress. You’ll receive clear updates, prompt communication, and practical guidance at every stage.

Talk with a solicitor

Looking for step-by-step guidance?

Sale Guide

What to expect when you’re selling your home

Step 1: Instruct a solicitor

The first step is to instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf when you’re selling your home. This is one of the most important decisions you will make as this person will represent your interests throughout the sale. We recommend having a think about what services are being offered, what the cost looks like and what your budget allows. We would never recommend automatically choosing the cheapest conveyancing service, you want to make sure the service is the best fit for you.
Step 2: Returning your client care documents

All of our prospective new clients receive what we like to call ‘client care documents’. Essentially, these documents tell us what we need to know to help support you through the sale process. Once you have returned your signed client care paperwork, identity documents and questionnaire, we can begin acting for you. Initially there might be some small charges to cover payments such as land registry documents and electronic ID checks. We do this at the start to make sure your costs are covered from the get-go, meaning you don’t have to keep making payments to us, and we don’t have any unnecessary hold ups. Don’t worry, your conveyancer will keep you right, and will inform you of any and all charges up front so there are no nasty surprises!
Step 3: Property Forms

Another key document included in the client care welcome pack is the property form. We’ll ask you to complete this form so we capture all the information you have about your property which the buyer might need. There are a few ways you can complete and return the form to us – it’s completely up to you. We try to make the process as simple for you as possible so it can be completed online, sent to us by post, in person, or by email. The form is a legal document so if you have any questions or queries, or you’re unsure on any of the content, please feel free to contact your conveyancer, we’ll be more than happy to help advise how you fill this out.
Step 4: Memorandum of sale

At this point, if you haven’t done so already, you’ll need to provide your estate agent with our details so they can send us a memorandum of sale. The memorandum of sale is a written confirmation of all the details of the property transaction, the estate agent will provide this – you just need to tell them who your conveyancer is.
Step 5: Preparing the contract pack

The next step is for us to prepare a contract pack for the buyer’s solicitor. The pack will include the title to the property, a draft contract, the property forms you have completed and any other relevant documentation. Again – nothing you need to do at this stage, we’ll take care of all of this for you.
Step 6: Getting your sale ready for exchange

We pride ourselves on being proactive, so we’ll make sure to do everything we can as early as possible to prepare your sale for the exchange. This includes obtaining an initial redemption figure from your lender (if you have one) and carrying out our own title check to anticipate anything we think the buyer’s solicitor might need. At this point, we can advise you if we need any additional documentation. In some cases, we might need a management pack, a licence to assign, title confirmation, or additional documentation for the buyer’s solicitor. We’ll keep you right and advise you as early as possible to give you all the time you need to get the documents in place.
Step 7: Dealing with enquiries
Step 8: Signing your contract

Once the contract is approved by the buyer’s solicitor, we will send it to you for signature. Your conveyancer will advise you on the terms of the contract so you’ll have time to ask any questions. If you’re happy with the terms you just need to sign the document and return this to us. This can be done by post or using a land registry compliant electronic signature. Just let us know if you’d like to sign the contract electronically, we can organise this for you. You are not tied in to the contract at this stage, your conveyancer will speak to you before the final exchanging of the contract with your buyer.
Step 9: Exchange

Once a date has been agreed with your buyer (and any other parties if there is a chain) and all legal matters have been settled we’ll exchange contracts. This will mean both you and the buyer will be legally obliged to complete the transaction on the agreed completion date and all other contractual terms will come into force. It sounds a bit daunting, but all the work we’ve done up to this point is in preparation for this, so by the time we get here, you’ll be comfortable with the terms of the sale. Typically, we aim to exchange contracts within 6 to 8 weeks of the contract pack being prepared but we’ll keep you up to date with timings along the way.
Step 10: Preparing for completion

To avoid any unnecessary last-minute stress, we’ll obtain a final redemption from your lender (if you need one) and ask you to sign a transfer deed if you haven’t already. We’ll also share a draft completion statement so you can see what funds to expect or if there are any outstanding funds to be sent to us. You can then concentrate on the fun part – booking any removals and packing up your home!
Step 11: Completion day

If we can we’ll try to chat to you about the process for completion in advance of the day so it can be as hassle free as possible. Once we have the money from the buyer’s solicitor we will let you know and advise the agent to release the keys. We’ll settle any agent invoices, legal fees, and other outstanding payments on your completion statement and send you the balance of sale proceeds.
Step 12: Post completion

The final step – a few days after completion we will arrange to send you your completion letters and ask for any feedback on your experience throughout the process. Hopefully we did everything right, but this is a good chance for you to let us know how you found the process, and anything you think we could improve.

What to expect when you are buying your home

Step 1: Instruct a solicitor

You’ve scoured the listings, attended the viewings and you’ve finally found the perfect place to call your next home. So what now? The next step to go ahead with the purchase is to appoint a solicitor to help with the sale. Your solicitor will keep you right throughout the process and will represent your interests throughout, so you want to make sure you’re happy with your choice. Take time to consider what services are being offered, what the costs are and what budget you have available. You don’t necessarily want to automatically choose the cheapest conveyancing service, instead make sure the service is the right one for you. See our handy blog on ‘how to choose the right solicitor for you’ (which I will write next week and will probably have a different title referring to fees)
Step 2: Returning your client care documents

If you want to work with our team here at Prosperity Law, we’ll send you a pack of client care documents. This will provide us will all the information we need to help support you with your purchase. Once you’ve signed client care paperwork, identity documents and questionnaire, we can begin acting for you. Sometimes there is a small sum of money needed upfront to cover any initial payments such as searches and electronic ID checks. We do this to make sure all your costs are addressed at the start, and you won’t have to keep making payments to us or experience any unwanted delays. We’ll always keep you informed of any costs to you throughout the process.
Step 3: Memorandum of sale

The next step is to share our details with the seller’s estate agent so they can send us a memorandum of sale. This document is a written confirmation of all the details of the sale, which we need to start the process. When we have this from the estate agent, we’ll contact the seller’s solicitor directly for the contract pack.
Step 4: Recieving the contract pack

To avoid any unforeseeable issues, we like to be proactive for our clients. When we receive the contract pack from the estate agent, we’ll do some initial title checks so we can advise you early on of any additional steps we may need to take in the process. If we do need any additional information, this could impact on the timescales, so at this point we’ll be able to give you a better estimate of when we expect the purchase to be complete.
Step 5: Ordering searches

Conveyancing searches are simply some enquiries we’ll make on your behalf to any third parties who might hold information about the property you’re looking to buy. It can take a few weeks for the search results to be returned to us but we’ll review the information we find and advise you of any appropriate next steps.
Step 6: Raising enquiries

Our next step is to carry out a full detailed title check of the deeds, contract, and the property forms we’ve received from the seller. If you have any questions or we spot anything we want to ask about, we then have the opportunity to raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor. This can include asking for additional documents or questions about the property. We’ll usually raise these within 7-14 days of receiving the contract pack depending on the complexity of the contract.
Step 7: Receiving your mortgage offer (if applicable)
Step 8: Reviewing your file and preparing your property report

Once the seller’s solicitor has replied to all of our enquiries, we will do a full review to check we’re happy and have all the information we need, we’ll then prepare a full property report for you. This will explain the title, summarise the search results, and anything else that affects the property. You’ll need to take the time to read and review the report to check you are happy with everything before proceeding, but we’ll be there to advise you. If you have any questions just get in touch with your conveyancer and they’ll be happy to help.
Step 9: Signing your contract

Once we’ve approved the contract, we’ll send it to you for signature. We’ll advise you on the terms of the contract but if you’re happy with the final details, you’ll sign the document and return this to us. Again, this can be done in a few ways to make the process as easy for you as possible. Send the signed contract to us by post or using a land registry compliant electronic signature – just let us know if you want to sign the contract electronically. You are not tied in to the contract at this stage, your conveyancer will speak to you and let you know before exchanging the contract with the seller.
Step 10: Exchange

Once the date has been agreed with all parties and the legal matters have been concluded we’ll exchange contracts with the seller. At this point you and the seller are both tied in to the contract so you’ll need to complete the transaction on the agreed date and all other contractual terms will come into force. Typically, this will happen within 6 to 8 weeks of the contract pack being received but your conveyancer will be able to advise.
Step 11: Preparing for completion

To keep things running smoothly, we’ll prepare as much as we can before the completion day. You’ll need to sign a transfer deed, SDLT Form, and if applicable a mortgage deed. You’ll also be given your draft completion statement with a note of any outstanding payments due to us. This will hopefully leave you all the time you need to prepare for your move.
Step 12: Completion day

Today’s the day you’ve been waiting for! As soon as we have the full purchase monies required (your deposit, and the money from your lender), we will send this to the seller’s solicitor. The seller’s solicitor will contact the estate agent to release the keys to you once they have received the funds and when we have confirmation it’s time for you to collect the keys.
Post completion

A few days after completion we will arrange to send you all of your completion letters and ask for any feedback on your experience throughout your transaction. There are a few additional administrative tasks needing completed at this stage so we’ll help you with these as well. We’ll get the property registered in your name at Land Registry, submit your SDLT return, and pay any tax due. We may also need to contact other third parties to confirm you are the new owners, such as a managing agent, your conveyancer will let you know we’re doing this if this is the case. Once the property is registered, we’ll forward you a copy of the up to date property register and any other property documents that the seller has provided us with.

What to expect when you are remortgaging your home

Step 1: Instruct a solicitor

When you’ve decided you’re looking to remortgage, the first step is to instruct a solicitor to act for both you and your new lender. This is an important decision as your solicitor will represent your interests throughout the process, so we recommend not defaulting to the cheapest provider. Instead, make sure you find out more about the services and the costs and base your decision on your requirements and available budget.
Step 2: Returning your client care documents

We’ll share client care documents with you at the beginning, this will help us get a better idea of your personal circumstances and requirements. Once you have returned all of the relevant documents, we can begin acting for you. Sometimes there are small, upfront costs for electronic ID checks and searches. We’ll make sure to inform you of any of these costs from the get-go. The reason we charge these at the beginning, is so you don’t have to keep making payments to us throughout the process and we can hopefully avoid any unnecessary delays.
Step 3: Legal Work

We’ll proactively carry out an initial title check on your property, making sure to flag any issues early, and giving you as much time as possible to provide us with any additional documentation we might need. For some properties or lenders, we may need to ask for a redemption figure from your existing lender, so we’ll pick this up at this stage if required.
Step 4: Mortgage offer

If you haven’t done so already, you’ll now need to let your mortgage broker or lender know that you have instructed us to act on your behalf. This allows them to send us your mortgage offer once it has been issued to you. As we also act on behalf of the lender we may have to report to them on various points and adhere to any mortgage conditions – again, your conveyancer will be able to advise you if this is required. If there are no outstanding legal points to deal with, your remortgage should be complete within a few weeks of us receiving your mortgage offer – it’s as simple as that.
Step 5: Report and signed mortgage deed
Step 6: Completion

Once we have dealt with all mortgage conditions and received your signed mortgage deed, we will request the funds be transferred to us from your new lender. Once this has been received, we’ll pay off the remainder of the existing mortgage and send you the balance (if applicable).
Step 7: Post completion

The last step comes post completion, a few days after everything has been finalised we will arrange to send you your completion letters and ask for any feedback on your experience. We’ll also deal with registering the new lender’s charge over your property at Land Registry and removing any existing charges from the previous agreement. We might need to contact other third parties to confirm you have a different lender, such as a managing agent – not to worry, we’ll let you know if this is the case. Once the new charge is registered we will forward you a copy of the up to date property register and your remortgage is complete.
Step 8: Reviewing your file and preparing your property report

Once the seller’s solicitor has replied to all of our enquiries, we will do a full review to check we’re happy and have all the information we need, we’ll then prepare a full property report for you. This will explain the title, summarise the search results, and anything else that affects the property. You’ll need to take the time to read and review the report to check you are happy with everything before proceeding, but we’ll be there to advise you. If you have any questions just get in touch with your conveyancer and they’ll be happy to help.
Step 9: Signing your contract

Once we’ve approved the contract, we’ll send it to you for signature. We’ll advise you on the terms of the contract but if you’re happy with the final details, you’ll sign the document and return this to us. Again, this can be done in a few ways to make the process as easy for you as possible. Send the signed contract to us by post or using a land registry compliant electronic signature – just let us know if you want to sign the contract electronically. You are not tied in to the contract at this stage, your conveyancer will speak to you and let you know before exchanging the contract with the seller.
Step 10: Exchange

Once the date has been agreed with all parties and the legal matters have been concluded we’ll exchange contracts with the seller. At this point you and the seller are both tied in to the contract so you’ll need to complete the transaction on the agreed date and all other contractual terms will come into force. Typically, this will happen within 6 to 8 weeks of the contract pack being received but your conveyancer will be able to advise.
Step 11: Preparing for completion

To keep things running smoothly, we’ll prepare as much as we can before the completion day. You’ll need to sign a transfer deed, SDLT Form, and if applicable a mortgage deed. You’ll also be given your draft completion statement with a note of any outstanding payments due to us. This will hopefully leave you all the time you need to prepare for your move.
Step 12: Completion day

Today’s the day you’ve been waiting for! As soon as we have the full purchase monies required (your deposit, and the money from your lender), we will send this to the seller’s solicitor. The seller’s solicitor will contact the estate agent to release the keys to you once they have received the funds and when we have confirmation it’s time for you to collect the keys.
Step 13: Post completion

A few days after completion we will arrange to send you all of your completion letters and ask for any feedback on your experience throughout your transaction. There are a few additional administrative tasks needing completed at this stage so we’ll help you with these as well. We’ll get the property registered in your name at Land Registry, submit your SDLT return, and pay any tax due. We may also need to contact other third parties to confirm you are the new owners, such as a managing agent, your conveyancer will let you know we’re doing this if this is the case. Once the property is registered, we’ll forward you a copy of the up to date property register and any other property documents that the seller has provided us with.

A transfer of equity is where you change the legal ownership of your property, there are a few reasons you might want to do this which we’ve listed below. If you’re thinking about transferring equity, our property experts at Prosperity Law can advise and guide you through this process.

Some of the reasons you may want to organise a transfer of equity include:

All of the equity in your property is being gifted;
You’d like to transfer some of the equity in your property to a family member or you’re receiving some equity from a property from a family member;
Your matrimonial, cohabiting or relationship arrangements have changed;
Tax efficiency.

Every transfer of equity is different in circumstances and complexity largely depending on the personal circumstances of each transfer. We recommend taking legal advice from one of our property experts before taking any steps to transfer equity. We’ll chat to you about your circumstances, and give you some advice on whether or not the process is the right option for you, and anything you need to consider. Depending on the circumstances you may need consent from third parties (such as a lender or landlord) for an equity transfer. You’ll need to have agreement from all the existing legal owners, and there may be stamp duty land tax to consider, so our advisors will help keep you right. To have a chat about your requirements and costs for legal support, get in touch with our team today.

Common Residential Property Questions

Our team have a breadth of experience in residential property law, here are some of the questions we get asked most.

Get answers from an expert

How long does the conveyancing process take?

This is almost certainly the question we’re asked most often, and the honest answer is that it depends. A straightforward freehold purchase with no chain typically takes between eight and twelve weeks from the point of instructing a solicitor to completion. Leasehold transactions, or those involving a chain of buyers and sellers, can take considerably longer with even national average timescales for the completion of a leasehold flat purchase presently standing at around 22 weeks. Delays can arise from a number of sources, but what we can tell you is that we work proactively to keep your transaction moving as efficiently as possible, keeping you updated at every stage so you’re never left wondering what’s happening.
What is the difference between exchange and completion?

These are two distinct legal milestones that are often confused. Exchange of contracts is the point at which the transaction becomes legally binding; both buyer and seller sign identical copies of the contract, which are then formally exchanged between solicitors. At this point, a completion date is fixed and neither party can withdraw without facing significant financial penalties. Completion is the day the money is transferred, legal ownership passes to you, and you collect the keys. Until exchange, either party can pull out without penalty, which is why it’s so important not to book removals or make irreversible arrangements until contracts have been exchanged.
What searches do I need, and what do they tell me?

Searches are enquiries made to various authorities to reveal information about a property that wouldn’t be apparent from a physical inspection. The three standard searches in most transactions are a local authority search, a drainage and water search, and an environmental search. Depending on the location and nature of the property, additional searches may be recommended. We review all search results carefully and explain anything that requires your attention before you commit to the purchase.
Should I have a survey as well as a conveyancing solicitor?

Yes – and this is a distinction that’s worth understanding clearly. Your conveyancing solicitor handles the legal aspects of the transaction: title, contracts, searches, and the transfer of ownership. A surveyor, by contrast, assesses the physical condition of the property. These are entirely separate functions. Your mortgage lender will carry out a basic valuation, but this is for their benefit, not yours, and should not be relied upon as a guide to the property’s condition. Issues identified by a surveyor can be used to renegotiate the purchase price or require remedial work before exchange, potentially saving you significant money and stress down the line.
What is Stamp Duty Land Tax and how much will I pay?

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a government tax payable on the purchase of property in England and Northern Ireland above a certain threshold. The rates are tiered, meaning you pay different percentages on different portions of the purchase price rather than a flat rate on the whole amount. SDLT is one of the more significant upfront costs in a property transaction, and in most normal scenarios we calculate your liability precisely as part of the conveyancing process, ensuring it is paid correctly to HMRC on the day of completion. It’s worth factoring this into your budget from the outset, as it can represent a substantial sum on higher-value purchases. However, it is worth noting that SDLT is a complex tax, and in unusual situations we may refer you to a specialist to obtain accurate tax advice.
I'm buying a leasehold property - what should I be aware of?

Leasehold transactions carry additional complexity compared to freehold purchases, and there are several important factors to investigate before you commit. The length of the remaining lease is critical – mortgage lenders typically require at least 80-90 years remaining, and a short lease can significantly affect both the property’s value and your ability to sell in the future. You should also understand the annual service charge and ground rent obligations, the financial health of the managing company or freeholder, and what the lease says about alterations, subletting, and pets. We review the lease and all associated documents in detail and raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitors on any points of concern, so that you have a full picture of what you’re taking on before you exchange contracts. You should also be aware that those managing companies or freeholders could also impose significant additional costs on you as the buyer, costs which are often only apparent during the conveyancing transaction itself.
What happens if the seller pulls out before completion?

Before exchange of contracts, either party is free to withdraw from the transaction without legal consequence, no matter how far along negotiations have progressed. This is an uncomfortable reality of property transactions in England and Wales, known colloquially as “gazumping” when a seller accepts a higher offer from another buyer. After exchange, however, the situation changes entirely. While we cannot prevent a seller from withdrawing before exchange, we work to move transactions to exchange as swiftly as possible to reduce the window of risk, and we’ll advise you clearly on your options if difficulties arise.
What costs should I budget for beyond the purchase price?

It’s important to go into a property purchase with a clear picture of the total cost involved, not just the price you’re paying for the property itself. In addition to the purchase price, you should budget for solicitors’ fees, Stamp Duty Land Tax, your mortgage arrangement and valuation fees, the cost of an independent survey, land registry fees for registering your ownership, and search fees. If you’re buying a leasehold property, there may also be notice of assignment and other fees payable to the freeholder or managing agent. Removal costs are another expense that’s easy to overlook. We provide a clear, itemised breakdown of all anticipated costs from us at the outset of your matter so there are no surprises – complete transparency about fees and disbursements from day one.

What Our Clients Say

“We could not be happier with the service we received from Warren. As first-time buyers, we were unsure of the process, but he made everything run as smooth and stress-free as it could possibly be. He was incredibly efficient, fast to respond, and always helpful, going above and beyond for us at every stage. His professionalism and dedication really stood out, and we would highly recommend Warren and Prosperity Law to anyone looking for a solicitor.”

Ms A

“We sold our house and purchased one using prosperity Law for both, and when I say we were over the moon with their performance. We really mean this, not only did they deal with every aspect of the sale and purchase. They did this with such professionalism and expertise, Many thanks to all the team especially Gill Bebbington, for her patience, and also helping to explain all the processes step by step. Making our end easily manageable to say the least. We would have no hesitation in turning to prosperity Law again. We were very nervous when we first decided to sell, but how different and confident we felt after Gill and the team helped us to achieve our goal. Also at a really competitive rate we would like to thank all involved and wish you all the success in the future. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year for 2026.”

Mr J

“I recently purchased a property with the help of Natalie Swift. Natalie was extremely helpful from the very beginning, provided clear and understandable guidance and advice. Her knowledge is extensive, she is professional and she ensured a smooth and easy transaction. As we were approaching to completion, a problem came up due to a misunderstanding and she ensured a solution acceptable for all parties.
I am grateful for her help and support.”

Ms I

“We used Gill to buy our house through modern auction and would 100% recommend!

As first time buyers going through a modern auction we had lots of questions. Gill was very patient and made the entire process simple and easy. In the end we completed in just over a month from putting our offer in leaving plenty of time to spare.

We can’t thank Gill, Jack and the rest of the team who helped us throughout enough”

Mr C

“As a first time buyer in London, I was a bit overwhelmed by everything that comes with purchasing a property, but working with Warren made the whole process so much smoother.
Warren was absolutely incredible: extremely fast, efficient and communicative, always keeping on top of every detail and making sure we knew exactly what was happening at each stage.

I would highly recommend Warren and Prosperity Law to anyone looking for reliable, thorough and genuinely supportive guidance.”

Ms R