You can instruct a solicitor as soon as you decide to put your property on the market or begin making offers on a new home. You do not need to wait until an offer has been formally accepted.

Instructing your solicitor early allows identity and funding checks to begin and, when you are selling, enables the initial contract paperwork to be prepared. This can help avoid unnecessary delays once the transaction is ready to progress.

New build purchases can be more complex than purchases of existing homes. Developer contracts may include strict exchange deadlines, estate management arrangements, service charges, planning obligations and detailed provisions covering roads and shared areas.

A specialist conveyancer will review these documents, check the relevant warranties and approvals and explain any continuing obligations that will affect you after completion. They will also be familiar with the practical issues that can arise when a property is still under construction.

Yes. Boundary disputes can arise where neighbours disagree about the precise dividing line between their properties, the ownership of a wall, fence or hedge, or whether one party has built or placed something over the boundary.

Our Property Litigation team can review title documents, plans, historic conveyances, photographs and other available evidence to help establish the legal position. We can also work with specialist surveyors where required and help you pursue a practical resolution through negotiation, mediation or formal proceedings.

Your solicitor will check the legal title to your home, review the new lender’s requirements and obtain a redemption statement for your existing mortgage. They will also arrange for you to sign the new mortgage deed.

On completion, the solicitor receives the new mortgage funds, repays the existing lender and registers the new mortgage with HM Land Registry. Where money is being released to you, any remaining funds will be transferred after the required payments have been made.

The cost will depend on the service required, the value and type of property and the complexity of the matter. A leasehold property, new build purchase or transaction involving several titles or unusual ownership arrangements may require additional work.

For most residential conveyancing matters, DTM Legal provides a fixed or clearly defined fee based on the information available at the outset. You will also be told about likely third-party costs, such as searches and Land Registry fees, and any circumstances that could lead to additional charges.