Susan Jefferson

Once you’ve made an offer or accepted a sale on a property, then you’ll need to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced legal professional to handle the process on your behalf. It is an important job, and it makes sense to carefully consider your options before you proceed with one of the biggest investments in your life. So, how exactly do you find the right conveyancer and property lawyer?   Legal titles explained    Firstly, it might be helpful to define what is meant by a conveyancer and property lawyer, and the differences between the two.  Put simply, a conveyancer and property lawyer are governed by different regulatory bodies. A property lawyer (or solicitor) is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and has to be a member of the Law Society.   Meanwhile, conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (although if they worked for a law firm, which they can, they would come under the remit of the SRA).   A property lawyer ...

Despite Brexit uncertainty and a preceding period of relative stagnation, house prices rose at the end of 2019. That’s according to the latest  figures from Nationwide,  which showed values standing at 1.4% higher in December than at the start of the year. The report also revealed that the average UK house price was £215,282 - so it’s no surprise that many first-time buyers struggle to find the spare cash to put aside for even a 5% deposit.   That’s where family members are often choosing to plug the gap. Those who are already on the property ladder or who have managed to accumulate significant savings, may be in a better position to offer a helping hand by providing a deposit as a gift. The following is intended as a brief overview, but if you would like further legal guidance on how to gift a house deposit, always seek the advice of qualified property conveyancing specialists. Anthony Stockton Solicitors can provide up-to-date advice should you find yourself in this situation.  ...