Residential Property
Our team is fully aware that buying or selling a home is one of the most exciting and important, yet potentially one of the most stressful, events in your life. We therefore work hard to make sure that every transaction is as stress free and efficient as possible, with our team ensuring you receive regular updates.
Our service begins and ends personally, with each transaction being completed by a conveyancer personal to you, so you know who you need to talk to from first instruction to completion. We are aware that your house is your home, but it is also an investment. Thus, very importantly we will ensure, from a legal point of view that you end up buying a property that you will be able to sell.
Our team can act on a wide range of transactions ranging from residential, buy-to-let, high net worth and land development, to transactions involving a limited company.
Providing you with a first time buyer's guide
- Reviewing your contract, title documents and searches
- Acting on behalf of your Lender and advising you on your mortgage, if any
- Reporting to you on your obligations as a homeowner and advising you on all rights, reservations, restrictions and covenants that may affect the property
- Exchanging contracts
- Completing the transfer of funds
- Submitting your Stamp Duty Land Tax return and processing your payment of any stamp duty due
- Completing the registration of the property into your name
Providing you with a sale guide and assisting with completing the necessary paperwork to be provided to the buyers’ solicitor
- Drafting all of your contract paperwork and issuing this to the buyers’ solicitor
- Dealing with any enquiries raised on your behalf
- Attending to repayment of your mortgage, if any
- Exchanging contracts
- Completing and transferring the sale proceeds
- Sending the buyer all of the original deeds and sale documentation
See our guides on buying and selling property for an overview of a typical conveyancing process involved.
Some of the work will be carried out by a team of Paralegals or Property Executives who do much of the day to day work on cases. Although they are not legally qualified, they have between 2 and 18 years' experience, have received extensive training within our firm and work under the direct supervision of a solicitor with at least 5 years post qualification experience.
Jake Mowatt, our lease extension expert, can assist by providing the below:
- An initial review of your lease together with a comparison of extending your lease by private negotiation or under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (LRHUDA 1993)
- Assessing your eligibility for a lease extension under the statutory route, and advising on the advantages and drawbacks of utilising either the statutory or private negotiation routes.
- Advising you on the procedure, timescales, and the likely costs involved
- Assisting you with extending your lease and registering the new lease at the Land Registry
- Seeking your mortgage lender’s approval (if applicable) to the lease extension and handling their additional requirements.
Lease extensions negotiated privately with the landlord/freeholder are handled by our Residential Property Team. Applications for tenants to acquire the freehold under the LRHUDA 1993 are handled by our expert Commercial Property Team. Our team can assess whether you qualify to extend your lease or enfranchise and we can advise you as to the different routes available.
The Team have a wealth of knowledge and experience in this sector, and can assist you with the following:
- New-build freehold and leasehold sales
- Housing Association New Build Home Buy (shared ownership) matters
- Right to buy
- Right to acquire
- Assignments (re-sales of existing shared ownership properties)
- Stair-casings
- Transfer of equity.
The team can also assist with property matters such as re-mortgages, transfer of equity, and matrimonial transfers.
For advice on property disputes, we have a dedicated Property Disputes Team who can assist you with a whole host of disputes.
If you are moving home, have you thought about updating your Will? Our Wills, Trusts, & Probate Team can assist.
What our clients say
Emily Whelband was our solicitor trying to buy our first property, no question was too much trouble or too stupid and we had a lot of stupid questions. Very prompt in email replies and quite honestly went above and beyond her duties. Proper super star and made us feel calm in the sense we knew we had Emily in our corner.
Leathes Prior were recommended to us by our estate agent, our solicitor was Rachael Hughes. Throughout the process Rachael was quick to respond, helpful and overall made the process of selling and buying as smooth as possible. If we required a solicitor again I’d be in contact. Would highly recommend!
What can I say, the service provided by Leanne Riches has been outstanding. Leanne always answers my questions very promptly and with details I understand. She and her assistant are always on the ball. I wouldn’t go anywhere else. I would recommend and have recommended her to many people. The service is a 100%.
Eleanor has worked with us on various occasions since she was a trainee working with Stephen Wilson. From the very first property purchase she has been absolutely excellent. After the first experience we requested her by name, and asked whether she could be the main solicitor dealing with it, with Stephen's supervision, as she hadn't yet officially qualified. Every interaction with Eleanor, for every situation, has been warm and professional. She is quick to respond and we've never had any doubt that something she was in charge with would have any issues.
Thank you very much for all your efforts in getting this sale through. You and your team have been very professional and efficient in your service, and for that I am very grateful.
Jake, Imogen and Izabela have recently helped me with a transaction and have been fantastic. Thorough, helpful and great communication throughout. Thank you.
We had a fantastic experience selling/buying our property through Leathes Prior. Our contact Emily was exceptional, we never had to chase and were given frequent updates throughout the transactions. Emily was happy to answer any questions, no matter how big or small and managed expectations throughout. The whole process was stress-free and speedy! Strongly recommend.
Thank you very much for your service regarding our purchase, we have moved many many times in our lives and until this occasion had always found the legal part the most frustrating! We appreciate your common sense approach and communication in plain English. We don’t plan to move again any time soon however will most definitely recommend you to our family and friends.
I instructed Rachael at Leathes Prior with no previous notice after having to change solicitors with my first home purchase straight after the Christmas break last minute. She took it all on and made it possible with politeness, incredible speed, communication and reliability. I can honestly say she and her team made everything happen in the smoothest way possible with the situation I was in. I am truly thankful for all the efforts and will be my go to solicitor for any future requirements. Highly recommend to anyone. Thank you.
I received exceptional service from Joanna Allen and the team . They kept me updated at all times and made the whole experience stress free. My purchase stretched across the festive season and had timelines for completion with penalties but they smashed it and have put me in a great place to start 2026 on the front foot.
Rachael, Angela and the team helped us sell our house and buy our new house and we couldn’t have done it without them! They were all worth their weight in gold and made it all so stress free for us. We really appreciate all the hard work!
What anyone wants from their conveyancer is a quick process with minimal issues at a reasonable price - Leathes Prior delivered on all these. Completion was achieved less than 2 months after sale agreed, and Rachael Hughes managed the transaction without any fuss or delay - excellent service!
An excellent solicitors. Rachael and Angela were friendly, professional and responsive and even managed to help complete my house purchase a couple of days before Christmas - thoroughly recommend.
I just wanted to let you know how impressed I have been with Stephen Wilson. He dealt with my case swiftly and confidently and showed a great understanding of the whole process. He put me at ease with an incredibly important situation and I would recommend his services to others.
We just wanted to extend a heartfelt thank you for all the brilliant quality work you did for us, marked with accurate communication skills and amazing response and resolution times. We genuinely could not be any happier for your help in purchasing our first property, your guidance made what would have otherwise been a stressful process, feel like straightforward procedure. As such, in the future we will unreservedly be recommending your and Leathes Prior’s services.
Emily Whelband has provided fantastic help and service throughout our purchase, not only working thoroughly, but also quickly and efficiently. Emily and Leathes Prior are highly recommended and we would not hesitate to use again. Many thanks.
I just wanted to say a big thanks to you both for all your work over the past six months. This is the second time I've used Leathes Prior to move house and both times the service and advice has been excellent. Thanks so much again - we really appreciate everything you've done.
Throughout the whole process of buying our home, Lily Beel and her team were amazing. Everything was done with great care. The communication was perfect and they handled everything so well. We are so happy that she was in our corner. If you get Lily as your solicitor, just rest assured everything will go smoothly.
My partner and I used Leathes Prior on recommendations from others and I can honestly say I would never use another solicitor. We cannot thank Rachael and Angela enough in helping us to purchase our first house together. To say they are thorough is an understatement! The whole process was done and dusted in less than 3 months. Their professionalism is second to none. Thank you so much for your hard work. It was amazing to be able to move in just before Christmas :)
My wife and I have bought over 15 properties in the course of the last 50-odd years, and have dealt with many firms of solicitors, both in those transactions, and in my professional capacity. Our experience of Leathes Prior compares more than favourably with any professional firm with whom we have dealt over all that time. Lily Beel has been thoroughly professional at all times, and never ceased to be supportive and cheerful, despite operating in such a frantically busy period. She was often in touch well after normal working hours, and clearly prioritises getting the job done efficiently whatever the personal effort. I would also add that Lily is very well supported by Kate Newson, who has been a pleasure to deal with. Between them they have ensured an excellent experience for us.
We are extremely grateful for all your help, advice and support during both of our abortive house purchases and for your speed and efficiency in completing. After such a stressful few months, it was very reassuring for us to know that we were in such good hands. We would not hesitate to use you again or to recommend you to friends and family.
I have now used Rachael Hughes twice and she was amazing both times! Being in the property industry myself, I can't recommend her service enough.
Thanks for all your efforts during recent sale and earlier purchase. We certainly won’t hesitate to use you again and make recommendations to friends/family.
I have been assisted by Joanna Allen, Stephen Wilson, and Eleanor Chapman for the purchase of my first property. They did an amazing job, everything went very smoothly, and the process was completed pretty quickly. Joanna went above and beyond in keeping me updated, and very supportive anytime I needed some advice.
We would like to thank you so much for dealing with our house sale/buy. We have bought many houses over the years and we can certainly say you have provided us with the best service. You always answered our emails & telephone calls very promptly. We have been 100% satisfied with the service you have provided us!
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