FAQs

HOW LONG WILL IT GENERALLY TAKE FROM A SALE BEING AGREED TO COMPLETION?

Typically, 6 to 8 weeks.

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? JUST A BALLPARK FIGURE.

As a rough guide, our typical costs for conveyancing start from £500 + VAT, with the fees being payable just prior to completion of the transaction. Please see our detailed fee page for more information.

WHO WILL HANDLE MY CONVEYANCING?

Emma personally oversees a small and dedicated team of conveyancing professionals so when you instruct us to act on your behalf, you are dealing with the person who will handle your property transfer from start to finish, rather than a call centre or a faceless internet operation. You will have a personal contact who you can call at any time if you have any queries, keeping you informed and in control. Unlike some firms you might see on the internet, we are not a middleman, passing our details on to another law firm (often for a fee), when you contact Cohen Filippini, you are speaking directly to the person who will handle your conveyancing from start to finish.

I'M IN A NEGATIVE EQUITY POSITION WITH MY HOUSE. IT'S WORTH LESS THAN I PAID FOR IT - HOW CAN A SOLICITOR HELP?

A skilled conveyancing solicitor can do a lot to help you and your financial position, should you find yourself in negative equity. Perhaps you have secured further lending on your home or are finding it harder and harder to make ends meet as interest rates have crept up. You may be in mortgage arrears following a change in personal circumstances or perhaps house prices in your area have fallen since you bought your property. Whatever the reason, your solicitor can negotiate on your behalf with the lender, as repossession is often the least satisfactory outcome for a mortgage lender. We can often negotiate a lower settlement amount, meaning that the proceeds from the sale of your house could still cover the outstanding mortgage and leave you in a better financial position to start again. It's often a hard call to make but contact us today and we might be able to find a way to solve a negative equity situation and ensure future peace of mind.

WHAT DO I DO IF THERE IS A PROBLEM? HOW DO I CONTACT THE TEAM AND WHAT HOURS ARE YOUR OFFICES OPEN?

Our offices are open Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm. You will have a direct contact line to the conveyancing professional responsible for your transactions and can call or e-mail us if you have any questions or would like an update. Equally, we are proactive with you, and will be in frequent contact to keep you fully up to speed with how things are progressing. We know it can be a stressful time, and being kept in the dark can make things even more difficult. Remember, we are not a call centre, you can be assured of personal attention at all times.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I CHANGE MY MIND ABOUT SELLING MY HOUSE? WHAT IF I DON'T WANT TO BUY A PROPERTY ANYMORE?

If you change your mind about buying or selling a property, just let us know and we will stop the process immediately. We will inform the other parties promptly and deal with tying up any loose ends.

WHAT KIND OF INFORMATION ARE YOU LIKELY TO NEED?

Depending on whether you are buying a property or selling a property, we will generally need the following information when you instruct us:

Personal Details (Name, Address etc)
Mortgage Account Details
Certificates for any work carries out on the house such as guarantees, invoices etc.
Any planning permission or building regs documentation relating to the property.
Utility Bill - Statement of Water Charges
Details of utility providers
Proof of identification (which will be copied and returned to you)
Proof of address

I HAVE LOST SOME PAPERWORK CONNECTED TO MY PROPERTY - WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Don't worry! As conveyancing professionals, we know which authorities to contact to gain copies of all relevant documentation necessary for a house sale or purchase to take place. We can piece all the information together and where copies can't be obtained, we can arrange the appropriate insurances or indemnities to cover you against future claims on the property.

MY HOUSE IS REALLY OLD AND QUIRKY - WILL MY CONVEYANCING BE MORE COSTLY?

Old and quirky doesn't necessarily mean that your conveyancing will be more expensive than a brand-new house. In fact, it might cost less, it just depends on the individual property so contact us today and we can tell you exactly how much it is going to be.

I NEED TO COMPLETE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE - CAN YOU HELP?

We know that some property transfers need to happen more quickly than the standard 6-8 week timeframe. If you let us know from the outset, the team can pull out all the stops to complete the matter in a couple of weeks. Providing that the other parties are equally motivated, we can usually work with our clients to meet their deadlines. However, if you require your matter to be expedited, this will attract some additional fees.

I AM UNHAPPY WITH MY CURRENT SOLICITOR - HOW EASY WILL IT BE TO CHANGE ONCE CONVEYANCING IS UNDERWAY?

If you don't feel you are receiving appropriate attention, you have every right to change your conveyancing solicitor. If you contact us now, we can arrange your signature on a Form of Authority and we will do the rest to have relevant documentation passed to us for our immediate attention.

I AM SELLING A PROPERTY TO A FAMILY MEMBER. DO I STILL NEED A SOLICITOR?

Yes, you do still need the services of a conveyancing professional, even if you are selling to a family member.

I HAVE INHERITED A PROPERTY. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO NEXT?

If you have inherited a property, contact us to arrange for the formal transfer documents to be prepared. Inheriting a property can be complicated, especially if it has been left to more than one person, so the services of a solicitor can come in very handy.

I'VE BOUGHT A PROPERTY TO RENT OUT (BUY TO LET). CAN COHEN FILIPPINI HELP ME WITH TENANCY AGREEMENTS AND OTHER LANDLORD TENANT ISSUES?

Becoming a landlord involves a considerable amount of paperwork to protect you and your tenants. Please contact us to find out how we can help make sure that all your tenancy agreements are watertight and correctly prepared for signature. It might save you a lot of money in the long run and, should you run into any problems with tenants, we are well placed to assist.

If you are buying a leasehold property, it's imperative that a solicitor looks at the Lease as this forms the contract between the leaseholder and the landlord (freeholder) as to the duties and responsibilities of either side. You should also be supplied with accounts so you can assess expenditure to date, as well as taking into account management fees and what this money is used for. Again, a solicitor will be able to look at the accounts for you. A solicitor will be able to advise you accordingly on all matters connected to buying a leasehold property and it is well worth seeking this opinion. The majority of leases are perfectly straightforward, but leaseholders should be alerted to landlords who charge high management charges and fail to maintain their properties to an acceptable standard. Such matters could make it difficult for you to sell the property at a later date, and shoddy repairs will detract from the value of your home.