Our specialist lawyers can help with buying, selling or leasing all types of residential property.
Residential Property
If you are thinking of moving house, buying or selling investment property or are involved in property development, contact our expert team for a quote.
Expert Property Solicitors
Our Property team is comprised of dedicated and experienced lawyers who are committed to providing the highest quality of advice and representation. The team supports clients with clear, practical guidance tailored to their individual circumstances across both residential and commercial property matters.
At GT Stewart, our expert Property team provides specialist legal advice and representation on a full range of property transactions and disputes. We assist individuals, landlords, tenants, developers and businesses with residential and commercial property issues, including acquisitions, disposals, leases and ongoing property management. We focus on delivering straightforward, effective advice to help clients navigate often complex property matters with confidence.
Experienced Property Lawyers
Our Property team has extensive experience advising on a wide range of residential and commercial property matters, including complex transactions and disputes involving multiple parties and jurisdictions. We act for individuals, landlords, tenants, developers and businesses across England and Wales, providing clear and commercially focused advice tailored to each client’s needs.
We understand the importance of speed and precision in property transactions and disputes. Our team works efficiently and decisively to progress matters, recognising that delays can have significant financial and practical consequences. We regularly assist clients with urgent issues relating to sales, purchases, leases and property portfolios, and are able to provide support at short notice where required.
Residential Property and Conveyancing Solicitors
We understand very well that one of the most important things in anyone’s life is their home. Your home means much more to you than just bricks and mortar. At Bretherton Law we provide a bespoke service that can meet all your residential property and conveyancing needs.
If you’re planning to buy or sell your home, remortgage or transfer the property ownership into a new name, we will guide you through the conveyancing process. If you are a property developer we can help with the acquisition and disposal of land, plots and units. Whether you’re buying, selling, investing, developing or remortgaging, there will be times when you need an experienced residential property solicitor to help everything run smoothly.
Our team of dedicated residential property and residential conveyancing solicitors are experts in their field and have a wealth of local knowledge in the St Albans and Hertfordshire area. They also act for clients based throughout England and Wales.
Should you encounter problems with your property, having a knowledgeable residential property solicitor on your side is invaluable. We’re here to provide guidance and support whatever your circumstances may be.
We will always be clear about our costs and keep you up to date on our progress. We’ll be sure to explain all the processes clearly and answer any queries you have. We’ll keep everything on track, giving you clear timescales, eliminating delays and keeping you posted at every step. You can read more about our conveyancing costs and likely timescales in the ‘Our Costs’ section below.
Conveyancing Case Studies
Sometimes during the process of buying or selling a property unexpected problems arise. This is why using an experienced conveyancing solicitor, who has the knowledge and experience to find and negotiate a solution, is a wise choice. Putting your affairs in the hands of professional and experienced conveyancing solicitors will go a long way in avoiding delays and costly mistakes, a fact that is illustrated in our conveyancing case studies.
Our Services
If you are buying a new build property, you need help and advice from specialist new build conveyancing solicitors with a wealth of experience in this niche area. It is important to ensure that you have all the rights you require to enjoy your new home and that the developer has the right mechanism in place to rectify any defects.
Developers often require very quick turnaround times despite the usually complex nature of many new build transactions. We are very proud to be a firm that a number of developers of all sizes recommend to their buyers.
We have huge experience acting for buyers purchasing with the assistance of government schemes such as shared ownership schemes.
To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293.
There are many reasons for moving house but the one thing that everyone buying or selling a property has in common is that they want the process to be as smooth as possible.
One of the most important factors in the success of your sale or purchase is having the residential property solicitor. Although conveyancing fees can be very similar from one firm to another, the service you receive can vary greatly. It’s therefore important to choose a conveyancing solicitor who has your best interests at heart – you have a choice about which lawyer you use and don’t have to instruct the one recommended by your mortgage provider.
At Bretherton Law we make buying and selling property straightforward. We’ll keep the conveyancing process on track, giving you clear timescales, eliminating delays and keeping you posted at every step. Our conveyancing fees are easy to understand and cover any necessary legal checks and conveyancing searches. We also give you our ‘same day response’ promise which is really important when you’re buying or selling a home. It means you’ll always know what stage the process is at and won’t have to chase for updates.
We’ll ensure that all your property documentation is checked and explained thoroughly and we can liaise with your lender, estate agent and other parties to ensure that there is clear and prompt communication between everyone at all times.
Whether you’re buying a property or selling a house, there are lots of things to think about. By trusting Bretherton Law to handle your conveyancing, you can relax safe in the knowledge that all the legal details are taken care of. That’s why our clients recommend us to their friends and family.
To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293.
Buying property at auction can be an exciting experience and is often a great way to get a good deal. However, it can also be a step into the unknown – particularly if it’s your first time. By talking to a legal expert before buying at auction you can approach the process with confidence and avoid costly mistakes.
Bretherton law can advise you on all the important aspects to consider before bidding at auction, helping to ensure that any property you do bid on will be a sound investment. We can also take care of all the legal practicalities of the sale, from checking property ownership to arranging surveys and conveyancing searches. Our friendly and knowledgeable property auction lawyers will give you all the guidance you need to be able to enter the purchase with confidence.
To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293.
As a homeowner, at some point you may wish to consider remortgaging – either to take advantage of a better mortgage deal or to release money from your property.
At Bretherton Law our remortgage solicitors make the process as quick and simple as possible. We’ll guide you through, taking care of any paperwork and legal checks. We’ll also review the terms of your existing mortgage so that you don’t uncover any surprises further down the line.
To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293.
If you’re looking for advice about leaseholds, our specialist leasehold solicitors here to help. Leasehold is a particular type of property ownership that comes with its own legal rights and responsibilities. Many flats in the UK are sold on a leasehold basis but leasehold can apply to other properties too.
Because leasehold is a specialist area of property law, it’s a good idea to seek legal advice before entering into any leasehold agreements. Leases vary from one property to another and it is essential that you understand all your legal rights when buying a leasehold property. You’ll want to know details such as how long the lease has left to run, whether you are allowed to make any improvements to the property and who is responsible for ongoing maintenance costs. This is all taken care of during the leasehold conveyancing process when you work with our specialist leasehold solicitors We can also advise you on your rights and provide help if you’re experiencing difficulties with a current leasehold property.
To arrange your appointment call 01727 869293.
More and more people are enjoying the rewards of investing in property. Buy to Let can be a great way to ensure that your property provides a regular income and strong return on your investment. The key to successful property investment is to do your homework and seek expert legal advice before investing in a property.
At Bretherton Law we can help you with every stage of the property investment journey from choosing the right property to finding suitable tenants. We’ll take care of all the legal aspects from arranging searches and surveys to drafting a sound tenancy agreement. When purchasing a Buy to Let, there are different legal requirements to buying your own home so it’s important to speak to a lawyer that specialises in buy to let conveyancing.
Are you looking to transfer the ownership of a property from one person to another? Although this is a fairly straightforward process, it’s important that it is completed correctly to ensure everything progresses smoothly and to avoid unexpected problems in the future.
Our expert residential property solicitors can help with every stage of a transfer of title, providing the support to complete your transfer efficiently and correctly. We’ll contact the Land Registry on your behalf and ensure that all the necessary documentation is completed properly. We will also explain any factors that may arise from the transfer – giving you the peace of mind that all the legal details have been covered correctly.
If you own a property that is not currently registered with the Land Registry we can help to register a property. Registering a property is beneficial in numerous ways including securing ownership, improving the marketability of the property, resolving issues and providing access to Land Registry services.
If you are buying or selling a shared ownership property it’s important to instruct a specialist shared ownership solicitor to support you through the conveyancing process. The conveyancing process can be complex and you need to ensure that you interests are protected throughout. The team at Bretherton Law can help.
The Right to Buy scheme has helped thousands of people become homeowners and has been a key factor in the growth of affordable housing in England and Wales. However, navigating the legal process of buying a property under the Right to Buy scheme can be tricky with strict time limits, which is why it is important to have specialist right to buy solicitors guiding you the conveyancing process.
Our Costs
The Solicitors Regulation Authority requires us to publish certain information about our costs for residential conveyancing transactions on our website. We charge fixed fees for freehold and leasehold sales and purchases, mortgages and remortgages. The fixed fee applies to work that falls within the normal scope of a straightforward matter. Supplementary fees may apply where additional work is required due to the nature or complexity of the transaction, for example because the legal title is defective or because the property is unregistered. Details of such fees are set out on the fees document attached and will be discussed with you before being incurred.
VAT at twenty percent and disbursements (payments that we must make to other parties on your behalf) are not included in our fees. Likely disbursements are:
| Sale Disbursements (via Infotrack) | When Payable | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| HM Land Registry fee for official copies and filed plan | On completion | £8.80 per copy/plan |
| HM Land Registry fee – per document (if applicable) | On Completion | £8.80 |
| Bank transfer fee to transfer monies on completion | Prior to completion | £21.00 plus VAT |
| Purchase Disbursements (via Infotrack) | When Payable | Amount |
| Searches on property | Prior to completion | £500.00 (approx) |
| HM Land Registry Bankruptcy Search | Prior to completion | £7.80 per name |
| HM Land Registry Search | Prior to completion | £8.80 per name |
| Bank transfer fee to transfer monies on completion | Prior to completion | £21.00 plus VAT |
| Stamp duty land tax | Prior to completion | Calculate |
| HM Land Registry fee for registration of title following completion | Prior to completion | Land Registry fee scale |
Key stages and Timescale
Although it is hard to generalise, we set out approximate timescales below. Please be aware that we remain heavily reliant on information from third parties e.g. local authorities, bank/building societies, surveyors and Landlords/Management Companies (for leasehold transactions). Therefore, unless we have all the information necessary from such institutions, there can be a delay.
During the conveyancing process, we will update you regularly either by means of telephone, letter or e-mail as you prefer.
You can see more about our conveyancing team on the Our People page.
| Purchase Key Stages | Timescales |
|---|---|
| Carrying out searches Checking contract and title Raising enquiries Checking mortgage offer Reporting to you Exchange of contracts | 6-7 weeks |
| Requesting mortgage funds Carrying out final Searches Attending to completion | 1-2 weeks |
| SDLT Return | Within 5 days of completion |
| Remortgage Key Stages | Timescales |
| Checking title and mortgage offer Reporting to you Attending to completion Discharging existing mortgage | 2-3 weeks |
Why Choose GT Stewart?
Fixed fee quotes with no hidden costs
Same day response promise
An experienced, friendly and accessible team
In-depth local knowledge
Lexcel and Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditations
Our Expert Lawyers are ready to help
GT Stewart has established itself as a leading firm in the UK, specialising in both private cases and also Legal Aid work.
Speak to one of our Property Solicitors
Client Testimonials
“My family and I will always be grateful and appreciative of the service you provided, especially when things went wrong you all had the determination to make sure it succeeded. Not only this, when we were still owed further funds due to complications you still made the time and effort to chase this for our family as a matter of due course.”
“Bretherton Law [part of GT Stewart] handled a painstaking commercial lease negotiation involving three sets of solicitors. We eventually managed to have all parties agree and we are now open for business. Thank you again for your help in this matter.”
“Thank you once again for a brilliant service, your help and advice has been very well appreciated.”
“Your calm sound advice gave us so much confidence. Your response to naive enquiries was patient and you never made us feel uncomfortable for asking a question. Your firm’s service, professionalism, unflappability and depth of knowledge of buy to let property law give me every confidence to recommend you to friends.”
“Having heard all sorts of stories about the stress of buying a property and dealing with solicitors, I found Isobel and Brethertons [part of GT Stewart] a pleasure to deal with and very calm and professional in all their work.”