Selling a Property

Helping to make your house sale straightforward

You’ve made the decision. It’s time to sell up and move on to your next chapter.

Maybe you’re upsizing for a growing family, downsizing now the kids have left, or relocating for work. Whatever your reason, you want this sale to go smoothly. You want a fair price, a reliable buyer and a completion date you can actually plan around.

But selling a house isn’t as simple as accepting an offer and handing over the keys. Between now and completion day, there’s a legal process that needs to happen correctly. Miss something, and your sale could stall for weeks. Get something wrong, and you could face legal complications that cost you money or even derail the entire transaction.

The Reality of Selling Your Home

Selling a property comes with pressures that buyers don’t face. You’re likely coordinating your sale with your own purchase, which means you’re caught in the middle of a chain. Your buyer might pull out at the last minute. Their mortgage application could be declined. Searches might reveal issues you didn’t know existed.

And while all this is happening, you’re trying to plan your move, coordinate removals, and manage the stress of uncertainty. One weak link in the chain and everything can collapse.

The legal side of selling adds another layer of complexity. As the seller, you have legal obligations to disclose certain information about your property. You need to provide specific documents. You’re responsible for resolving any title issues that emerge. And if you get any of this wrong, you could face serious consequences.

How Professional Legal Support Protects Your Sale

This is where our property sale service becomes essential. We handle all the legal work involved in selling your home, protecting your interests and keeping your sale on track. With our expertise, you can:

  • Prepare all required legal documents accurately and promptly
  • Respond quickly to buyer enquiries to prevent delays
  • Navigate complex chain situations with experienced guidance
  • Resolve title issues or legal complications efficiently
  • Complete your sale with full legal protection and peace of mind

The Property Sale Process Explained

Selling your property involves several key legal stages that we manage on your behalf.

1. Preparing Your Sale

Once you instruct us, we’ll obtain your title documents and prepare the contract pack that your buyer’s solicitor will need. This includes the contract itself, property information forms, and relevant certificates or documentation about your property. Getting this right from the start prevents delays later.

2. Handling Enquiries

Your buyer’s solicitor will raise enquiries based on their searches and contract review. We’ll work with you to answer these promptly and accurately, keeping your sale moving forward while ensuring you meet your legal obligations as a seller.

3. Exchange of Contracts

When both sides are ready to proceed, we’ll coordinate the contract exchange. This is when your sale becomes legally binding, and you’ll agree on a completion date. We’ll ensure all conditions are met and that you understand your commitments from this point forward.

4. Completion

On completion day, we’ll manage the transfer of funds, ensure all legal requirements are satisfied, and confirm when you need to hand over the keys. Once completion happens, the property legally belongs to your buyer, and you’re free to move on.

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    Apart from the actual price of the property you’re buying, there’s a number of fees and charges to keep in mind when buying your first house. And we’ve set it all out for you!

    Residential Conveyancing Fees

    ”From start to finish, we were kept up to date with everything with the sale of our house. Zoe has been first class all the way through the process. Really good

    Colin
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    Ready to Get Your Sale Moving?

    Selling your home is a significant step, and you need legal support that keeps things moving while protecting your interests. Let Dootsons handle the legal side, so you can focus on your next move.

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    the team

    Meet the team
    michelle savage - conveyancing

    Michelle Savage - Head of Department

    Michelle is CQS accredited and brings with her in excess of 20 years experience in dealing with Conveyancing transaction including (but not limited to) sales, purchases, remortgages, transfers of equity, probate matters and shared ownership matters.

    Here's What Else You Need to Know

    From accepting an offer to completion typically takes 8-12 weeks, though this varies depending on your buyer's circumstances, whether you're in a chain, and how quickly searches and enquiries are resolved. We'll give you realistic timescales based on your specific situation.

    You'll need proof of identity, proof of address, details of your mortgage (if applicable), and any relevant certificates like gas safety, electrical safety, building regulations, or guarantees for work done on the property. We'll provide a complete list when you instruct us.

    Survey results sometimes lead to renegotiation. Your buyer might ask for a price reduction or request that you fix certain issues before completion. We'll advise you on your options and help you negotiate a fair outcome that keeps your sale on track.

    Yes. You have a legal obligation to disclose material information about your property, including any issues you're aware of. Failing to disclose known problems can lead to legal action after completion. We'll guide you through what you need to declare.

    Before exchange of contracts, either party can withdraw without legal penalty, though it's frustrating and means starting over. After exchange, if your buyer pulls out, they'll lose their deposit and could face additional legal costs. We'll explain exactly when this commitment point is reached.

    Absolutely. Most property sales involve chains. The key is coordination and communication between all parties. We're experienced in managing chain transactions and work efficiently to keep all links moving together.

    Our fees for handling your sale are clearly set out on our residential conveyancing fees page. These cover all the legal work involved in your sale, from preparing contracts to completion. We provide fixed fee quotes so you know exactly what to budget for.

    Title issues occasionally emerge during the sale process - things like missing documents, boundary disputes, or restrictive covenants. We'll identify these early and work to resolve them efficiently, minimizing delays to your sale.