Our services

Please read about our various services by clicking the relevant link below.

We understand the importance involved when choosing the right solicitor to oversee your home move. The legalities of the move is one of the most stressful and time consuming part of any property transaction and that is why we work with a national panel of solicitors to provide you with the best conveyancing service available.

We will help you choose the most appropriate solicitor dependant upon your own requirements. These may be cost based, you may find parking facilities very important or it could be that online access is essential to you. We know and work closely with many practices and can therefore help you make the most suitable choice of solicitor.

To help you understand the legal process that occurs in a property transaction we have provided you with a step by step guide, as seen below:

Step by step guide

  1. Sale of your property - Once your sale has been agreed, you should inform us of your conveyancing solicitor's details so that we can send them the relevant paperwork.
  2. Getting started - Initially the solicitor will provide you with a formal instruction form and other documents which will enable them to gather all of the relevant details about you and your house. Once you confirm your interest in working with the solicitor, they will proceed with the transaction.
  3. Purchase of your property - The solicitor can also carry out all of the legal work involved in the purchase of your property. Initially, all you need to do is provide us and your mortgage broker with the solicitor’s details. Your selling agent's solicitor/conveyancer will then be able to contact your solicitor to confirm instructions.
  4. Searches on your purchase - Once your newly appointed solicitor has received the contract documentation from your sellers’ solicitor, they will be able to affect the necessary searches of the Local Authority, Water Authority and Environmental Agency.
  5. Mortgage details - Your lender will send you and your solicitor the mortgage offer. The solicitor is responsible for explaining the terms and conditions of your mortgage offer. The Contract documentation and Mortgage Deed will then be sent to you for approval and signature.
  6. Exchange of contracts - Exchange of contracts takes place between the two parties' solicitors, usually by telephone. Following exchange, your signed contact is forwarded to the other party's solicitor/conveyancer and they in turn will send their party's signed contract to your solicitor. At this stage, you and your seller/buyer will be legally committed to the transaction.

Completion of your move

On the day of legal completion, your solicitor will:

  • Arrange legal paperwork
  • Discharge your mortgage and/or draw-down funds for your new mortgage
  • Pay your fees as per the Terms of Agency Agreement you have signed
  • Arrange the legal documentation to be signed for the transfer of the property at H M Land Registry and register your ownership
  • Arrange your Stamp Duty payment, payable to the Inland Revenue

Payment of fees

Prior to legal completion, your solicitor will require any monies due to them to be cleared funds in time for legal completion. They will deduct their fees and disbursement costs and stamp duty from the balance at legal completion. Finally, you will liaise with your agent for the release of the keys to the property.


Make sure you're legally prepared

We realise that in this current economic climate your mortgage is one of the most important aspects of the property transaction. You need a mortgage that is tailored to your lifestyle and income, so that you are not burdened with excessive financial pressure.

The service we provide enables you to compare a wide range of independent mortgage providers to find the package that best suits your individual situation.

The importance of a well structured mortgage plan cannot be underestimated; if you do not keep up with repayments on your mortgage then legal action is swiftly carried out. We are not a bank of advisor so the information we collect is not your application for credit or mortgage loan. However, our preferred partners are keen to receive your information and provide the best mortgage plan suited to you.

Types of mortgage

Getting the right type of mortgage is a vital aspect when buying your new property. There are many different types of mortgages available on the market for you to get your head round.

Some of the main types available are:

Variable mortgages

Each lender sets their own SVR so they can vary considerably. Generally this means that if the Bank of England puts the interest rate up or down, your Standard Variable Rate (SVR) will almost certainly follow, though not necessarily simultaneously. If rates go down, you'll save. If rates go up, so will your repayments - so you need to build some flexibility into your budget if you decide to go for this type of mortgage. The main reason someone may consider this type of scheme is to avoid any early repayment charges if they do not anticipate having the mortgage for long.

Discounted variable

This type of mortgage sets the rate you pay below the lender's SVR for a set period, for example two years or three years. If your discount is two per cent, when the SVR is seven per cent then your mortgage rate will be five per cent. If the SVR rises by one percent, your rate also rises by one percent. At the end of the discounted term, repayments go back to the SVR.

Tracker

This mortgage follows the interest base rate as set by the Bank of England. It usually stays a set amount above or below this rate for the period of the loan. Some longer-term trackers also offer an initial discount. The benefit of a tracker, as opposed to a discount from the lender's SVR, is that if the Bank of England reduce the base rate then your rate will reduce simultaneously, whereas if you are discounted from the lender's SVR, there is no guarantee if, when and by how much the lender will follow suit, as they are not obliged to do anything. Tracker mortgages remove this conflict between you and the lender.

Fixed rate

A fixed rate mortgage is a way of guaranteeing your payments for a set number of years. This means that whatever happens to the Bank of England base rate or the lender's SVR, your payments remain the same. If rates go up you will be better off and if rates go down you could be worse off, but the main benefit is you know what you need to pay each month and can more easily budget for it. Fixed rates can be from one year to the whole mortgage term. Generally, shorter term fixed rates are lower and more attractive, so shorter term rates of two to five years are the most popular.

Types of insurance

Along with different mortgage types, there are also varying types of insurance policies available as protection for your mortgage. Insuring yourself against possible accidents or illnesses ensures that you do not leave your family lumbered with repayments if you are not around.

Term Assurance

Decreasing Term Assurance Plans provide life cover which decreases roughly in line with the reduction of your outstanding mortgage. Whilst you might expect the mortgage to be repaid in the event of your death, in some cases the lump sum is not enough to repay the mortgage in full. However, these types of insurance plan means that you do not have to pay for more protection than you actually require.

Level Term Assurance Plans are simple, low cost arrangements that provide life cover for the agreed lump sum, during the agreed term.

Critical Illness Cover

Many of us take out insurance for our mortgages in case we die, but few of us cover against if we suffered critical illness or disability.

Critical Illness cover is designed carefully to provide a lump sum on death or diagnosis of any critical condition as defined under the terms of the policy. This means that money will be available at a time when a critical condition or disability may affect your financial position or ability to earn.

Income Protection

Income Protection Benefit provides a monthly benefit should you be unable to work due to incapacity caused by accident or illness, resulting in a loss of earnings. This allows you a degree of financial stability until you recover and return to work, no longer suffer a loss of earnings, in the event of your death or until the policy expires.

The level of weekly benefit proposed for Income Protection policy is based around your current earned income. The amount that might actually be paid in the event of claim is affected by two things. Firstly, the amount of any increase in income and secondly, your entitlement to the Incapacity Benefit paid by the State.

Buildings and Content Protection

Our buildings and content protection is designed to cover your home and the possessions within it for almost any eventuality.

The insurance of the property against major damage such as fire and other risks will normally be a condition of your mortgage lender. In addition to your bricks and mortar, the contents on your house are extremely valuable and this type of protection ensures that, in case of any accident, you are not left paying the price for your uninsured contents.


Looking for a mortage? Speak to an advisor today

The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document that provides details on the energy efficiency of a property. It looks at heating costs and carbon emissions, grading your home from A to G. It also gives both buyers and sellers information on the average cost of energy bills, with suggestions on how to save money with certain energy efficient measures.

How is an EPC presented?

The EPC displays two graphs. With the first including an energy rating, which measures the homes overall efficiency. If a property receives a high rating then it is more energy-efficient and this means that the energy bills are likely to cost less.

An environmental impact rating is displayed on the second graph. This measures the impact on the environment and the emissions from carbon dioxide. This rating will provide a list of cost-effective measures and the potential rating of the building if these are installed.

Who orders the EPC?

The responsibility of ordering the EPC is with the seller and you will have seven days to receive it after putting your home on the market. As long as it has been ordered, the EPC does not need to be available when you first start marketing your property.

If you need any more help with the necessary documents behind your home move then contact us today and talk to a trained member of staff.

Important changes to EPC regulations

Important changes to EPC regulations will come into action from 6 April 2012.

These changes mean that EPCs will now be required for all residential and non-residential property offered for sale or rent. Moving forward, it will also be a requirement to attach the front page of the EPC to the property particulars in its entirety, rather than just the graph as was formerly the case.

Furthermore, using 'reasonable effort' an EPC will have to be secured within seven days rather than the previous 28 days.

If you require any further information on EPCs, please contact us and we will be happy to help.

We have a select panel of independent qualified & vastly experienced surveyors, all of whom are members of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. As property is likely to be your biggest investment, it makes good sense to have a detailed survey of your new home. We offer advice upon Building surveys including RICS Homebuyer Survey and Valuations (HSV), schedules of dilapidation; mortgage valuations; party wall matters; structural investigation; project management; building conservation/restoration; development monitoring; insurance claims.

Please call us or email for further details of the services available.

Commercial Property

Whether you are looking for new business premises, want to maximise your revenue opportunities or want someone to manage your investment, our team of commercial property specialists will work with you to find the most profitable solution for your business.

With over 75 years experience in commercial property, our commercial partner are dedicated to providing owners and occupiers of all types of commercial premises with accurate and detailed market advice.

Our extensive knowledge of the complex legislation governing this market combined with a deep understanding of current and proposed developments in Herts, Essex and Suffolk means that we can identify opportunities and ensure you are in the best position to profit from this area's growth.

We act on behalf of occupiers and investors offering a range of professional services which will enable you to gain maximum capital and rental value from your property. So, whether you are looking for advice on valuations, rent reviews, lease renewals or rating appeals, we can guide you through the complicated processes involved to a satisfactory conclusion. In addition, our expert team is able to advise on development and refurbishment of both commercial and residential properties and sites.

Rent review and lease renewals

We have the expertise to enable us to negotiate rent review and lease renewals. A sound knowledge of landlord and tenant legislation and current market and environmental forces is required to ensure an accurate assessment of a property's commercial value and the terms that will be required within the lease to ensure successful marketing of the property.

Land, new homes and developments

Lane and Bennett's have built an enviable reputation in the areas of land, new homes and developments.

Land & Development

When you are buying or selling land with planning permission or with the potential for devlopment, contact Lane & Bennetts. Our professional staff are experts in the sales, purchase and acquisition and can advise on any size of site, from an individual plot to large acreage.

Offering a complete service for developers, we work to identify potential sites, liaise with architects, solicitors and other construction consultants, assist with planning and inquiries and negotiate with local authorities.

New homes & part exchange services

Successfully marketing a development of new homes takes a great deal more than luck. Attracting the right purchasers is a skill and you must ensure you choose a team of dedicated sales people who understand the market and use professional sales techniques.

Lane & Bennetts has years of experience in the sale of new home developments, from small properties to large developments. Each require a different style of approach, dictated by price and location. Developments are marketed using a combination of media, from local newspapers to dedicated pages on the internet. Colour brochures incorporate artwork to give an accurate reflection of the proposed completed layout and include details of local amenities and attractions, which are all too often the deciding factor in a purchase.

We offer a complete service to all developers, whether you are selling five or fifty homes; from initial brief to completion of the last sale, our staff will take a proactive role to ensure the success of the project. Regular reporting keeps you informed of progress.

Through partnerships with Move with Us and other prominent asset management companies, we provide a speedy, expert part exchange evaluation service for the major UK housebuilders such as Taylor Wimpey, Crest Nicholson, Persimmon, Charles Church and Kier Living Group. A great number of homes taken in part exchange for their new homes are offered for sale at competitive prices through Lane & Bennett's.

Why not contact our directors David Lindley or Michael Delaney to dicuss how we may assist your next building project, in a confidential and no obligation meeting at our offices or on site?

Equestrian Properties

Equestrian property buyers require houses with a wide range of facilities in many price ranges. Through our Central London Office Mayfair Equestrian, we have access to a highly effective network of agents across the UK which specialise in equestrian property.

Each office provides a centre of equestrian expertise to help buyers find the ideal property and sellers the ideal buyer.

All our partners and staff have long experience in this area of the property market, and most are also active in a wide range of equestrian pursuits, including eventing, endurance riding, point-to-pointing, breeding and racing.

Central to our dedicated equestrian service is our website, helping buyers locate and identify their perfect property. Sellers who are looking to familiarise themselves with the current market and price trends will find it very useful too.

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