Conveyancing in Suffolk

What does conveyancing in Suffolk involve?

When you buy, sell, remortgage or transfer equity from a property, conveyancing is the term used for the paperwork and legal formalities that are part of the process. For example, if you are buying a home in Suffolk, a conveyancing solicitor will request searches, negotiate the price, exchange contracts and transfer the funds on completion day. Our Suffolk conveyancing solicitors are all fully qualified professionals ready to get to work on your behalf. Read more here on Homeward Legal's conveyancing services.

How do I get a quote conveyancing in Suffolk?

Use our online quote builder to get a quote for conveyancing in Suffolk on screen in minutes. All we need are a few details about your transaction, about you and the property. You can call our team seven days a week on . Or, if you prefer, ask for a callback at a convenient time.

Why should I choose a Suffolk conveyancing solicitor through Homeward Legal?

Whether buying, selling or remortgaging in Suffolk, conveyancing can often seem a stressful process. So, Homeward Legal is here to ensure your move runs as smoothly as possible by:

• The legal fee you are quoted for conveyancing in Suffolk will be exactly what you pay, with no hidden costs*.
• Only working with conveyancing solicitors regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
• Never using complicated or unnecessary jargon but using plain English to explain what's going on.
• Offering no-completion protection offer so there are no legal fees to pay if your transaction fails to complete for any reason.
• Putting you first: we've had hundreds of positive Trustpilot reviews, which show our high levels of customer satisfaction.

*Your quote from Homeward Legal will cover common conveyancing costs in line with the information you've provided to us. Depending on the specific circumstances of your transaction, and after discussion with your solicitor, there may be additional non-standard fees which would be in addition to the fee quoted by Homeward Legal.

How much does conveyancing in Suffolk cost?

There is no one-price-fits-all when it comes to conveyancing in Suffolk because each transaction is unique. The final bill will depend on several factors, such as the value of the property involved. A Suffolk conveyancing transaction for buying and selling will include solicitors' and Land Registry fees, while a buyer will also have costs for a surveyor and must pay Stamp Duty Land Tax*. A final bill will also include fees for searches and bank transfers. We've prepared a guide to average conveyancing fees in 2020 to tell you all you need to know about costs.

*Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a stamp duty holiday in July 2020, which applies to properties up to a value of £500,000 in England and Northern Ireland until March 31, 2021.

Where are Suffolk's best home-mover destinations?

Three Suffolk locations had the honour of being named in the 2020 Sunday Times' Best Places to Live in the UK. Perennial charmer Bury St Edmonds was described as “Suffolk's loveliest town” by the judges; Dedham Vale attracted attention as a “very English rural idyll”; and Woodbridge was a “delight”.

Among the other most sought-after locations in the county are Southwold and Newmarket, most famous, of course, for its racecourse but also an attractive place to live.

Ipswich is the county's biggest town and has lots to offer home movers, from terraced Georgian and Victorian properties to newbuild developments and a regenerated waterfront. There's a similar story in the two port towns of Felixstowe and Lowestoft.

For more rural locations, look to villages such as Codenham, Ixworth, Cavendish and Pakenham.

How much does an average property cost in Suffolk?

Suffolk's popularity ensures that its property prices are particularly buoyant. According to the Land Registry, which compiles monthly data on sold property prices, the average home in Suffolk will cost £247,796. That compares to an English average of £256,109. There are five council areas within Suffolk, and a breakdown of average property prices in each shows the price disparity across the county. The most expensive area to buy in is Mid Suffolk, where the average home costs £267,362; in Babergh, which includes Dedham Vale, the average home will cost £278,691; West Suffolk, including Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, is the third most expensive for property at £261,091; East Suffolk, home to Southwold, has a price average of £250,166; and Ipswich is the county's most affordable spot with a house price average of £199,011.

Is conveyancing in Suffolk slower when buying a leasehold property?

There are around four million leasehold properties across England and Wales, a type of property tenure that can sometimes cause complications in conveyancing. Leasehold means a homeowner only owns the property itself but not the land on which it stands. Instead the homeowner will lease the land for a specific period, often decades or longer, from the freeholder or landowner. When buying, you have to be certain of your legal rights and of how long you are entitled to live in your new home. To make sure of that, a Suffolk conveyancing solicitor will ask the freeholder for a leasehold information pack. Any delay in returning this information will impact on how quickly your transaction can complete. Find out more in our guide to buying leasehold.

Which council has control of schooling in Suffolk?

Suffolk County Council is the local authority responsible for providing state education services across the county. Suffolk also has a large selection of independent and academy schools. To find out the Ofsted ranking of all local schools, use the government's school comparison website.

Is there an increased flood risk for property in Suffolk?

All areas of England have fallen victim to unexpected flood events because of heavy rainfall and storms. For peace of mind about your property purchase, ask your Suffolk conveyancing solicitor to instruct a flood-risk search. The Environment Agency guide to flood risk is a helpful resource for house hunters, too.

What searches do I need for Suffolk conveyancing?

Your Suffolk conveyancing solicitor will talk you through the essential searches required to complete a property purchase. You can also read our informative guide to all searches. Some of the most common include a local authority search, which will detail planning consents and information about proposed roads or developments. This search is also useful for information on conservation areas, such as Bury St Edmunds and areas of Felixstowe. An environmental search deals with contaminated land, usually former industrial or landfill sites and reclaimed brownfield sites used for new developments. A Suffolk conveyancing solicitor will explain if a home buyer needs a chancel repair liability search. This covers the historic charge dating back to the creation of the Church of England. You can find out more about chancel repair liability in our detailed guide.

What are transport links like in Suffolk?

Suffolk is easily accessible by road, rail and bus. Greater Anglia and East Midlands Trains provide rail services, with a journey from London Liverpool Street to Ipswich taking around 75 minutes. There is no motorway in the county, but the A11, A12 and A14 are the main road arteries connecting Suffolk to its neighbours Essex, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk. Suffolk on Board has more information on all public transport across the county.

The nearest airports for Suffolk travellers are Stansted and Norwich, both within around an hour's drive.