Find a Lender-Approved Local Conveyancer in Washington

Ready to buy a new home? Find a law firm approved by your lender.

Selecting the right solicitor is the most important decision when it comes to your Washington house move

Reasons to use our Washington conveyancing solicitors

  • 1 Washington property lawyers have a significant advantage when it comes to Washington conveyancing as they have valuable local knowledge of local authority requirements, planning policies and other matters that can impact your sale or purchase
  • 2 This site is the only site that enables you the ability to check that your property ownership legalities in Washington will be conducted by a solicitor on your mortgage lender’s conveyancing panel.
  • 3 Notwithstanding what other lawyers advise it may be important to pop into your lawyer to sign documents. Too many 3rd parties are already involved in a homemove without having to add the postman into the equation.
  • 4 Our site offers largest residential conveyancing directory listing bank approved law firms conducting conveyancing in Washington governed by the SRA or Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
  • 5 There is a better than average chance that the the conveyancers for the other party have offices in Washington - if so both parties will be on good working terms

Examples of recent conveyancing in Washington since December 2024*

Transfer

of terraced property, Morris Street, NE37 2TQ completing on 17/01/2025 at a price of £70,000. The conveyancing process incorporates some of the following tasks: drafting the sale agreement and Transfer, sending conveyancing papers to buyers representatives, agreeing completion date with parties

Sale

of house premises, West Bridge Street, DH4 7PZ completing on 22/01/2025 at a price of £187,000. The conveyancing process included amongst the various tasks: drafting the sale agreement and Transfer, sending the transfer to the vendor for signature in readiness for completion, preparing statement detailing charges

Transfer

of detached residence residence, Vigo Lane, NE38 9AH completing on 17/01/2025 at a price of £175,000. The legal transfer of property incorporates some of the following tasks: drafting the sale agreement and Transfer, ordering official copies of the title, setting up the completion formalities

Sale

of terraced residence, Gladstone Terrace, DH4 7PJ completing on 24/01/2025 at a price of £98,815. The conveyancing process included amongst the various tasks: sending the transfer to the seller for execution in preparation for completion, taking formal instructions from and updating the seller client, ordering official copies of the title

Recently asked questions about conveyancing in Washington

Please help. My Washington solicitor is assuring me that he is legally obliged toapply for Washington conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Santandersolicitor panel. Is my lawyer correct?

You have limited options available to you. As you are obtaining a mortgage with a mortgage company your conveyancing practitioner has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Washington conveyancing searches.

I just bought a house at auction in Washington. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Given that you are now to in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you will need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner as a matter of urgency as you are facing a fast approaching a fixed date to complete the deal. An auction property will ordinarily have an associated legal set of papers. This should include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. In the case of leasehold premises the auction papers should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation relating to a leasehold property. You need to give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that that you have the requisite funding organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

I am purchasing a property in Washington. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Clydesdale have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with Clydesdale your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Clydesdale. The CML Handbook includes minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Clydesdale where a lease does not satisfy these specifications. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Washington.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Washington. I have a mortgage offer with Bank of Ireland. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.

My wife and I have a renovated Edwardian property in Washington. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Godiva Mortgages Ltd. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the matching address. Is it worth asking Godiva Mortgages Ltd to clarify?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Washington and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also check the position with your conveyancing practitioner who conducted the work.

Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Washington in advance of appointing conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. Our surveyor advised that some lenders tend refuse to issue a mortgage on this type of property.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Washington. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Washington to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

As co-executor for the will of my father I am selling a house in Swansea but live in Washington. My lawyer (approximately 235 kilometers awayneeds me to execute a statutory declaration ahead of completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Washington to attest and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Washington based

Our solicitor in Washington has uncovered a defect with the lease for the apartment we are buying in Washington. The seller’s lawyers have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that as he is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel he must check that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. A precondition to being on the mortgage company approved panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

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Sample of conveyancing solicitors in Washington regulated by the SRA

It is important to note that the listed firms do not limit their work for conveyancing in Washington but also conveyancing throughout England and Wales.

  • K Boswell & Co, 15/16 Arndale House, Concord, Washington, Tyne and Wear, NE37 2SW
  • John Bayles & Co, 26 Harraton Terrace, Durham Road, Birtley, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 2QG
  • Richmond Anderson Goudie Part Of The Richmond Partnership, Flake Cottages, Cone Terrace, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 3TA
  • Nigel J Humes & Co, 3-5 High Chare, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 3PX
  • Gordon Brown Law Firm Llp, Mains House, 143 Front Street, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 3AU

Residential Landlord and Tenant Conveyancing solicitors in Washington

The list below is a small selection of solicitors in Washington with expertise in landlord and tenant law and on the regulations governing different types of tenancies. This should include advice on Service charge disputes

  • Richmond Anderson Goudie Part Of The Richmond Partnership, Flake Cottages, Cone Terrace, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 3TA
  • Gordon Brown Law Firm Llp, Mains House, 143 Front Street, Chester Le Street, County Durham, DH3 3AU
  • Hodgson Coulthard & Co, Glendale House, 10 Church Street, Houghton Le Spring, Tyne and Wear, DH4 4DN
  • John Donkin Solicitors Limited, Unit 9 Concept 2000, Sunderland Road, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE10 9LQ
  • Sweeney Miller Llp, Mowbray Villas, Mowbray Road, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR2 7EA

Planning law solicitors in Washington regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority

The firms listed below are a small selection of solicitors in Washington practicing in planning law. This could include advice on making sure people do what the planning regulations say
  • Longden Walker And Renney (solicitors) Limited, 14 John Street, Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, SR1 1HZ
  • Ward Hadaway, Sandgate House, 102 Quayside, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE1 3DX

*Source acknowledgement: House price data produced by Land Registry as well data supplied by Lexsure Ltd.

© Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of Land Registry under delegated authority from the Controller of HMSO.