Buying and Selling Property

• 01. Introduction

• This leaflet explains your legal rights and tells you how to deal with many of the common problems you may have with buying or selling a house or...

• 02. Dealing with estate agents

• If you are buying or selling a house or flat, your first contact will probably be with an estate agent. Many agents belong to the National Association of Estate Agents (listed in 'Further help') which has a code of practice for its members. When you make...

• 03. Offers, exchange of contracts and completion

• If you are buying and you make an offer for a particular house or flat, you should make sure the offer is 'subject to contract'. This means that if a survey shows up a defect or there is some other problem, you can pull out of the deal. The estate agent may...

• 04. What the price should include

• The items normally included with a property when it is sold are often called 'fixtures and fittings'. There can be arguments over whether things like light fittings or built-in furniture should be: taken away by the seller; included in the sale; or ...

• 05. Problems with solicitors and conveyancers

• If you have had poor service from your solicitor or licensed conveyancer, and they haven't dealt with your complaint satisfactorily, you can do the following: For a solicitor, you can complain to the Law Society's Consumer Complaints Service (CCS) (see '...

• 06. Problems with the survey

• There are three different types of survey and they will give you different amounts of information and detail. A valuation carried out by a mortgage lender has the least amount of information. It is only done to see if the price you have offered is close...

• 07. Buying a newly-built home

• If you are buying a house that is less than ten years old, it may be covered by a National House Building Council Buildmark scheme, or some other warranty. The warranty will transfer to a new owner, but will only cover defects that appear after the house has...

• 08. Leasehold and freehold properties

• If you buy the freehold of a property, you own both your home and the ground it stands on. Most flats and some houses are sold leasehold. This means you own your home for the period of the lease, and you have to pay ground rent to the freeholder (or their...

• 09. Mortgage and money problems

• A mortgage is a loan secured on a property, which means that you cannot sell the property without repaying the loan. If you do not keep up your repayments, the lender ultimately has the right to go to court for an order to repossess and sell your home. But...

• 10. Neighbour disputes and anti-social behaviour

• If you are buying your home, it is best to sort out any possible problems over boundaries (usually, problems about exactly where they are) before you exchange contracts with the seller. You should do this even if it delays the sale. If neighbours...

• 11. Further Help

• Shelter 24 hour advice and information line covering the whole of the UK phone: 0808 800 4444 ...

• 11. Further Help

• Shelter 24 hour advice and information line covering the whole of the UK phone: 0808 800 4444 The Shelternet website (advice and information - England only) Shelter also has a network of local Housing Aid Centres...