Buy to Let Conveyancing Solicitors

If you are considering a buy to let property investment, it is essential to ensure that the title and other legal issues are sound. Our buy to let conveyancing solicitors have many years of experience in dealing with investment properties, and we will carry out extensive due diligence work on your behalf.

"We pride ourselves on our close working relationships with our clients."

Emma Crocker
Partner

Call Emma on 01869 255904
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We know that buying or selling a buy to let property can be time sensitive, and we always aim to complete promptly. We have the expertise to handle any complications efficiently, and we work proactively to avoid delays wherever possible.

Our excellent service and commitment to client care is reflected in the fact that a majority of our clients come from recommendations from their families and friends.

Why choose Brethertons for buy to let conveyancing?

We have extensive experience in selling and buying a buy to let property and will ensure you have the guidance you need.
We hold the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme accreditation, which recognises the high standards of legal advice, client care, and risk management that we provide.
We have many clients who are landlords and investors, and we have a clear understanding of the unique needs of the sector. Where necessary, we work to meet tight deadlines and deal effectively with complex problems, including those relating to the legal title.
Our advice to you will be clear and pragmatic, and we will explain issues in plain English, ensuring you have the information you need to make informed decisions as necessary.
We are well-established in Banbury, Bicester, Rugby, and Cheltenham, and have extensive knowledge of the local areas and strong connections to local property professionals.

For more information on our services, see our conveyancing solicitors page.

Speak to our buy to let conveyancing solicitors in Banbury, Bicester, Rugby, and Cheltenham

For more information, please get in touch with our experienced buy to let solicitors in Banbury, Bicester, Rugby or Cheltenham today.

Our buy to let conveyancing services

Buying buy to let property

If you are purchasing an investment property, we can carry out the buy to let conveyancing, checking the legal title, going through search results in detail, and raising enquiries with the seller’s solicitor.

Selling buy to let property

We know that you may not have extensive personal knowledge of a buy to let property, and if we represent you in a buy to let sale, we will make this clear to the buyer’s solicitor. We always aim to move a transaction forward efficiently, and we will follow up regularly, aiming for an early exchange of contracts.

Property title checks

If you are buying a property, we will go through the legal title in depth, drawing your attention to any areas of concern, and checking details with the seller’s solicitor as necessary. We will ensure that there are no restrictive covenants that could affect the way you want to use the property.

Buy to let mortgages

If you are taking out a buy to let mortgage, we can report to your lender on the property, confirming that it meets their requirements, and requesting funds in readiness for completion. We regularly deal with a wide range of buy to let mortgage lenders, and we have a clear understanding of their rules and procedures.

Landlord and tenant issues

We offer a full service for landlords, including advising on the running of tenancies, guidance on legal compliance, and representation in landlord and tenant disputes.

Local authority and property searches

If you are buying a buy to let property, we will ensure that we obtain local authority and property searches, and go through the results in detail, discussing the results with you, and identifying any unusual points.

Frequently asked questions about buy to let conveyancing

What is buy to let property?

Buy to let property is purchased for the purposes of renting to a third party. It is often someone’s second or subsequent property, which means that there are several legal implications. For example, higher stamp duty will be payable, different insurance will be necessary, a special buy to let mortgage will be required, capital gains tax is payable on a sale, and there are numerous legal requirements when dealing with a tenant.

What is the minimum deposit required for a buy to let mortgage?

Lenders’ criteria vary, but the minimum deposit for a buy to let purchase is generally between 20% and 40%, with 25% common.

What are the stamp duty implications when purchasing a second property for rent?

There is a 5% minimum surcharge on stamp duty land tax for properties in England and Northern Ireland. Wales and Scotland have separate rules. The surcharge is paid on the full property price, and increases with the value of the property, so that part of the value may be charged at 7%, then 10%, and so on for more expensive properties.

What are the key legal responsibilities of a buy to let landlord?

There are numerous legal responsibilities for buy to let landlords, and it is essential to comply with these, or you could face legal claims, a criminal charge, or lose some of your rights. Key legal requirements include:

Carrying out gas and electrical safety checks and providing the tenant with certificates, including an annual gas safety check and five-yearly electrical safety checks.
Smoke alarms on each level and carbon monoxide alarms located near heating appliances.
Fire safety compliant furniture and exits.
Repairs and maintenance to keep the property habitable.
Provision of the ‘How to Rent’ guide.
Provision of an Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC.
Protection of the deposit in a government-approved deposit protection scheme, and providing the tenant with details of this.
Verification of the tenant’s immigration status and right to rent.

In addition, you need to consider issues like the correct level of buildings and landlord insurance, dealing with rent increases, liaising with the tenant in the correct way if you need access to inspect the property or carry out work, and complying with any rules or regulations, such as those imposed by the local authority, freeholder, or management company.

You also need to understand the tax implications of owning a buy to let property, including the requirement to pay income tax and capital gains tax.

Are there specific insurance requirements for rental properties compared to residential?

If you have a mortgage, you must ensure that you have adequate buildings insurance, as specified in your mortgage offer. Your insurance policy must be a buy to let insurance policy, not an ordinary buildings insurance policy. It should cover additional issues such as public liability.

You can also insure against a range of landlord-specific risks, such as damage to contents, loss of rent, and legal expenses.

What is the process for evicting a tenant from a rental property?

Once so-called ‘no-fault’ evictions end, tenant eviction will be dealt with under Section 8 of the Housing Act 1988. You will need to establish a reason for needing to evict the tenant, such as non-payment of rent or anti-social behaviour.

A formal Section 8 notice in the correct format must be served on the tenant, giving them a period in which to remedy matters, which is generally at least two weeks.

If the tenant fails to resolve the situation, then you can apply to the courts for a possession order. If this is granted, the tenant should leave. If they fail to do so, the next step is to obtain a warrant of possession, which allows bailiffs or high court enforcement officers to evict the tenant.

There are strict rules surrounding eviction, and you should check that you have the correct grounds before proceedings and ensure that the right legal process is followed throughout. We represent clients in tenant eviction and can take on the job on your behalf where necessary.

What are the risks associated with buy to let property investment?

If you cannot let the property, you will be without an income from your investment for a while, and this can cause difficulties if you have a buy to let mortgage to cover.

If the tenant is difficult and you need to evict them, for example, for anti-social behaviour or non-payment of the rent, this can be stressful and time-consuming.

There is continual work to do on the compliance front, which can be onerous, including arranging safety checks and carrying out maintenance and repairs.

You should also budget for some time without a tenant, as it may take you a while to find a new tenant if someone leaves.

How long does it typically take to complete the purchase of a buy to let property?

The time taken for buy to let conveyancing can be quicker than normal conveyancing in some situations, for example, if you are a cash buyer and there is no chain. We know that landlords often want to complete promptly, and we always work proactively to meet deadlines. However, if there is a chain involved, then the transaction will move at the pace of the slowest link, and it could take several months to complete.

Contact our buy to let conveyancing solicitors in Banbury, Bicester, Rugby, and Cheltenham

If you need experienced buy to let solicitors, contact our team at Brethertons today. Our buy to let conveyancing solicitors in Banbury, Bicester, Rugby, and Cheltenham will guide you through the process from start to finish.

Brethertons were friendly, efficient and kept me informed at all times. I was confident that he would do what he said he would do. To my great delight he did exactly that! A job well done.
David Leytham
Emma Crocker and Steven Neasham were fantastic, kept me informed of what was happening, chased people relentlessly and made sure I understood what things were
Brethertons made the purchase of our first house incredibly straightforward and stress free. We were kept very well informed throughout, and they even put up with all our ignorant questions without complaining! Thank you.
Murray Naish
Buying a home can be very stressful because of the sums involved and the number of variables - Steven's expertise and communicative approach made the process a pleasure.
James Peake
Going through this house sale was my first experience as executor and selling a house I found it was made very smooth and straightforward by Brethertons.
Brethertons has done a great job on our house sale. Due to our property being in a development maintained by a property management company, I was concerned about the potential delays that might cause but I provided Brethertons with some important information early on and she made sure that all aspects proceeded smoothly. Overall, very happy with the sale and had no hesitation in asking Brethertons to deal with our house purchase.ï»¿
Haythem Al-Kishtaini
As with our previous experience of Brethertons we enjoyed a highly efficient, knowledgeable, approachable and helpful service. Many thanks.
Erica Forrest-Owen
Brethertons did a fantastic job with the sale and purchase of properties. The communication is quick, efficient and approachable. We had a nightmare waiting for our onwards purchase and the sellers solicitors were shockingly bad. Thankfully, Brethertons were on it throughout and constantly chased on our behalf.
Special shout out to Leo who was so prompt at replying to queries and nothing was too much trouble. Really appreciate the hard work that was put in
Thanks!!
Good, clear and regular communication, chasing of other parties. Very high level of service.
Thanks Steven for such excellent service once again. We'll be back.
Christine Hanlon
All l can say is that from everyone, l received fantastic service, and please can l ask you to pass the feedback to them personally.
Brethertons managed our case. Very professionally and kept us informed at all times.
ï»¿Superb service which gave me confidence in the smooth process of my house sale and purchase. My thanks go to all involved.
We look forward to working with Brethertons as our local solicitors of choice for any legal matters we may have.
The Brethertons team exceeded my expectations and couldn't have been more helpful.
Once again, l would like to praise Leo Deane. He was very efficient and a pleasure to deal with - Thank You.
We found the staff at Banbury were very friendly and helpful. Leo Deane was very good.
Keep doing what you're doing!ï»¿
I cannot recommend Leo and Lewis enough at Brethertons, having worked in the business for over 20 years I know how a transaction should progress if the legal representation is knowledgeable and Leo and Lewis did not let me down. There legal expertise is excellent, they are friendly, personable and easy to deal with. Five stars all the way
Please keep the personal approach, as l find this very important rather than leaving everything to be notified on Email etc.
I was very happy and my agents commented at the start of your reputation of efficiency. Always got back to my calls and emails. Made the process very easy - Thanks!
What a great team, so pleased we went with Brethertons. Expensive, but worth the extra money, great with all the detail and always available to chat through our concerns and keep us posted.
Brilliant service. Always took/returned calls promptly, efficiently & kept me informed. Totally reliable and very friendly.
I have used diators services pretty frequently and I must say this was if not the best. The ability professionalism and determination to make progress when our purchaser's solicitors were inefficient. I would recommend Brethertons without hesitation.ï»¿
At this time cannot see any need for improvement. Totally satisfied with our experience of dealing with Brethertons.
I have nothing but praise for Brethertons in Banbury.
Keep up the good work. You are doing a grand job.
Excellent level of service. Would definitely use again and would recommend highly.
I feel the level of service given to me was excellent with friendly, efficient, professional and caring staff.
definitely use again and recommend. Thank you Brethertons. Amazing job.
Carry on! Very good job. I am truly satisfied with the service provided. It has been refreshing to deal with professional people who get a good job done. Thank you for making a stressful time stress free.
It's hard to think of how you can improve on perfection. I really, honestly cannot think of any way brethertons can be improved, which is unlike me. I just hope you continue to be as good as you are. It is a pleasure to say when people ask who did you use? I feel proud to say Brethertons of course, the best.
We have used Brethertons many times - Wills, POA, Conveyancing etc. Always handled professionally.
Brethertons have given excellent service in the past and this time was just as good if not better.