Head of real estate and commercial law practice
Specialist in the field of commercial law and process. Real estate, construction support; land law and protection of property ownership.
Support for the purchase of real estate (apartment, house) in the UK
Our law firm helps Ukrainians and foreigners purchase real estate in the UK as safely and quickly as possible. Given the complexity of the country’s real estate legislation, legal support will be both useful and necessary for you. A real estate lawyer will be able to protect you from possible risks, guarantee the legality of the purchase and sale agreement for an apartment or house, and also save your precious time. We will talk about this in more detail in this article.
Advantages of purchasing an apartment or house in the UK

Buying real estate in the UK is one of the most profitable investments for foreigners, if only because it provides an opportunity to obtain a residence permit. The main advantages of such a deal are:
- reliability of legal protection for property owners from the UK government;
- the country’s investment attractiveness;
- increasing the likelihood of a positive decision on a long-term visa or obtaining citizenship of the country;
- creating more favorable conditions for buying and selling for first-time buyers (for example, exemption from paying SDLT (basic property tax), the availability of special Shared Ownership programs that help with mortgages, etc.).
How to choose real estate in the UK for purchase?
Choosing real estate is always a strategic decision. In the UK, it is better to focus on a number of the following criteria:
- general conditions for permanent residence (development of infrastructure, labor market, etc.);
- development of the Ukrainian community in the region (such cities can be Manchester, Bradford, Nottingham);
- budget accessibility (as a rule, cities near London are recommended, in particular Luton, Chatham, Basildon, Peterborough, Rugby, Kettering);
- quality of life in the region (the clear leader here will be the region of Scotland).
What does the procedure for buying real estate in the UK look like?
The process of buying real estate in the UK is unique and has its own characteristics. It is important to understand that the deal is considered official only after signing the contract, so before that point either party can refuse the purchase and sale. As a general rule, the following stages will need to be completed:
- negotiations and an offer. After searching and inspecting the property, you make an oral or written offer to the owner, after which the main agreements are discussed and documented;
- legal verification (audit) of the apartment and the seller. This stage begins immediately after the first negotiations. Therefore, the buyer can ask the seller to provide him with extracts from the registers to confirm the absence of encumbrances on the apartment, arrears in paying utility bills or real estate tax, the actual presence of ownership rights, etc. We also advise you to independently check the seller by contacting a real estate lawyer for the appropriate service;
- signing the contract and paying the first commission. If you are satisfied with the results of the verification and negotiations, then the finalization of the contract follows. If you used the services of a realtor and lawyer, you will need to pay a commission (for locals it can be 1.5-5% of the price of the purchase and sale agreement itself);
- registration of ownership of the housing and finalization of mandatory payments. Through a notary, who also certifies the transaction, you enter the information into the state real estate register and pay the remaining payments. When buying an apartment or house for the first time, you will need to pay stamp duty, the amount of which depends on the cost of the housing (£125,000 – 0%, £250,000 – 2%, £925,000 – 5%, £1,500,000 – 10%, over £1,500,000 – 12%), a commission for notary services (from 0.5% of the value of the object), a state duty for registration of rights (£40-£750, depending on the price).
What documents do you need to collect for a real estate purchase and sale agreement in the UK?
The specified procedure requires careful collection of documents from both the buyer and the seller. In order to carry out the procedure as correctly and legally as possible, it is necessary to prepare:
- firstly, a foreign passport (its copy with a notarized translation);
- secondly, confirmation of the address of residence (utility bill for the last 3 months);
- thirdly, documents confirming the source of funds (bank statements);
- fourthly, documents confirming income (certificates from the place of work, tax returns, etc.);
- fifthly, title documents for an apartment or house (certificate, extract from the register, general information about real estate form TA6);
- finally, documents drawn up in the process of a transaction with the seller (contract, deed of sale, receipt for payment of stamp duty).
Legal support for purchasing an apartment or house in the UK: what services do we provide?
Our company “Prikhodko & Partners” provides a full range of services to make the process of purchasing real estate in the UK safe and transparent. The main services of our lawyers include:
- consultations and clarification of legislation, tax obligations;
- comprehensive legal audit of the real estate object and the seller;
- drawing up and agreeing on a purchase and sale contract;
- support for registering the transaction in the state register.
The services of a lawyer to support the purchase of real estate in the UK will guarantee the reliability of your investment. To find out the cost of legal services, please fill out the form below.
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