Buying a House in Scotland: Step-by-Step Guide and Checklist
The steps to buying a house in Scotland, from the Home Report and closing dates to the missives and getting the...
6 min read
Guides
Conveyancing guides
Plain-English guides to buying, selling and remortgaging property in Scotland, written by our conveyancing solicitors.
Can You Make an Offer Without a Mortgage in Principle?
Yes, but in Scotland most selling agents will not put your offer forward without one. Why a mortgage in principle...
4 min read
Do First-Time Buyers Pay LBTT in Scotland?
First-time buyers in Scotland pay no LBTT on the first £175,000 of the price. Who qualifies for the relief, the...
4 min read
Do You Have to Declare Damp When Selling a House?
Yes, if you know about it. How damp is disclosed in Scotland through the Home Report and missives, selling a house...
5 min read
Does a Sea View Add Value to a House in Scotland?
A sea view usually adds value to a home, but by how much varies. What the latest figures show, and what to check...
3 min read
How to Evict a Commercial Tenant in Scotland
How landlords end a commercial lease in Scotland, from notice to quit and irritancy for unpaid rent to removing a...
5 min read
A Guide to Buying a House at Auction in Scotland
How buying a house at auction works in Scotland, when the contract becomes binding, the deposit and deadlines, and...
4 min read
How Quickly Can Conveyancing in Scotland Be Done?
Most Scottish purchases settle 4 to 8 weeks after the offer is accepted, and cash buyers can move faster. The...
6 min read
How to Get a Road Adopted in Scotland
How roads are adopted in Scotland, how to check if a road is adopted in Glasgow, Edinburgh or elsewhere, and what an...
5 min read
Neighbour Disputes in Scotland: Know Your Rights
Your rights in a neighbour dispute in Scotland, from boundaries and fences to high hedges, noise and shared repairs,...
5 min read
Restrictive Covenants and Real Burdens When Buying a House in Scotland
In Scotland, restrictive covenants are called real burdens. What they are, who can enforce them, and whether you...
5 min read
Save to Buy and Other First-Time Buyer Schemes in Scotland
What the Save to Buy scheme is, and the schemes that help first-time buyers in Scotland, from LIFT shared equity to...
5 min read
Selling a House in Scotland: A Step-by-Step Guide
How selling a house in Scotland works, from the Home Report and closing dates to the missives, settlement and your...
7 min read
Smoke and Fire Alarm Rules When Selling a Home in Scotland
Scotland's fire alarm law requires interlinked smoke and heat alarms in every home. What you need, and what it means...
4 min read
What Do Surveyors Look For During a House Survey?
What a surveyor checks in a Home Report survey, a mortgage valuation and a full building survey in Scotland, what...
5 min read
What Documents Do You Need to Sell a House in Scotland?
A checklist of the documents your solicitor needs to sell a house in Scotland, from ID and title deeds to the Home...
6 min read
What Does a Solicitor Do After Completion in Scotland?
After you get the keys, your solicitor still pays your LBTT, registers your title and mortgage, and sends your...
5 min read
What Happens if a Buyer Pulls Out of a House Sale in Scotland?
Before missives are concluded, a buyer can usually walk away. After that, the seller can claim losses. What happens...
5 min read
What Is a Deed of Variation? A Guide for Scotland
A deed of variation lets beneficiaries change who inherits after a death. How it works in Scotland, the two-year...
5 min read
What Is Gazundering, and Can It Happen in Scotland?
Gazundering is when a buyer lowers their offer late in a sale. Why it is rarer in Scotland, when it can still...
4 min read
What Legal Issues Delay Property Purchases in Scotland?
The legal issues that most often delay property purchases in Scotland, from missing completion certificates to title...
5 min read
What Surveys Do I Need When Buying or Selling in Scotland?
Which surveys you need to buy or sell a home in Scotland, from the Home Report and mortgage valuation to building...
5 min read
Additional Dwelling Supplement Explained
ADS in Scotland is 8% of the full price on a second home or buy-to-let. When it applies, the £40,000 rule, and how...
5 min read
How long does it take to conclude missives for a property in Scotland?
Missives in Scotland are often concluded weeks after an offer is accepted, sometimes days before entry. What they...
9 min read
What Do You Legally Have to Disclose When Selling a House?
What sellers must disclose, from Scotland's Home Report to deaths, bad neighbours and damp, and what happens if you...
8 min read
Do you pay conveyancing solicitor fees if the house sale falls through?
Usually yes, for the work already done, plus any outlays. When you pay conveyancing fees in Scotland, and who pays...
6 min read
How Long Are You Liable After Selling a House?
In Scotland, most seller obligations in the missives end two years after settlement, but misrepresentation claims...
5 min read
How Long Does It Take to Release Mortgage Funds from a Mortgage Lender?
Most lenders need your solicitor's request 2 to 5 working days before settlement and send funds the day before or on...
5 min read
How Much Deposit Do You Need for a Mortgage When Buying a Home in Scotland?
Most lenders need at least 5% of the price, but the Home Report valuation, LBTT and legal costs matter too. How...
9 min read
Once you make an offer for a house in Scotland, is it legally binding?
No. A house sale in Scotland only becomes legally binding when missives are concluded. When you can pull out, and...
6 min read
What are the Scottish Standard Clauses?
The Scottish Standard Clauses (Edition 6) form most home sale contracts in Scotland. What they cover, what changed...
5 min read
What Searches Does a Solicitor Carry Out When Buying Property in Scotland?
The searches a solicitor checks when you buy in Scotland, including the property enquiry certificate, legal report...
8 min read
What time do you get keys on completion day in Scotland?
Most buyers in Scotland get their keys around midday on the date of entry. When funds move, where to collect the...
7 min read
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