Our Free Guide Library
Property law is one of those areas where a little knowledge goes a long way. Knowing the right question to ask, the right document to request or the right warning sign to look for can save thousands of pounds and weeks of stress. The trouble is that most of the information out there is either dense legal writing aimed at other lawyers, or thin marketing content aimed at selling you something.
We built this Resources Hub to bridge that gap. Everything here is written by the team at MJP Conveyancing, in plain English, with the genuine intention of helping you understand what is happening in your transaction. Our guides are free to download, free of jargon and free of pressure.
If you have a specific question that is not answered in any of our guides, please call us on 01603 877066 or email onboarding@mjpconveyancing.com. We answer the phone, which in modern conveyancing is rarer than it should be.
Buying and Selling Your Home Guides
Guides from MJP’s online property lawyers, helping you understand the key legal steps, checks and decisions involved in buying or selling your home.
A Short Guide to Selling a Home
A practical guide to selling your home smoothly, from instructing an agent through to handing over the keys.
Who it is for:
Anyone preparing to sell a residential property in England or Wales, whether your main home, a second home or a buy-to-let.
Inside this guide:
- Preparing your home for sale: presentation, kerb appeal and paperwork.
- Choosing the right estate agent and avoiding inflated valuations.
- Setting the right asking price using Land Registry data.
- Receiving and negotiating offers, and qualifying buyers properly.
- The Property Information Forms (TA6, TA7 and TA10) explained.
- The conveyancing process from a seller’s perspective.
- Tax considerations, including Capital Gains Tax on second homes.
- The full costs of selling, including Early Repayment Charges.
- Common mistakes sellers make and how to avoid them.
- A top tips checklist for every stage of the sale.
Download the Selling Your Home Guide (free PDF, approximately 16 pages)
Most Popular: The Complete First Time Buyers Guide
Everything you need to know about buying your first home, from saving the deposit to picking up the keys.
Who it is for:
Anyone buying a property in England or Wales for the first time. Particularly useful if you are six to twelve months away from making your first offer.
Inside this guide:
- Are you ready to buy? A simple readiness check.
- Buying with a partner: Joint Tenants, Tenants in Common and Declarations of Trust.
- Saving for your deposit, including the Lifetime ISA explained.
- Schemes that can help you buy: Shared Ownership, First Homes and more.
- Getting mortgage ready and choosing the right mortgage type.
- Finding the right property and researching the area.
- Making an offer and managing the chain.
- Buying a new build or leasehold property.
- The conveyancing process explained step by step.
- Protecting yourself from conveyancing fraud.
- A worked timeline example, week by week.
- The costs you need to budget for, including a Stamp Duty worked examples table.
- What to do when things go wrong.
- Common mistakes first time buyers make.
- Your first year as a home owner.
- A full glossary and frequently asked questions.
Download the First Time Buyers Guide (free PDF, approximately 40 pages)
A Short Guide to Buying a Home
A focused guide for home movers, second home buyers and property investors across England and Wales.
Who it is for:
Experienced buyers who already own a property. Particularly useful if you are coordinating a sale and purchase or considering a second home or buy-to-let.
Inside this guide:
- Selling first, buying first or aiming for a simultaneous move.
- Buying with someone else: ownership structures and Declarations of Trust.
- Funding your purchase: porting versus a new mortgage.
- Who works for whom in your transaction.
- Stamp Duty for movers and investors, with worked examples including the five per cent additional rate surcharge.
- The conveyancing process in seven clear steps.
- Protecting yourself from conveyancing fraud.
- What to do when things go wrong.
- A top tips checklist you can print and tick off.
Download the Buying a Home Guide (free PDF, approximately 14 pages)
Buying at auction?
Know the risks before you bid.
Auction purchases can move fast, and in many cases, you are legally committed as soon as the hammer falls. Download this guide to understand what to check before bidding, including the legal pack, finance, deposits, auction fees and the risks that could affect your purchase.
Remortgage and Ownership Guides
A short Guide to Joint borrowers and leasehold
Download this guide to understand how joint mortgages, ownership shares and leasehold requirements can affect your remortgage or property ownership. It covers lender consent, joint liability, title ownership, lease length, ground rent, service charges and the extra steps that can delay a leasehold transaction.
Remortgaging your home Guide
Download this guide to understand when switching mortgage could make sense, what costs to check, and how the legal process works if you move to a new lender. It also explains why the lowest headline rate is not always the cheapest deal overall.
Transferring equity Guide
Download this guide to understand how a transfer of equity works, including lender consent, mortgage responsibility, ownership shares, tax points and the legal steps involved in changing who owns your home.
Do Not Just Take Our Word For It
Our clients are the best judges of the service we provide. Below is a small selection of recent verified Google reviews.
Buy-to-Let Guides
MJP Conveyancing Client Guide
Rental rules have changed, and the risks are easy to miss. Download this guide to understand the key checks before exchange, including tenant rights, deposit issues, mortgage consent, lease restrictions and landlord compliance.
Other Useful Resources
Alongside our downloadable guides, the following pages on our website may also be useful.
Other Useful Resources
Alongside our downloadable guides, the following pages on our website may also be useful.
a complete overview of the residential conveyancing services we provide, including sales, purchases, remortgages and transfers of equity.
a clear step by step explainer of what happens during your transaction, from instruction through to post completion.
our transparent fixed fee pricing, the disbursements you can expect to pay and our No Sale, No Fee promise.
our dedicated landing page for first time buyers, with quote requests and access to the Complete Edition Guide.
Our regularly updated blog covers changes in property law, market trends and practical advice.
Move home faster with us today.
Have a Specific Question?
No guide can answer every question, and property law is rarely one size fits all. If you have a specific situation you would like to discuss, our team would be delighted to help. There is no charge for an initial conversation and no commitment to instruct us.
- Telephone: 01603 877066 or 01603 877067
- Email: onboarding@mjpconveyancing.com
- WhatsApp: 07354 846604
- Online: request a free fixed fee quote from any page on our website.
Why We Write These Guides
MJP Conveyancing has been guiding clients through residential property transactions since 2010. Every guide on this page is written by the same lawyers and senior conveyancers who handle live client files every day. The advice is grounded in the kinds of questions, mistakes and surprises we see again and again in practice.
We are an award winning, family run firm of online property lawyers based in Norwich and authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. We act for clients across the whole of England and Wales. Our investment in technology and our genuine commitment to clear communication mean that we are uniquely placed to demystify a process that most people only experience a handful of times in their lives.
Move home faster with us today.
Call for an instant quote: 01603 877067
Start your move with a conveyancing team that keeps everything clear, efficient and progressing from day one. With expert legal support, real-time updates and transparent pricing, you stay informed and in control at every stage.