Residential conveyancing
Buying or selling a house, apartment or site. We act for first-time buyers, investors and people downsizing. Each file gets a dedicated solicitor who answers your calls directly.
How a typical matter moves through our office
We think you should know what happens after you ring us. Here is the usual shape of a property file from first call to final registration.
1
Initial conversation
We spend 20 to 30 minutes on the phone or in person understanding your situation. There is no charge for this call. By the end of it you will know whether we can help and roughly what it will cost.
2
Written fee quote
Within two working days you receive a letter setting out our professional fee, the likely outlays (Land Registry fees, stamp duty, search costs) and a realistic timeline. Most residential conveyances take eight to twelve weeks from contract to closing.
3
Investigation and drafting
We raise requisitions on title, review planning permissions, check for rights of way and examine the folio. If something looks wrong we tell you straight away rather than burying it in a footnote.
4
Completion and registration
On closing day we handle the funds transfer, stamp the deed and lodge the application with the Property Registration Authority. You get a copy of the registered folio once it comes back, usually within six to ten weeks.
What we handle
Property law covers more ground than most people expect. These are the areas where we spend most of our time.
Commercial leases
Drafting, reviewing and negotiating leases for retail units, offices and industrial premises. We pay particular attention to break clauses, rent review mechanisms and repair obligations because those are where disputes usually start.
Boundary and right-of-way disputes
Neighbours rarely fight about fences for fun. When the Land Registry map does not match what is on the ground, we trace the title history, commission surveyor reports where needed and try to settle the matter before it reaches a courtroom. Where court is unavoidable we prepare the case for the Circuit Court.
Title registration and rectification
Unregistered land still exists in parts of Munster. We prepare first registration applications and deal with errors on existing folios, including applications under Section 49 of the Registration of Title Act 1964 for possessory title.
Planning objections and compliance
If a proposed development affects your property or if you need to regularise an unauthorised structure before sale, we draft submissions to the local authority and, where necessary, appeals to An Bord Pleanála.
Why property transactions go wrong
Most problems we fix could have been avoided. A buyer skips the pre-contract enquiries to speed things up. A seller forgets to mention the extension that was never granted planning permission. A landlord uses a template lease downloaded from a UK website that does not reflect Irish law.
The cost of sorting these issues after closing is almost always higher than the cost of getting proper advice beforehand. One client came to us after discovering a right of way across their new driveway that the vendor had not disclosed. The dispute took fourteen months and cost more than the original conveyancing fee would have been.
We are not trying to frighten you. We are saying that a few hundred euro spent on proper due diligence saves real money and real stress down the line.
Common questions
Things people ask us before they decide to instruct a solicitor.
Our professional fee for a straightforward house purchase typically falls between €1,500 and €2,200 plus VAT, depending on the price of the property and the complexity of the title. Outlays such as Land Registry fees, search fees and stamp duty are on top of that. We give you a written breakdown before you commit to anything.
Yes. We act on property transactions across Munster and occasionally beyond. Conveyancing is largely a desk-based process so your solicitor does not need to be in the same town as the property. We handle files in Clare, Tipperary, Cork, Kerry and Waterford regularly.
Registered land has a folio in the Land Registry that records the owner, the map and any burdens (mortgages, easements). Unregistered land relies on a chain of title deeds going back at least fifteen years. Since compulsory registration was extended to all of Ireland in 2011, any dealing with unregistered land now triggers first registration. We handle both.
Strictly speaking, no. But a commercial lease is a binding contract that can lock you in for decades. We have seen tenants agree to upward-only rent reviews without realising what that means in a downturn. A solicitor review of the renewal terms takes a few hours and can save you thousands over the life of the lease.
It depends entirely on whether the other party is willing to negotiate. Some disputes settle within two or three months once both sides see the survey evidence. Others end up in the Circuit Court, which can take twelve to eighteen months from the date proceedings are issued. We always attempt a negotiated resolution first because court is expensive for everyone.
Talk to us about your property
Ring, email or fill in the form. We aim to respond within one working day. If your matter is urgent, phone is fastest.
553 Norberto Summit, V94 H2X8 Limerick, Munster, Ireland