Was the extension built with planning permission, and does the loft conversion have a building regulations certificate? Those two questions hold up more house sales in Bexley than anything else, because the borough's 1930s semis have been extended, converted and knocked through for ninety years, not always with the paperwork to prove it. Property solicitors in Bexley spend a lot of time on enquiries, indemnity policies and retrospective consents, and a seller who gathers the certificates before going on the market saves weeks.
Freehold houses are the norm, from the semis of Bexleyheath, Welling and Blackfen to the larger homes of Sidcup, Old Bexley and Barnehurst, and the conveyancing is traditional: searches, enquiries, chains that often run into Kent, and the occasional boundary or shared driveway dispute. Leasehold is rarer but has its own problems: retirement flats in Sidcup and Bexleyheath with service charges, event fees on resale and a management company to deal with; new flats at Erith, Crayford and around Abbey Wood, where the Elizabeth line has brought developers and higher prices; and right-to-buy maisonettes in Thamesmead. Transfers between generations, equity release and the sale of a parent's house to fund care are a steady part of the work.
Renting is a smaller market than in inner London but growing, with deposit and possession disputes to match. Commercially, Bexley's solicitors deal with leases and sales of industrial units in Erith and Belvedere, shop leases on Bexleyheath Broadway and Sidcup High Street, and land for the housing now being built on former industrial sites along the river.
Conveyancing is nearly always fixed-fee; ask for searches, Land Registry fees and stamp duty to be shown separately.
Property firms serving Bexley are listed below, verified first. Read what conveyancing involves, the legal fees for selling a house, neighbour disputes and the general property solicitors guide, or compare property solicitors in Greenwich next door.
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