Glossary | Winston Solicitors Skip to main content
  • A schedule listing the documents which set out the history of ownership of a property.

  • A road maintained by a local authority.

  • The amount of a mortgage loan on a property.

  • A formal document required to transfer ownership of property to a person entitled to it following the death of the owner.

  • A person appointed by someone to act for them either now or in the future, either if they have capacity or if they do not. This is usually under a General, Enduring or Lasting Power of Attorney.

  • As it is an offence for a bankrupt to obtain credit, if a mortgage is involved, an appropriate search is made against the names of the buyer by the buyer’s solicitors.

  • Approval by the local authority on the design and materials.

  • Someone who buys a property.

  • Where a seller is buying another property this leads to a chain of transactions, with some having many links.

  • On the day of completion the balance of the purchase price is paid by a transfer of funds between solicitors’ client accounts by electronic transfer. CHAPS means Clearing Houses Automated Payment System.

  • For example a cleared cheque, banker’s draft, cash, CHAPS, telegraphic transfer or BACS payment. The solicitor would require Cleared Funds in order to complete any purchase (or sale where there is negative equity).

  • Where two or more people jointly own a property and are legally entitled to it.

  • The moment when the buyer becomes the new owner of the seller’s house and the day the seller must have left the property.

  • This is the day that ownership of the property passes from the seller to the buyer.

  • A written calculation of all the receipts and payments due in respect of the transaction.

  • Land affected by contamination which could arise from a past use of a property (e.g. oil refinery) or by things stored on the property in the past (e.g. petrol station).

  • The form of legal agreement prepared in duplicate for signature by the seller and buyer setting out all the legal rights and obligations agreed between them.

  • A document transferring ownership of an unregistered property from one person to another.