4 Clarence Street, Staines-upon-Thames, TW18 4SP

MEET OUR SALES TEAM

The most rewarding part of my job as Managing Director is encouraging and developing my team and watching as they reach their full potential both individually and together. I also thoroughly enjoy welcoming past and new customers to the business.

Steven Harvey Founder & Managing Director
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MEET OUR SALES TEAM

The biggest satisfaction I get from my job is helping buyers find their dream home, using my knowledge and experience to make the move possible.

Simon Goodger Sales Manager
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MEET OUR SALES TEAM

I love my job when we hand the keys over to the new buyers, knowing that we have found them their ideal home, and when my clients selling thank me when we have managed to get them moved.

Jonathan Stanton Sales Director
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MEET OUR SALES TEAM

I enjoy building strong relationships with both the team and clients and love working for a local family business.

Ella Whitman Client & Marketing Co-ordinator
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MEET OUR SALES TEAM

Happiness is finding the perfect property for a buyer!

Jane Matthews Client & Marketing Co-ordinator
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MEET OUR SALES TEAM

I love helping people through major milestones, moving is a big part of people’s lives and I love how I can help people through that stressful period. I also love how every day isn’t the same and how rewarding it is to get people into their dream homes.

Ryan Mundy Senior Sales Consultant
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OASiS VALUES & WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY

I had a truly remarkable experience working with Oasis Estate Agents, and I couldn't recommend them highly enough. Ryan and Georgina, in particular, were exceptional in their approach, professionalism and friendly behaviour. Their expertise and knowledge were truly impressive, and they went above and beyond to ensure the sale of my property went smoothly. From the initial consultation to the final signing of the contract, they were always available to answer any questions I had and made the entire process stress-free. I'm truly grateful to the entire team at Oasis Estate Agents for their outstanding service, and I wouldn't hesitate to work with them again in the future
Jayesh Vorani
21:40 01 Mar 23
Oasis were absolutely fantastic with the sale of my flat. Jonathan, Georgina and the sales team made extra effort to ensure they were familiar with the property and had all the information ready to sell. Where a number of other agents failed to sell and made no effort, Oasis came up trumps and it sold! Even after that point, working with Aileen & Karen, their dedicated move managers, they couldn’t do enough to help me with solicitors delays and frustrating hurdles that came up along the way. Oasis certainly made a very stressful experience manageable and they did their best to resolve any issues. A five star team demonstrating five star service!
Rebecca Mullan
20:03 06 Jan 23
It's my first time moving out and Oasis have been perfect. Other agents would either not get back to us and it would be quite difficult to get a hold of them to view a property.Krista has stayed in contact with me from the beginning and has been extremely kind and helpful, as well as staying in contact to ensure we can secure our interest in any of their properties without missing out. Thanks to Krista I was able to secure a very nice and cosy property with a surprisingly fast turnaround.I had a viewing at one property with Matt as well, and he was also very nice and helpful. Sometimes I would even call their office and once I did it before their working hours and Simon would always return my call to see if I still needed help, which I wasn't actually expecting.I have viewed two properties with Oasis, and they were both everything that was advertised, and I felt like I was getting a genuine experience with no doubt on my part.Oasis is a highly professional, kind, friendly and helpful agent and I'm really glad that I dealt with them especially as a first-time mover. Compared to other agents which didn't seem to care about my interest or have a decent standard with their properties, Oasis definitely stands above the rest
Samir Phillipson
08:48 27 Sep 22
Through my dealings with Jonathan Stanton and Ryan Munday I can only say I am impressed. Lovely, personable and helpful.Jonathan, in particular, was instrumental in driving resolution through innovative thinking and personal involvement and commitment. He was always available for me, a true gentleman, empathic, polite, highly professional.I was also impressed with the back office (Karen), for the communications and advice.Everything works well like clock work when you work with Jonathan and his Stains team; thank you very much for all the time, help, support and willingness to go the extra mile for your customers
Swan Thames
15:42 06 Sep 22
Through my dealings with Jonathan Stanton and Ryan Munday I can only say I am impressed. Lovely, personable and helpful.Jonathan in particular was instrumental in driving resolution through innovative thinking and personal involvement and commitment. He was always available for me, a true gentleman, empathic, polite, highly professional.I was also impressed with the back office (Karen), for the communications and advice.Everything works well like clock work when you work with Jonathan and his Stains team; thank you very much for all the time, help, support and willingness to go the extra mile for your customers
Swan Thames
09:13 05 Sep 22
Oasis was recommended to me by a friend who sold her property through them. I was not sure what estate agent to go with but I was not disappointed.All members of the team are friendly and very professional. From valuation, sale and after sales everyone was so very helpful.Johnathan Stanton who valued our home was excellent and such a nice person.The sales team Georgina, Ryan and Simon all so very presentable and professional.Karen and Aileen in the after sales team who were absolutely fantastic. Many times I got quite frustrated with my solicitor and they were always on the end of an email or phone for guidance and help. Thank you.It’s never an easy experience moving but I do think it helped having such an excellent estate agent.Well done Oasis Estate Agents and thank you all so very much
Andrea Copeland
16:44 30 Aug 22
Me and my family recently moved to England and we needed a house quickly. Contacted many agents with no good luck until we talked to Krista from Oasis Estate Agents. Krista was trully incredible. Quick responses, fast action and always keeping us updated. Matt was also great and they make an excellent team. Highly recommended! Xx
Karen Sleseris
09:04 30 Aug 22
Excellent service from Oasis. They made my purchase just painless. Georgina Fielder was amazing, always answering or returning my calls promptly with positive attitude. Just pleasure to speak to her even after the sale was sealed. Many thanks Georgina.
Ivica Pendaroski
11:45 26 Aug 22
I can thoroughly recommend Oasis Estate agents. They have recently sold 2 properties for me and I can't fault them! Communication, advice, decision-making and all-round helpfulness from the beginning of the process to the end has been amazing. The whole team have been great and it's been a pleasure working with them. Thank you!
Linda Grey
11:08 19 Aug 22
I would like to thank Georgina Fielder at the Staines branch of Oasis for helping me find my new house, it hasn't been an easy ride with me being out bid in the first instance. Luckily for me that purchase fell through and Georgina remember how much I wanted the house. She got in touch with me and I was able to secure the house which hopefully I will make into my forever home! Thank you for all your help Georgina.
Sallie Doyle
10:16 11 Aug 22
Krista and Matt were very helpful and supportive throughout. It genuinely felt like they were on our side and just as keen for us to find a place as we were. They respond to queries quickly and in a friendly way. Refreshingly down to earth estate agents.
Roddy Peters
17:43 09 Aug 22
Wonderfully professional company. Lots of contact, but not too much. Lovely attitude to our feedback. Ryan and his colleagues were so easy to deal with
maggie dodge
07:18 27 Jul 22
A superb service from start to finish. We had been looking for a property for a long time and Oasis helped us so much in our search. Matt and Krista were hard working, professional and incredibly diligent when it came to finding us the right properties to view that matched all our criteria. When it came to securing one that we were accepted for they were excellent and punctual in responding to all our questions and issues. We can’t thank them enough for finding our perfect home!
Daniyal and Liz
15:14 15 Jul 22
Highly recommend Oasis. Krista and Matt were an absolute dream to work with. It was a smooth, efficient process and they were both incredibly helpful and always available to cater to our needs.
Candice Plant
09:30 13 Jul 22
Overall a very positive experience with Oasis. When things did go awry they acted swiftly to correct them and listened to my concerns. The team has been really flexible and accomodating, making selling our house feel very supported and have been available to answer queries quickly at any stage of the process. The move manager, Aileen is a legend, literally so communicative and supportive, she kept momentum and always found the answers we requested and made nothing we requested seem like too much trouble. Jonathan and the team have worked well with us to do viewings and the open house and were respectful in coming into our home and they successfully sold it quickly. I would recommend Oasis for selling and would use them again if we were ever in that position locally. Their local knowledge and research prior to their visit really put other agents in the shade. For our onward purchase although not local, Jonathan gave us the benefit of his experience in the area, helped with our research and again quickly gave us reassurance and answers when we needed them.
Donna Lacey
10:46 05 Jul 22
very professional ,yet very friendly and helpful people at Oasis, we had a seamless transaction , no hassle , all went well as it should be.Booked views until we found what we were looking for, and every time Krista was always already there!! What a lovely team !!thank you Oasis team!
liviu andronache
06:59 25 Jun 22
Krista has been a truly professional agent, always ready to respond to every query of ours. She has made sure all our requests were met and it is largely thanks to her we are so excited to be moving to our new place. A wonderful person and a highly recommeded agent. Thank you, Krista!
Krista in the lettings team was very helpful. She made the process of finalising the property very easy for us and the landlord as well. Very prompt service! Thanks a ton!
NIRMAL .R govind
10:22 24 Jun 22
Krista was incredibly helpful and friendly with helping me and my partner with our move. She was very considerate with giving us a guided online tour since we are not from England when most estate agents were reluctant to do this. Highly recommend Oasis estate agents, always happy to answer our questions or guide us in the right direction when they are unsure.
Rachel Ewan
20:34 22 Jun 22
If I have to do my dissertation again I would work on this agency. Management is great and conguralations to Steven and all team. Ryan Mundy knew what we were looking for and helped a lot us to achieve our dream house. He has been fantastic. They are best in Staines and strongly recommend to expand their business to all Surrey. Country needs them..
Efe 84
06:21 31 May 22
I would like to thank Krista from the staines branch for helping me get my first home for me and my baby. she has been so helpful and kind from the start. thank you again for everything.
Hollie Higginson
09:07 13 May 22
Krista was extremely professional and efficient could not have received better service! I called up about a rental and within half an hour had a couple of viewings arranged for the same afternoon. She was so accommodating and helpful and her prompt response to my enquiry allowed me to secure the perfect place!
Sarah Staniforth
13:48 27 Apr 22
The team at Oasis have been fantastic with a special mention to Jonathan, Ryan, Karen and Aileen. From showing us around properties to helping us complete on our dream home the level of service and professionalism has been 5 star. Would recommend them to anyone moving in and around the area. Thank you for keeping us updated throughout this journey!
S Leyland
17:34 25 Apr 22
Matt and Krista in the lettings team are exceptionally professional and provide a very high level of service. They are super knowledgeable and experienced, which helps when being a first time landlord (or tenant). They take great care to ensure both the landlord and tenants are happy. All queries are dealt with efficiently and they do everything possible to reduce the burden on their clients. Looking forward to a long term relationship with Oasis.
Asa Fernandes
13:03 16 Apr 22
Oasis have been great so far in our house buying journey. Ryan was attentive, informative and an absolute professional all the way through. Our move has been managed by Aileen who has ensured momentum in getting us over line with the chain. We were always kept informed of developments and oasis have always been contactable which was reassuring. Oasis seem to be a well run business and we would recommend their services.
Nic Martin
09:11 08 Apr 22
We select Oasis as our agent according to its high feedback score and good experience working with them before. It is still the early stage this time but Oasis staff have already provided efficient and professional support, sound service, really appreciated! Hope everything will go smoothly during the whole contract period. Recommend to choose them!
Bo Wen
10:40 05 Apr 22
Jane and Aileen in Staines Upon Thames office have given us an incredible support during the process of buying our fist property. We wouldn't be able to complete it in such a short period of time without them! They listened to our needs and always came up with the best solution for the seller and us, buyers. Will definitely choose Oasis again when we are back on the house market!
Aleksandra Biernat
09:05 04 Apr 22
Krista was great, in helping me secure the appartment I wanted. Very professional, polite, and prompt in her replies.Mat was amazing too, and went the extra mile to help with whatever was needed.Overall a great experience, Highly recommend.
Katerina Dima
16:46 01 Apr 22
Overall I found that the staff at Oasis Estate Agent gave a very professional service when I sold my house and brought via them.Ryan Mundy was particularly professional and helpful in answering any queries that I had and getting back to me quickly if he was not available.
Tracy Kenward
06:12 01 Apr 22
Many thanks to Steven, Ryan and the selling team. Great customer experience from advertising, and selling my house to purchase my new one. They kept me updated all the way through and provided the needed support till the exchange. Can't wait to move to my new house. Thanks Stephanie.
S. M.
19:14 28 Feb 22
A professional and very helpful team. Always there to answer your questions and make renting a property easier for you. The whole process took less than 10 days and Krista dealt with all my requests very efficiently.
Athena Venios
10:36 28 Feb 22
Matt was very helpful and friendly from start to finish. He was quick with responding to all our needs making the move less stressful. Thank you for helping us settle into our new home.
Elke Dalla Venezia
11:30 25 Feb 22
A big thank you to Krista at Oasis estate agents in Staines. Krista has been a pleasure to communicate with and always provides a precise and quick response to and questions I have had. Krista was very quick to manage my request when viewing a property and providing all further details when making an offer on a property as well. I would most definitely recommend 5* experience. Thank you
Caz Creaney
17:58 24 Feb 22
Great purchase experience - we completed in just under 3 months this included the Xmas period, start to finish. Simon was very easy to deal with.
Karen Jones
06:12 05 Feb 22
I have known Oasis for nearly 17 years, and have always had a professional and caring experience with them. From renting from them in my early career days to purchasing few years later and to completing on my purchase today, I can say that it has been a highly assistive, very caring & highly responsive experience. No question is too small or too big, every query is responded to in detail and timely.Mr. Jonathan Stanton has been an excellent person to deal with, highly pleasurable and great communicator.Simon has been very caring to an extent that whilst I have been abroad working, and not myself in country through the exchange & completion process and will be away for another few weeks, Simon has been kind enough to visit the property periodically post exchange to check everything is alright and has even taken pics of meter readings and sent those out to me. That is some awesome effort and a demonstration of fantastic personalized care towards your customer base.Aileen Farr has been exceptional with her knowledge & experience, in addition a go-to person for any query you may have. Sometimes I have taken question which I should have been asking the Solicitors, and NEVER had a push back, rather continuous assistance and support. Karen has always been very helpful. I do not know of a time when I have called in the past 2 months and not had someone pick up the phone within 4-5 rings and have had calls professionally handled and always every time received a call back within a few minutes if not immediately spoken with.Thank you to a great OASIS team...
Tej Singh
15:13 04 Feb 22
We are first time buyers and although we haven't settled the purchase with Oasis, I wanted to leave a review. Ryan Mundy has been assisting us in looking for properties for some time now and he's been massively helpful. From explaining the complex procedure of buying a property to arranging multiple viewings for the property we liked, he was very responsive and forthcoming. They have been transparent, open and pleasant throughout our dealings with them.
Disha Ahluwalia
22:36 08 Dec 21
Simon and the team have been fantastic throughout the purchase of our new home.The whole team has been very accommodating, going above and beyond to help where possible.It’s made the whole process a lot easier for us.We would highly recommend using Oasis Estate agents.
Paul Burgess
21:36 05 Dec 21
Myself and my partner are first time renters and have been looking for a property for a good while. We finally found one we love and Krista Farnham has been amazing from the outset. She’s been super responsive and helpful and made sure everything has been smooth sailing for us. Not to mention the entire process has taken less than a week from start to finish! We can’t wait to move in and would highly recommend Oasis and Krista to anyone looking for a property to rent!
Georgia Ledbury
16:57 03 Dec 21
Jonathan, Simon and the team at Oasis Staines are a highly responsive agent that we would thoroughly recommend. I called Jonathan in a moment of need when our property sale fell through - within hours we had signed the instruction and the next day (a Saturday), photos and videos were taken. The next working day - with the team working late - the property was live. All agents that attended the property were professional, prompt and knowledgeable. If you're looking for an agent in Staines, you should definitely consider Oasis.
Adam Gogarty
20:20 06 Sep 21
Matthew and Krista both have been very professional and responsive all through the process of letting teo of my properties in Staines-Upon-Thames. A real pleasure to work with both. Strongly recommended.
Alain Mourad
13:10 27 Aug 21
For first time renters Oasis have been incredible. Keeping us up to date on the latest flats suiting our needs and then following up with us when we found a place. They answered all the questions quickly and were very nice about it. Felt very happy with the assistance and guidance we received. They also moved very quickly to get us into our place quicker than we could have imagined. Very professional and all round great experience. Would recommend to anyone
Georgia Rivers
12:10 26 Aug 21
We engaged Oasis to sell my parents home at a quite traumatic time, and found them to be professional, knowledgable, good communicators, as well as exceedingly helpful and showing a huge amount of empathy for the family circumstances. Jonathan and his team always came back to us very quickly regarding any query we had.
Paul Budge
16:23 12 Aug 21
Generally speaking as buyers we were happy about their service, considering also that we were first time buyers. They have been professional and the communication was kept open at all time. During the purchase a problem came up but it turned out to be not the agency's fault, and regardless, they handled the issue professionally and we were able to complete our purchase. I would strongly recommend Oasis 🙂
Chiara Bonvicini
22:23 06 Aug 21
Amending my review from 1 star to 4 star. I personally went on a visit with Oasis to view a property. The letting agent arrived early, as I had done, which was appreciated given the heat of that particular weekend.She was knowledgeable about the property and responsive to our questions. Although we did not ultimately put a holding deposit down I felt my first review was not representative of the overall professionalism that Oasis can offer, considering this viewing.I would be happy to deal with them again.
Johnathan Dickinson
09:37 21 Jul 21
We just bought our first home and had no previous experience of the entire process. From the beginning we had a great experience with Oasis.Adele found and showed us some great home - one of which was the one we ended up buying. She was absolutely lovely and answered all our questions about each property.Simon helped us to secure our home when we rang with our offer and helped answer queries, as well as Jonathan, who was very kind and helpful throughout.The biggest thank you however has to go to Aileen and Karen - who worked their magic and made sure we managed to beat the stamp duty despite the tight schedule. Could not have done it without them chasing up the seller and the seller's solicitors at crucial times to ensure everything ran on time and went smoothly.I could not recommend Oasis more, and have not had a single bad experience with the. They are friendly, kind, professional and great at communication. They made a very stressful journey so much better.Thank you!
Fiammetta
17:27 30 Jun 21
I'm SO GLAD I went with Oasis for the sale of my property, and also relieved I was buying through them too.They're absolutely brilliant, the best in the area by miles.Simon & team orchestrated the sale of my house with such professionalism & expertise, achieving well above asking price in less than a week.And the move team were incredible, I really don't think we'd have hit our deadline without Karen & Aileen pushing it through - they have such a lot of experience, really understanding the industry, how to deal with solicitors & make sure things happen.And lastly they were so personable - I trusted everyone I dealt with, and they made me feel really valued, returning every call & email & supporting me through the whole stressful process.
Jo
08:11 22 Jun 21
Excellent service. I dealt with Krista who helped me find my property & went out of her way to answer all my questions (which was a lot!). She kept me updated with lots of information. Very good service & response time was great. Highly recommend.
Gemma Poole
09:25 10 Jun 21
I was looking to move and I found this awesome agency. The Agent Cameron Mackenzie help me to get the house I wanted, and he was very very nice and 100% professional. I’m so thankfull . Thank you so much Cameron, you are the best agent So far, you do the renting process a lot of easier and successful. Now I’m living in my dream house and everything of the house is beautiful. I recommend for sure this agency❤️
Dany Ramos
17:43 08 Jun 21
We put our property on market through 2 agents and sold through Oasis recently. We also bought house from them years ago. I fully agreed with their automated voice message saying that "Oasis is refreshingly different." They are highly professional, proactive and very responsive. Unlike most agents, they are prepared to go extra miles for customers. Jonathan Stanton is a top salesman and negotiator. He is excellent in his job and certainly a valuable asset to Oasis.
Yasmin S
14:50 12 May 21
My experience of Oasis is that this is a professional, process led and well equipped firm.The propert market can easily be a nightmare. For agents barriers to entry are few. Oasis are an impressive operation. Their efforts run through well beyond agreement of sale. Their people are knowledgeable, informed and suitably equipped.Out own sale and purchase would not have happened without a very capable agent.I am eternally grateful to Stephen, Aileen and Jonathon for pulling success from the jaws of defeat.
Having spoken to a couple of other agencies and having had previous viewings, Cameron by far provided the best service from the outset and throughout. At the viewing he was able to answer all of our questions and provided guidance to the renting process. As first time renters, this was invaluable. In addition, Cameron made the whole process as smooth as possible. I would recommend Cameron to anyone who is looking for great service, guidance and a seamless process when property hunting. Thank you.
Camilla Simpson
11:15 17 Apr 21
Outstanding service! I have dealt with many real estate agents over the years across different countries. My experience with Oasis has been by far the best. The team are absolutely focused, responsive and go the extra mile to help. Many thanks.
Anthony Brennan
19:40 23 Mar 21
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OASiS BUYERS

Although our ‘customer’ is technically the party selling the property, we make sure that everyone involved in the process enjoys the full ‘OASiS experience’. It’s important to us that, somewhere down the line, anyone who’s dealt with us will want to come back to us – whether they’re renting, letting, selling or buying – for the same level of service and professionalism they received first time around.

Our duty of care means that we place your interests at the centre of the selling process, ensuring that you are kept fully informed about all the prospective properties on our books… and, during the subsequent purchase, fully up-to-date with every development as we head towards completion of buying your home. It’s our goal to make buying your home as easy and stress-free to buy as we make it for our sellers to sell!

EXCLUSIVE OFF MARKET SALES

When registering with OASiS, you may be given the opportunity to view properties before they are launched to the market (this is something we call Bespoke Marketing). We market many of our properties in this way and agree sales without the need to launch on the property portals, such as Rightmove. Once you are registered with us, we will alert you to such properties. To see our current ‘Exclusive Off Market Properties’ click here. You can also follow us on facebook or twitter to get a sneak peak of these properties.

And because our experienced and award-winning Oasis team is also a genuinely local team, you can expect the best recommendations for our partner professionals, such as mortgage and financial advice, surveying, conveyancing and removals when buying your home.

OUR FEATURED PROPERTIES FOR SALE

FEATURED OASiS EXCLUSIVE OFF-MARKET & COMING SOON SALES

OUR HELP & ADVICE FOR OASiS BUYERS

BUYING YOUR HOME

Here’s something refreshingly different about the way OASiS works with you to help you with buying your home through our agency.

We can also help you broaden your search when buying your home because, thanks to our membership of the Guild of Professional Estate Agents, you only need to register with one Oasis office to automatically be alerted to properties in a far broader geographical area than offered by most other estate agents.

Our instant notification service means you’ll receive emails advising you of suitable new ‘instructions’ coming onto the market before they go live on the internet. You can even be the first to view a property, even if there’s going to be a full ‘market launch day’.

And because our experienced and award-winning Oasis team is also a genuinely local team, you can expect the best recommendations for our partner professionals, such as mortgage and financial advice, surveying, conveyancing and removals when buying your home.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HELP TO BUY

If you’re looking at buying a new home, the various options available to you might seem a little overwhelming. But whether you need assistance in finding your new home or taking care of your finances, we are here to help!

HELP TO BUY: EQUITY LOAN

With a Help to Buy: Equity Loan, the government lends you up to 20% of the cost of your newly built home, which means you only have to contribute a 5% deposit and secure a 75% mortgage.

The government doesn’t charge interest/loan fees on the 20% loan for the first five years that you own your home either. This gives you the chance to save more money towards paying the loan or even a deposit for another property in the future.

HELP TO BUY: SHARED OWNERSHIP

If you can’t afford the mortgage on 100% of a home, Help to Buy: Shared Ownership offers you the chance to buy a share of your home (between 25% and 75% of the home’s value) whilst you pay rent on the remaining share. Later on, when you can afford to, you can increase your equity in the property by buying more, if not all, of the remaining shares.

You could buy a home through Help to Buy: Shared Ownership in England if:

Your household earns £80,000 a year or less outside London, or £90,000 a year or less in London
You are a first-time buyer, you used to own a home but can’t afford to buy one now, or are an existing shared owner looking to move.

With Help to Buy: Shared Ownership, you can buy a newly built home or an existing one through resale programmes from housing associations. You’ll need to take out a mortgage to pay for your share of the home’s purchase price or fund this through your savings. Shared Ownership properties are always leasehold.

If you’re looking at buying a new home, the various options available to you might seem a little overwhelming. But whether you need assistance in finding your new home or taking care of your finances, we are here to help!

For further information, please complete our Help to Buy form by clicking here

CONVEYANCER PROCESS GUIDE

MEMORANDUMS OF SALE

Once a formal offer is agreed, OASiS will write to the seller, the buyer and both sets of conveyancers to give details of the property, the price and all the parties involved.

CONFIRMATION OF INSTRUCTION

Your conveyancers will then write to you confirming their terms of business. The buyer’s conveyancers will ask the seller to complete a range of client and property information forms, including topics such as boundaries and ‘Fixtures & Fittings’.

CONTRACT OF SALE

The seller’s conveyancer will produce the draft Contract of Sale which will be sent to the buyer’s conveyancer along with the Land Registry documents or, if unregistered, the original deeds, along with the Transfer of Deed form. From this information they will raise enquiries. It is likely that the seller’s conveyancer may require further information in order to reply to some of these.

The buyer’s conveyancer will then request a number of searches to be carried out, including Local Authority Search, Water & Drainage Search, Environmental & Flooding Search and Chancel Search.

MORTGAGES

If the seller has a mortgage secured against the property, arrangements must be made for this to be repaid upon completion.

EXCHANGE OF CONTRACTS

Once exchange and completion dates have been agreed between the seller and the buyer, the contracts can be exchanged, with everyone selling within a chain also agreeing on these dates and exchanging at the same time.

COMPLETION

On the day of completion, the seller hands over the keys to the property (the easiest way to do this is to ensure that we at OASiS already have a set) making sure that all other sets of keys are left inside the property. Once the buyer’s purchase money has been received by the seller’s conveyancers, any outstanding monies will be sent to mortgage lenders and any remaining balance to the seller.

CONVEYANCING

Your best option for Conveyancing…

‘Contract Ready’

Dealing with the legalities of selling or buying your home can be a confusing, complicated, time-consuming and expensive operation. Choosing the wrong solicitor to look after the whole process (known as ‘Conveyancing’) can be a costly and stressful mistake.

Thankfully, OASiS works in partnership with a dedicated team of conveyancers who know our part of the world well (vital when it comes to dealing with any typical legal peculiarities attaching to deeds in the local area). Our sellers’ service is called ‘Contract Ready’ and offers a fixed fee as well as a no sale, no legal fee guarantee. For buyers, we offer a fixed fee as well as a no purchase, no legal fee guarantee and protected searches. Both packages are designed to give you complete peace of mind and a fast and cost-effective service and we confidently recommend them to all our clients.

If, however, you decide to instruct your own solicitor to do the conveyancing on your prospective sale, you obviously won’t want work to start until an offer is formally agreed. However, it is essential that you have the details of your chosen conveyancer available as early as possible, because the sale cannot proceed without them.

SOLICITORS

Conveyancing is the legal transfer of ownership of a property from one person to another, from the seller to the buyer, and the process is usually undertaken by choosing either solicitors or a specialist conveyancer. At OASiS, we recommend choosing our own ‘Contract Ready’ conveyancing package. OASiS has also teamed up with a national firm of solicitors offering competitive rates for both selling and buying. If you would like a free quote for the conveyancing work for your

CHOOSING YOUR REPRESENTATIVE

A solicitor is a qualified lawyer in all aspects of common law and should be a member of the Law Society. A conveyancer has less general training but specialises in property law, and should be a member of the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. In general, a solicitor will cost more than a conveyance, although some larger practices will use a combination of the two to offer a more competitive fee.

Most conveyancing practices are more than capable of acting on your behalf. However, should your sale involve elements beyond property law, for instance, the issue of probate or divorce, then you will need to use a solicitor. Similarly, a solicitor will be required if a lease extension forms part of the sale or a boundary dispute exists.

There is a third option when it comes to conveyancing and that is that you do it yourself. However, the reality is that it is a complex and time-consuming process, and if you are buying with a mortgage, the lender will insist that a solicitor or conveyancer acts for them as well as you on this aspect of the transaction regardless. There is also the danger that you will be considered a less favourable buyer or a riskier seller, so caution is advised.

If you opt not to use OASiS’ own ‘Contract Ready’ service, whichever form of representative you decide on can be crucial to maximizing the success and minimizing the stress of the selling or buying process.

So how do you decide who to appoint? If you have used a solicitor or conveyancer before and you were happy with the service they provided, or one has been recommended to you, that’s great. If you don’t have one then it is worth bearing the following elements in mind.

STAYING IN TOUCH

Throughout the process, OASiS will seek to keep you informed of the progress of your purchase or sale, as well as any related sales if a chain is involved. Your solicitor or conveyancer should be equally prepared to communicate with you – be warned, they don’t all take your calls or answer your emails, and this can be hugely frustrating.

ABILITY TO COPE

At the height of the property boom in 2007, there were 1.67 million property sales* all requiring conveyancing. After the property crash, a large number of firms withdrew from this area of law or disappeared altogether as transactions dropped by almost half to 859,000* (2009). In 2013 there were 1.07 million transactions* yet the number of firms offering conveyancing services has not grown at a proportional rate.

Similarly, not all firms can cope with the workload; however, few will admit to this and rarely turn work away. The larger ‘conveyancing factories’ are just as susceptible to capacity fluctuations as the smaller high street solicitor, especially during holiday months, so it is worth asking the question before service levels become an issue. Where smaller firms are concerned it is worth enquiring as to continuity of service during holiday periods.

(*HM Revenue & Customs Annual UK Property Transactions Statistics June 2014)

LOCATION

It is no longer necessary to physically attend your solicitor’s or conveyancer’s offices. Much of the information flow can be done electronically and that has opened up a greater range of choice. You will still need to provide certified identity so this is worth bearing in mind as you could incur additional costs if you chose an out-of-area firm. Some conveyancers will accept certified identification from an agent or a financial adviser, so check with them if in doubt. Some documents will still need to be signed and returned, and we would always suggest these are sent via registered post.

NO SALE, NO FEE

This is an area worth considering and applies equally to buyers and sellers. If for any reason you have to abort a sale or purchase, you could be liable for a percentage of the solicitor’s or conveyancer’s fees depending on how much work has been carried out on your behalf. Some – like the OASiS ‘Contract Ready’ service – offer a ‘no sale, no fee’ guarantee whereby no legal fees are payable in the event of the transaction falling through. This will only apply to recoverable costs and would not include payments for searches or disbursements already carried out.

LENDER APPROVED

If you are buying with a mortgage then your lender might have strict guidelines relating to which solicitors or conveyancers they will work with. If you have a solicitor or conveyancer in mind, it’s advisable to make sure that they’re on the ‘approved panel’ for your mortgage provider.

HIDDEN COSTS

Whether you choose to use a solicitor or a conveyancer, make sure you know the extent of your costs upfront. Most firms these days will charge a set fee for carrying out the basic conveyancing process, with the exceptions to this being lease extensions and boundary disputes etc. Avoid those firms who proffer an hourly rate as this can quickly become expensive if issues arise.

TWO-WAY PROCESS

As a final point, your solicitor or conveyancer is only as good as the information you provide and this is especially true where sellers are concerned. This similarly applies to the speed at which you return paperwork and answer any enquiries; the more you co-operate, the greater your contribution to the overall efficiency of the transaction.

WHY BUY A NEW HOME?

New homes are usually built in the up and coming areas, where new communities are being created and it’s great to be a part of that, especially if you’re new to Staines-upon-Thames.

Or it can just be a fresh start – a home that is immaculate, bright, clean, spacious and untouched by previous owners and their dodgy decorating and DIY! It’s a blank canvas you can stamp your own style and personality on from day one.

THE PRICE IS RIGHT

Most new homes are priced to sell quickly and often come with great incentives such as cash back, free appliances and help with moving costs get thrown in as part of the deal – as if you were getting a great value house for your money anyway.

GREENER & CHEAPER

If environmental concerns are part of your moving criteria then a new home will fit the bill – and that bill will be considerably less than you might be used to, as these homes are built to the latest environmental standards. They are much more energy-efficient and generate 60% less carbon dioxide emissions than older homes. This can reduce utility bills by more than £500 a year. Better for the planet and the bank balance.

CHAIN FREE

You can move into a new home as soon as it is complete. There’s no need to wait for existing owners to move out. This reduces the house buying chain and the stress and uncertainty that is often associated with moving, particularly into a second-hand home.

MORE FOR YOUR MONEY

New homes are built to a much higher specification than the majority of older homes so you get more for your money. They have central heating, double-glazing and high standards of roof, floor and wall insulation all included in the price, usually with standard features including fitted kitchens with integrated appliances and stylish bathrooms and cloakrooms.

PEACE OF MIND

With housebuilders providing a comprehensive customer-care service and added peace of mind from the 10-year warranty issued by organisations such as the National House-Building Council (NHBC), there is a great sense of reassurance that comes with a new home.

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

Whether it’s a one-bed apartment or a five-bed detached, there’s usually a new home for everyone and with a 7 day a week showhome viewing service, it’s much easier to find the home of your dreams – especially if you take advantage of a bespoke service to choose the fixtures and fittings to suit your lifestyle.

INSURANCE FOR HOMEOWNERS

OASiS has teamed up with a local insurer and a number of specialist brokers to offer our clients access to some of the best rates of Insurance for Home Owners to be found.

They, like us, are passionate about client service and believe that the best way to support you and deliver real value for money is through their teams of friendly and experienced staff.

As a local business, they specialise in understanding the individual needs of their clients, a factor often missed when dealing with a national or internet-based organisation, and one particularly pertinent to our riverside location.

As well as arranging new cover they are happy to review the cover you already have in place to make sure your current policy is suitable for your needs.

For more information please let us know and we will arrange for a member of their team to contact you with a quote with preferential rates.

SURVEYS

With the exception of a Mortgage Valuation which ALL lenders will require, there is no statutory requirement to carry out any form of survey on a property. However, unless you yourself are qualified in this area or have extensive construction experience, it’s always advisable to have some form of survey carried out on your prospective new property purchase.

Surveys in the home buying process generally fall into four categories:

  • Mortgage Valuations
  • Homebuyer’s Survey
  • Full Building Survey
  • Specialist Surveys

MORTGAGE VALUATIONS

If you are buying a property with a mortgage, the lender will require a Mortgage Valuation be carried out on the property to assess its worth against the price at which it is intended to be bought. This survey is effectively for the lender’s benefit to determine the risk to which the lender would be exposed in the event of the mortgage payer defaulting.

At OASiS, we make a point of providing mortgage valuation surveyors with Properly Prepared Valuation Information, supplying not only the valuation details of three comparable recent local property sales, but also a comprehensive package of accompanying Land Registry information in order to support the price agreed and minimize the risk of the lender ‘down-valuing’ the mortgage offer.

This type of survey does not assess the condition of the building, unless there are major defects that would affect the value of the property such as obvious subsidence or lack of basic facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms.

As part of this process, the surveyor will compare the property against others sold recently to gauge its value in the market place. To assist the surveyor with their valuation, OASiS will provide comparison properties and Land Registry data.

HOMEBUYER’S SURVEY

A Homebuyer’s Survey will be a non-obtrusive assessment of the overall condition of the property. The surveyor will follow a predetermined format, as prescribed by the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), and the report will comment on any major issues such as subsidence and rot etc. However, they will not lift floorboards or move furniture; they will simply test for damp and report their readings accordingly.

This type of survey effectively looks at the overall condition of the building in a similar way that an MOT Test assesses a car. They can either be carried out at the same time as a Mortgage Valuation or independently; however, if the Mortgage Valuation is carried out at the same time, the surveyor will likely use the more in-depth findings from the Homebuyer’s Survey in the valuation report.

The survey will include a description of the construction of the property and will give an indication of the estimated cost of rebuilding should this ever be required. The average Homebuyer’s Survey will take approximately 2 hours and cost from £500.

FULL BUILDING SURVEY

Formerly referred to as a ‘Full Structural Survey’, a Full Building Survey is a far more comprehensive survey and will look at the condition of the property in greater depth. As well as covering all the areas looked at by a Homebuyer’s Survey, such as major defects, this type of survey will also indicate minor defects and suggest the likely costs to repair or rectify these issues.

A Full Building Survey will investigate the presence of damp and wood-related issues and will visually inspect the damp proof course, the insulation, the loft space and the drains. Furniture will be moved and otherwise inaccessible areas such as under carpets will be examined.

The average Full Building Survey will be far more extensive and costs approximately £1000. It’s worth noting that both levels of survey will include various caveats and statements deflecting liability from the surveyor, most notably in relation to the electrics and central heating. And they may also recommend further specialist surveys (see below) especially where older properties are concerned or where evidence of historical building modifications have been carried out.

SPECIALIST SURVEYS

As a general rule, most surveys will suggest that some form of further specialist advice is sought in areas that fall outside the normal remit of a surveyor, such as heating, electrics, damp, wood condition and structural issues. In some cases, a degree of common sense will be required; surveyors tend, as a breed, to be ‘belt & braces’ in their approach, and it’s easy for a layperson to read a survey at face value and conclude that what was their property should, in fact, just be condemned! In the event that a further survey is required, OASiS can usually organise this for you.

– Electrical Survey

Nearly every survey will ‘red flag’ or highlight the electrics of a property as an area requiring investigation, as the surveyor is not likely to also be a qualified electrical engineer and therefore cannot professionally comment on this area. Should you wish to carry out an electrical survey, OASiS can organise this for you.

– Central Heating Survey

As with electrical issues, a survey will nearly always exclude this area. In some cases, if the property you are buying has had a recent boiler change or if the property has been recently rented out, then some form of professional certification may exist. Otherwise, OASiS can arrange for a Heating Engineer to attend; however, they will not be allowed to physically investigate the system beyond a visual inspection for fear of creating a potential legal conflict in the event that damage is caused. The cost depends on the size of the property.

– Damp and Wood Condition Survey

Another common area that frequently comes up in surveys, particularly in older properties, is damp. The age of the property you are buying will be a particular factor in the likelihood of damp, due to the type of damp proof course (DPC) in place. Surrounding ground conditions and the provision for the dispersal of rainwater will also play a part and are also worth investigating.

– Specialist Structural Survey and Structural Engineers Report

On occasions, a regular building survey may highlight specific concerns which they suggest need further investigation, the most common areas being subsidence (both historical and current) and the lack of sufficient or evident structural support (usually in relation to the removal of chimney breasts and the provision of support to any remaining stacks). It is usually possible for a building contractor to suggest a likely plan to rectify concerns in this area, assuming the mortgage lender does not stipulate that a more technical survey is carried out as part of the official offer.

REMOVALS

As a general rule, most professional removals companies suggest that you start planning the removal process around six weeks in advance to give you plenty of time to have a real purge of unwanted items which can then either be disposed of or sold.

As part of the moving process, it’s also advisable to start thinking about who else needs to be informed of your new address and contact details, such as your bank, doctor, dentist, employer, utility suppliers etc. You should also look into having your mail re-directed by the Royal Mail.

There are generally two ways of moving home; doing it yourself or employing a professional removals company to handle the move for you.

DOING IT YOURSELF

Although the cheaper option, there are a number of factors that you need to consider, not least the quantity of items that you will need to move. If you are a first-time buyer, it may well be feasible to hire a van and enlist the help of friends and family to move yourself.

If, however, you are moving to your second or later home, then the likelihood is that you will have acquired a lot more possessions over the years and you should really consider whether hiring a van is a realistic option.

Timings are another important factor to consider if you are planning to move yourself. If you are buying a home involved in a chain, then you are unlikely to be able to move your possessions into your new home until the sale has officially completed.  If you are moving yourself and likely to require more than one trip then you need to consider how this will affect those buying your house if you are delayed at any point.

Damage caused in transit is also another important consideration. If you plan to move yourself it is advisable to contact your insurer to check their position on this, should any of your valuables get lost or damaged in the moving process.

EMPLOYING A REMOVALS COMPANY

Although clearly the more expensive option, the advantages of using a professional removals company are numerous. Most removals companies will offer a range of services from a ‘full packing and move’ to a basic, more cost-effective service where you do your own packing. And they should offer a free consultation and quotation service where various elements will be discussed, including what is to be moved from where, and what challenges the existing and new locations may present. A word to the wise – when you’re selecting your removals company, please check that they are fully insured!

Once you’ve chosen a removals company, they should nominate a ‘Move Manager’ who will be responsible for planning and managing your move. The company will organise a packing team to attend the property and start packing (or supply you with packaging materials if you are planning to do this yourself) and they will also arrange for appropriate insurance for specialist items cover, should this be required.

You will need to have planned for the move day to assist the teams. If there are any parking restrictions at either of the move locations, you will need to plan for these well in advance and organise permits or request parking exemption in the case of yellow lines from the local council. It is always worth arranging for pets and small children to be moved to a neutral location to avoid placing them under unnecessary stress.

If your move involves an item that is directly connected to a mains utility such as an oven or cooker or electrical fitting, then a specialist contractor will be required, especially where gas is concerned. In these cases, you will need to make arrangements for this to be carried out, ideally in advance of the actual move date in case there are any unforeseen issues.

Where valuables are concerned it is advisable to put these in a safe place that is easily accessible by you, even during the move.  Computers should also be backed up to prevent any data loss.

On the move day, the teams will arrive and the removal process will start in earnest. This is when the advantages of using a professional mover will become apparent. Make sure that the room location of all packages is clearly marked up so that they are unloaded into the correct rooms at the new property.

And most important of all… never, ever forget to keep the kettle out of the packing and stock up on tea, milk, sugar and biscuits. Professional removals people work much more efficiently when they’ve just had a fresh brew!

OASiS has been working with the best local removals company for a number of years. They share our commitment to customer service and are renowned for their attention to detail, offering a range of moving solutions from straightforward ‘pack and move’ to international relocations, as well as short- and long-term storage options.

Best of all, they offer highly preferential rates to OASiS customers! For a free consultation or advice, please call us and we will put you in contact.

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Simon Goodger, Sales Manager

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OASiS Estate Agents are not only passionate about property but also the partnership we nurture with our clients.

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