« Back to News
A Day in the Life of a Residential Property Solicitor
06 May 2026
Meet Louise Burn - Residential Property Solicitor.
Louise Burn is a dedicated Residential Property solicitor. Louise is known for her practical approach in guiding clients through the process of buying and selling a house.
Working within our Conveyancing Department, Louise provides clear, tailored advice to help clients navigate the complexities of buying and selling property.
In this blog, Louise shares a snapshot of a typical day in her life as a Residential Property solicitor, offering insight into the varied and rewarding work involved in helping clients with their conveyancing needs.
- 9:00am – I arrive at work, have coffee and check my emails and calendar. I decide if anything is urgent and re-evaluate my task list in light of emails received overnight. I respond to straight-forward emails.
- 9:30am – I organise my tasks in order of priority and consider the requirements for the day’s completions.
- 10:00am – I draft a certificate of solvency for a company where a transaction at apparent undervalue has been revealed and send this to the Seller’s solicitors for approval and execution. The apparent undervalue transaction is historic but within the timeframes set out in the Insolvency Act whereby the transaction could be set aside should the company become insolvent. The certificate will assist in evidencing that our client can benefit from the protection available under the Act.
- 11:00am – Funds arrive in respect of anticipated completions. I ring one client with regards to completing an Assent and, once instructions are received complete the transaction and apply for registration of the Assent at the Land Registry. Assents are typically used when transferring property from a deceased’s estate to a beneficiary under a Will. The remaining funds have been sent for a simultaneous exchange and completion which is not ready to proceed at present as there are two outstanding enquiries which need to be answered. I update the client and confirm that exchange and completion should occur this week.
- 11:30am – I telephone an estate agent to update them on a sale and purchase. This ensures that all parties are aware of the potential delays and outstanding matters and the chain can be appropriately updated. Updating agents as well as clients can assist in providing achievable timeframes for the chain in respect of exchange and completion.
- 11:45am – I check the new emails received throughout the morning and organise them in terms of priority.
- 12:00pm – I return the call of a lady who has called in for a quote relating to a property purchase in her mother’s name. Due to the background information received, I recommend that she seek further estate planning advice from our Private Client Department.
- 12:15pm – I ring the Land Registry to chase up an alteration request for a property I am selling. A copy of a lease plan had been inadvertently destroyed by the Land Registry when updating their records and I sent a copy of the original plan to them to rectify the issue. As I have not received an update from them, I want to make sure that the document had been received and their electronic copies updated. The Land Registry confirm receipt of the plan and explain that the documents are with their electronic documents team for upload. I receive confirmation that they will escalate this matter due to the impending sale and update my file accordingly.
- 12:30pm – I draft a Gifted Deposit letter for completion by a family member gifting monies on a purchase. This is required to satisfy a freeholder on a shared ownership staircasing purchase.
- 1:00pm – Due to working consolidated hours, I work through lunch. I check my emails again and order those received as to urgency.
- 1:15pm – I deal with some of my more straightforward emails which involve replying directly to client queries or agent updates. I then deal with the more technical enquiries from solicitors.
- 2:00pm – I research Stamp Duty Land Tax obligations on a potential new matter relating to a shared ownership lease and the market value election which could be made by the client. I then undertake additional research relating to an Article 4 Direction and a request for a certificate of lawful use.
- 3:00pm – I leave work and drive home to collect my children from school.
Working as a Residential Conveyancing solicitor is about more than legal processes. It’s about supporting individuals and families through a significant life event. Moving house can be extremely stressful and we are here to make the process as easy as possible for our clients, clearly outlining the issues affecting the properties being purchased so that they can make informed choices at key stages of the transaction.
If you need advice on buying and selling a house our experienced team is here to help. Contact us today to arrange a confidential consultation and ensure your affairs are in order for the future. Call 01202 526343, or send us a message online: Contact Us AB Solicitors For Your Legal Needs
Further Information
