Darren Bowen

Head of Residential conveyancing

Conveyancing

Whether you choose to instruct us on your purchase/sale will depend on what’s most important to you:

  • the cost, or
  • the quality of service you receive.

If it’s cost, there are plenty of cheap conveyancers out there.

But we believe that we get what we pay for.  And with something as pivotal as a house purchase or sale, a professional and reliable job is not only sensible; it’s essential.

What you'll get from us

  • You’ll have your own team working for you, headed by a specialist and highly experienced lawyer, and you’ll have the direct phone number and email address of all members of your team; so you’ll have a personal service.
  • You’ll have the right mix of skilled legal insight, practical proactive action and friendly, efficient service.
  • You’ll have a team with superb back up in terms of I.T., banking services, and practice management.

All our Clients’ comments are uploaded, every month, onto this website.
Have a look at them; they speak for us better than we ever could.

We’re not expensive; just realistic. So if you think we might be what you're looking for, ask us for a quote without obligation.

For price transparency information click here.

We promise that we will

  1. listen to you,
  2. communicate with you,
  3. advise you and, above all -
  4. get you moved

Contact us by phone or email.

Our Conveyancing Team

+

Darren Bowen

Solicitor and Partner

Head of Residential Conveyancing

Darren Bowen

Direct Dial:01252 550419

Email Darren Bowen

Darren qualified as a Solicitor in 1994 and has been an equity Partner since 1998.

He is Head of Residential Conveyancing and his particular areas of interest are equity release schemes and leasehold extensions.

+

Emma Fairbairn

Fellow Institute Legal Executives

Partner - Assistant Head of Residential Conveyancing

Emma Fairbairn

Direct Dial:01252 550417

Email Emma Fairbairn

Emma has been a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives since 1996 and an equity Partner since 2013.

She specialises in residential conveyancing and has a particular interest in old properties with difficult Titles.

+

Sally Digweed

Licensed Conveyancer

Salaried Partner – Residential Conveyancer

Sally Digweed

Direct Dial:01252 550416

Email Sally Digweed

Sally is a Licenced Conveyancer and has been a Partner since 2015. She specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Jo Elliott

Fellow Institute of Legal Executives

Salaried Partner – Residential Conveyancer

Jo Elliott

Direct Dial:01252 550406

Email Jo Elliott

Joanna is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, having qualified in 2008, and has been a Partner since 2015.

She specialises in residential conveyancing and has a particular specialism in new builds and the Help to Buy Scheme.

+

Georgina Short

Fellow Institute Legal Executives

Salaried Partner – Residential Conveyancer

Georgina Short

Direct Dial:01252 550449

Email Georgina Short

Georgie manages one of our residential conveyancing teams.

After a Degree from the University of Nottingham in politics. She trained and qualified as a licenced conveyancer in 2012 and then as a chartered legal executive in 2014.

She trained in residential conveyancing with a local firm, Harrison Li, and then moved to a large specialist property firm in Guildford, GCL.   There, she worked closely with developers and purchasers and was chosen to spend 4 years working in Hong Kong as an appointed lawyer acting for purchasers at property exhibitions.

She joined us as a team manager in July 2018. 

Georgie is skilled in all aspects of residential conveyancing including shared ownership and help to buy assisted properties, new builds, auctions, re-mortgages and transfers of equity.

+

Jane Gray

Solicitor

Salaried Partner – Residential Conveyancer

Jane Gray

Direct Dial:01252 550420

Email Jane Gray

Jane qualified as a Solicitor in 2006 and has been a Partner since 2021.

Jane specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Sarah Coy

Fellow Institute of Legal Executives

Residential Conveyancer

Sarah Coy

Direct Dial:01252 550404

Email Sarah Coy

Sarah is a Fellow of the Institute of Legal Executives, having qualified in 2023.

Sarah specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Kate Reid

Residential Conveyancing Executive

Kate Reid

Direct Dial:01252 550402

Email Kate Reid

Kate specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Megan Appleton

Fellow Institute of Legal Executives

Residential Conveyancer

Megan Appleton

Direct Dial:01252 550430

Email Megan Appleton

Megan specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Nimmi Bains

Residential Conveyancing Executive

Nimmi Bains

Direct Dial:01252 550427

Email Nimmi Bains

Nimmi specialises in residential conveyancing.

+

Sudesh Ghere

Residential Conveyancing Executive

Sudesh Ghere

Direct Dial:01252 550435

Email Sudesh Ghere

Sudesh specialises in residential conveyancing.

Darren Bowen was very helpful and efficient Abby Barbosa did a great job early on, keeping us informed and sending out documents. I was very pleased with the service provided and would recommend Woodford Stauffer. Thanks Darren and Team.

Case Ref. RES62419 - DAB

Kate has been amazing in relation to the sale of my flat. She is extremely efficient, and is always very fast to respond either via-email or telephone call. It was a pleasure dealing with her. I would only ever use Woodford Stauffer for my conveyancing needs. This is the second time I have used Woodford Stauffer and would never consider using another organisation.

Case Ref. RES60662 - EF

Sarah helped us through the process so well, during a very difficult time. I have already recommended.

Case Ref. RES62375 – SC

Sarah Coy and her team. Yes - would use again and recommend to others. Very professional and excellent service.

Case Ref. RES62275 - SC

Sarah Coy provided excellent, professional and courteous service throughout. She was thorough, knowledgeable and a pleasure to deal with. Excellent professional services received from Woodford Stauffer which is why we returned to them for assistance during our new house purchase. I would thoroughly recommend them to anyone.

Case Ref. RES62414 - SC

Excellent service by the whole team. Namely Anna Fewell and Chloe Field whom I met personally. Along with Luke Compton and Partner Georgina Short I never had the good fortune to meet. Many thanks.

Case Ref. RES61704 - GS

I felt much better advised and in closer communication once Luke Compton took over the completion. Nimmi Bains and Georgie Mark were good and I’m sure excellent at the work, but I felt less sure about the process involved – I emailed early on asking for clarification of the process but did not receive a reply. I think it would be good to decode “solicitor speak/jargon” in written correspondence for laypeople. The most frustrating thing is that phone calls were never answered and there was a delay in response. But I’m happy overall!

Case Ref. RES61899 - NB

Anna, Chloe, Georgina were really great and always kept us updated will use again.

Case Ref. RES61989 - GS

Would definitely use again. Courteous, professional, efficient, pleasant, great customer service. Thank you.

Case Ref. RES62411 - JE

Darren and his team worked extremely hard and met my deadline date for completion.

Case Ref. RES62840 - DAB

WS provided good value for our property sale conveyancing work and are open and clear in their communications. Ours was an executor sale and they had to deal with 3 of us to provide documents and ID, sign papers and answer questions. This was all handled efficiently and clearly. My only VERY slight gripe is that in speaking to a senior partner he came across as a little brusque. However, to be fair, he took my call promptly and dealt with my query smoothly.

Case Ref. RES62309 - DAB

Jane Gray and Maryanne Young outstanding. We will be using Woodford Stauffer for future house sales/purchases.

Case Ref. RES62310 - JG

Kate Reid was excellent. Would use again and would recommend.

Case Ref. RES61947 - SG

Sarah Coy and Tina McDonough. Very professional and excellent service and would recommend Woodford Stauffer to others.

Case Ref. RES62276 - SC

Emma Fairbairn - excellent service.

Case Ref. RES61772 - EF

Emma Fairbairn makes the process of purchasing a property a much calmer and stress free experience. I would highly recommend them to others. Excellent professional service and by far the best conveyancing experience I’ve had across six house purchases.

Case Ref. RES62612 – EF

Thank you for making this process as simple as you have. Your attention to detail is very much appreciated.

Case Ref. RES62633 - DAB

Emma Fairbairn – approachable, professional, patient, objective – all round excellent. This is my second house moving using Emma for conveyancing – very happy with the service received and will recommend to friends and family. Thank you.

Case Ref. RES62094 – EF

I have worked with Emma Fairbairn on a sale many years ago and on this latest sale and purchase, including a failed sale and purchase in 2022, can’t recommend highly enough – excellent!

Case Ref. RES62738 – EF

Emma Fairbairn provided us with outstanding service throughout our home buying process. Emma's professionalism, patience and dedication even when the process stretched out much longer than anticipated. Emma went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of. Emma is skilled, knowledgeable and also truly cares about her clients. We are so grateful.

Case Ref. RES61619 - EF

Woodford Stauffer was recommended to us and would definitely recommend them. We will be forever grateful for the way they dealt with an extremely stressful house sale and supported us during a very dark period.

Case Ref. RES60872 - DAB

Thank you so much for helping us through every step of selling my flat to buying and moving to our first house. Everyone says it's very stressful moving but everyone has been so helpful. The service we have received from everyone involved has been amazing.

Case Ref. RES62640 - DAB

Many thanks for your comprehensive and timely conveyancing service which you recently provided. Georgina your advice and guidance was first class and always communicated with a smile and in a positive manner. Thank you very much for your hard work. I will most definitely recommend your excellent service in the progression of my purchase.

Case Ref. RES62044 - GS

Sarah Coy gave excellent service with swift replies to all our enquiries. The reception staff were always helpful and friendly.

Case Ref. RES62542 - SC

We would like to take this opportunity to let you know that we appreciated all the hard work that you completed on our behalf in a very diligent and professional manner.

Case Ref. RES55124 - NB

We would like to thank Maryanne and Jane for their service and all the help we received from them. We would highly recommend Woodford Stauffer's service to others. They were always prompt with our queries and always kept us informed about the progress. They made the whole process a very positive experience for us.

Case Ref. RES61670 - JG

A very helpful service. Emma and Sudesh were always quick to respond to queries and readily available to talk to if required.

Case Ref. RES62773 - EF

Sarah Coy and her admin team were very helpful. Efficient communications from start to finish, helpful guidance throughout the process.

Case Ref. RES62931 - SC

Good afternoon, Annette. We are just beginning to unwind after the house move. We wanted to say a big thank you to you and Darren for all your help in making everything happen on 1st November. I would definitely recommend your practice to anyone looking for excellent service.

Case Ref. RES62186 - DB

Special mention to Annette J - very helpful and friendly. Also to Darren for his no nonsense approach towards the buyer. I am very pleased with the way the whole team at Woodford Stauffer treated us and won't hesitate to recommend them to others.

Case Ref. RES62186 - DAB

Excellent service from Jane Gray and her lovely team. Excellent smooth experience with both the selling and buying process. Huge and sincere thanks!

Case Ref. RES62458 - JG

I wanted to say thank you very much for all of the work you did for me. You and your colleagues helped make the whole process so much easier with your professionalism and clear communication all the way along. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending you to my friends and family in the future. I'd like to wish you and your colleagues all the very best and thank you again.

Case Ref. RES62572 - MA

Both Kate and Emma have been superb from start to finish. Always respond quickly to any enquiries/questions - Extremely efficient. Thank you for everything.

Case Ref. RES60683 - EF

Jo Elliott - Excellent service and support. Very professional with clear communications. I used Woodford Stauffer for my previous move also and recommended Jo to my new partner who has used WS for our purchase of another house locally.

Case Ref. RES62811 - JE

The conveyancing team were all strong. I had a bit more to do with Leah and found her to be particularly helpful. I felt confident that our case was being handled competently at all times. Being fairly unwise to the moving process, I would have found a simple flow diagram (or something similar) that outlined the key steps involved to have been useful. However, the communication was generally very good and this made the process much easier. Thank you for your hard work.

Case Ref. RES63019 - GS

Annette Jameson for excellent and helpful service. I will come to you again if we decided to sell our house.

Case Ref. RES62476 - DAB

Nimmi, you've been tremendous throughout and I will have no doubt in recommending you and Woodford Stauffer going forward.

Case Ref. RES60372 - NB

Jane Gray always responded quickly and was available to talk over concerns.

Case Ref. RES62483 - JG

My initial contact with Annette Jameson went well up until she went on leave in September. Whilst I appreciate Annette is entitled to leave it would have been courteous to have been told. I understand that this was the extended further than the automated email stating when she was on leave until 30th September. During her absence I received very little correspondence until her return when I had an email with 14 attachments - a little overwhelming! I understand as a company you have many Clients, however, for the individual concerned selling the family home and purchasing a property is a very anxious and emotional time. I feel this was quite overlooked. The exception being the time Darren took to see me and talk though a number of issues. The day we exchanged I received a call from someone I hadn't even spoken to previously. This was also after I had been told and received communication from the estate agents first. Considering the fee I was paying for selling our home and fees for also buying, a slightly more personal and informed service would have been greatly appreciated.

Case Ref. RES63004 - DAB

Excellent service. Prompt, professional and efficient. Although there was a delay in my case, that was due to complexity of the case but mainly due to other solicitors who were dealing with the transferring property to company name.

Case Ref. RES62631 - DAB

Annette was particularly good with updates and communication. Good professional and value for money.

Case Ref. RES62972 - DAB

Jo Elliott is very professional and efficient.

Case Ref. RES61921 - JE

Dear Nimmi. Thanks for all of your support and patience in getting us to exchange through our nightmare buying process. Really is appreciated.

Case Ref. RES62238 – NB

Thank you Tina. Your service from start to finish has been excellent and we have no hesitation in recommending you .

Case Ref. RES63109 – SC

Thank you very much for all of your help throughout our challenging relocation process. You and the team at Woodford Stauffer made everything so simple, and we are eternally grateful.

Case Ref. RES61729 - EF

I have been very happy with the service I have received from your office and would recommend you to anyone looking for a good solicitor.

Case Ref. RES62669 – SG

Thank you Georgina, Leah, Anna and everyone else that helped on our purchase. Always kept us informed and explained everything at every stage. Will use again.

Case Ref. RES63444 – GS

Chloe was super professional and kept us updated at all times.

Case Ref. RES63069 - GS

Sudesh Ghere was very helpful, kept us informed throughout. I certainly would recommend WS. Very professional. We have used three times now. Excellent service.

Case Ref. RES63058 – SG

Thank you for all your hard work. It’s said generally that your prices are so high, but we would like to say if you compare them to our estate Agent, you deserve every penny.

Case Ref. RES61127 - NB

Very good service from Megan, efficient and helpful! Explaining items Caitlin was helpful and good.

Case Ref. RES62988 - MA

Both Jane and Maryanne were very helpful throughout the process of selling and buying and kept us informed throughout.

Case Ref. RES63292 – JG

Thank you, you have done a brilliant job. After the lack of diligence from my solicitor when I brought this property, I don’t want to lose your fantastic service.

Case Ref. RES62241 – NB

Sarah and Melody have been efficient and helpful from the beginning to end of the sale process and have kept me informed at all stages.

Case Ref. RES63192 – SC

You have all been extremely efficient to get this completed in such a quick space of time, for which our family is extremely grateful. I will definitely recommend you to anyone that needs legal assistance.

Case Ref. RES63289 - SG

Annette Jameson was excellent. She was always cheerful and lifted my spirits when things were not going well. Friendly, efficient, professional service received, as always. Such a pity that the solicitors the other people in the chain used did not live up to your helpful and informative standards.

Case Ref. RES62291 – DAB

Dear Annette - it’s been a long arduous road to get there but may I say that you have been wonderful throughout and have lifted my spirits when I have felt really down. You are always so positive and cheerful.

Case Ref. RES62291 – DAB

All the staff associated with the sale and purchase of our properties have been friendly and efficient. Thank you.

Case Ref. RES63276 – GS

All the staff that I met in Farnborough office were very friendly and helpful. If any of my friends needed a solicitor, I would advise them to come to you.

Case Ref. RES62614 – SG

Thank you very much Lindsay, Joanna and Yvonne for all the help over the course of our sale and purchase. You have been brilliant.

Case Ref. RES63195 - JE

Jo and Yvonne have been terrific. From the initial quote to completion, the service has been outstanding! This is the second time using Woodford Stauffer, we will be using again for any future transaction. Actual solicitors who have time for you and miles ahead of others! Cannot recommend highly enough.

Case Ref. RES63293 – JE

Emma Fairbairn has been absolutely amazing in guiding us through our purchase of our home. Not only did she diligently look through all the documents to make sure we had the relevant information for the future, but she was incredible at chasing the solicitors in the chain to ensure we moved before Christmas, something we were also incredibly grateful for. She answered any questions we had to guide us through the process and was always at the end of the phone. Thank you Emma! When we embarked on our journey, friends and family would say “make sure you have a good solicitor” and choosing Emma was the best decision we made on our house move and she made the process so smooth and easy. I will be recommending her to anyone and everyone!

Case Ref. RES63218 – EF

Dear Emma and Sudesh, this is just a short note to thank you and the team at Woodford Stauffer for dealing so effectively with the purchase and sale of my father’s new and old homes respectively. As you can imagine, it has been quite a challenge to downsize at this stage in life but it was made much easier knowing that the legal side was being taken care of by you.

Case Ref. RES63290 - EF

The whole team who was handling our case did an exceptional job at progressing the sale/purchase. Special thanks to Emma Fairbairn for doing everything to meet the requested completion date. We now know what a 5-star service from the solicitors looks like! We will not only recommend Woodford Stauffer but will also continue to use them in the future whenever needed. Brilliant service – quick clear and efficient communication, consistent follow-ups.

Case Ref. RES63466 – EF

Jane Gray – super efficient, clear, spotted possible problems and pushed others in the chain to complete. Recommend by estate agent for my sale. Very efficient and approachable.

Case Ref. RES60148 - JG

Firstly, I would like to thank Georgina who without this would not have happened. She worked tirelessly to make sure my completion took place. Also Chloe, Anna and Shimron were brilliant with the way they handled all the administrative matters and were always on hand to assist me and my wife. Thank you. Most damn certainly I will recommend you without a second thought.

Case Ref. RES62659 – GS

In addition to the excellent levels of service on all the aspects rated above, I would point out the excellent degree of expertise that was imparted and invaluable in understanding the sometimes complex legal aspects of house selling and buying. Wouldn’t hesitate for a second to recommend WS to others. Special thanks to all involved: Megan, Emma and Caitlin.

Case Ref. RES63174 – MA

The team were extremely thorough yet efficient while processing our purchase. It was time sensitive and they pulled out all the stops.

Case Ref. RES63583 – DAB

Once again thank you Sarah Coy and your team! Can’t imagine doing any business without you by our side now! :-) We have received the best service from Woodford Stauffer for several years now on multiple transactions. Thank you! :-)

Case Ref. RES62843 – SC

As always, Sarah, Tina and now also Aiden and Melody. First class service again! :-)

Case Ref. RES62843 – SC

We would absolutely recommend WS to others. With a large portfolio of properties to sell, you have been amazing. So helpful, transparent and a massive help in what has been a difficult time for the family. Thank you all so much.

Case Ref. RES63135 – JG

I was very happy with Nimmi Bains and her team. She was patient and efficient. A good communicator.

Case Ref. RES61797 – NB

Nimmi was great – thank you so much for your help with everything Nimmi!

Case Ref. RES61738 – NB

I would highly recommend Sudesh Ghere who took over after Amelia left the company. As you know I had difficulty getting any contact when Amelia left and had to email the Senior Partner who contacted me immediately. Where I have commented “Good” above it related to the issues when Amelia Downham left. However, since Sudesh took over she had been exemplary.

Case Ref. RES63250 – SG

Please could we thank Megan Appleton for all her help and advice.

Case Ref. RES63099 – MA

I have used Woodford Stauffer twice this year. Firstly for a sale and purchase which had many bumps along the way! Emma supported by Sudesh was excellent every step of the way and always acted in a timely, efficient manner dealing with any legal issues promptly. I was so impressed with the level of service they both provided that I decided to use Woodford Stauffer again to sell a different property. Like Emma, Sudesh provided superb service and responded to emails and answered any calls promptly. I always felt reassured after speaking with either. I would not hesitate to recommend Woodford Stauffer in the future. Thank you!

Case Ref. RES63133 – SG

Every solicitor is only as fast as the slowest one. We thought this solicitor was good but had not used any other to compare with.

Case Ref. RES63000 – SC

Nimmi has been a pleasure to deal with. Communication with myself has been clear, diligent, efficient and so helpful throughout, and the way Nimmi has set expected timelines, managed other parties in this regard, and kept me informed has been invaluable in making he whole house buying process run so smoothly. Thank you!

Case Ref. RES62888 - NB

I used Woodford Stauffer previously for a purchase and also for a sale and another purchase. Seamless services throughout.

Case Ref. RES60234 – DAB

Annette Jameson is outstanding, kind, courteous and helpful at all times and always cheerful. I have used Woodford Stauffer several times for house conveyancing and would always recommend them.

Case Ref. RES62291 – DAB

Excellent service from Darren and his team. I intend to use Darren again for a future sale.

Case Ref. RES60235 – DAB

During a very drawn out and stressful house sale Joanna and Yvonne were invaluable. They responded quickly to queries raised and provided advice and reassurance when I needed it. I would not hesitate to engage them again in the future.

Case Ref. RES62637 – JE

Annette Jameson – Always really helpful, very pleasant and polite. Dealt with any questions/queries in a professional manner – excellent service. Fantastic firm of solicitors. Dealt with all aspects of property sale in a professional and friendly manner. Highly recommended.

Case Ref. RES62394 -DAB

Emma [Fairbairn] has been absolutely amazing at progressing our purchase. Excellent communication from start to finish and was always helpful and responsive in answering all our questions. I would not hesitate to recommend her to anyone and, if we ever sell or purchase another property in the future, we will absolutely want to work with her again. Thank you so much, Emma, for such a fast and professional service.

Case Ref. RES63880 – EF

We wanted to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your exceptional assistance in the sale. Your professionalism, expertise and dedication were instrumental in making the process seamless and successful. Your meticulous attention to detail and prompt communication ensured that every aspect of the transaction was handled efficiently. We truly appreciate our unwavering support and guidance throughout this journey.

Case Ref. RES63191 – SG

Thank you to Darren and the team at Woodford Stauffer who were so very helpful and efficient. I would highly recommend Woodford Stauffer who support you all the way through selling/buying your house.

Case Ref. RES61739 – DAB

Everyone was just wonderful. Effective and efficient teamwork.

Case Ref. RES63463 – GS

Sarah and Melody have a professional and friendly manner. They communicate clearly and kept me updated at every stage of the process. They took time to explain things clearly and responded swiftly to all my questions making sure that I fully understood what they were telling me.

Case Ref. RES63604 – SC

I dealt with a number of different members of staff through the process and always found them very helpful and responsive.

Case Ref. RES62751 - DAB

Sarah I would like to thank you for all your kind support in the sale of my property and my mother’s property. You have and your team have been highly responsive and a pleasure to deal with.

Case Ref. RES63577 – SC

Annette Jameson was particularly helpful throughout the process. I would recommend WS.

Case Ref. RES63422 – DAB

Chloe Field was very helpful in difficult circumstances.

Case Ref. RES63188 – GS

Everyone was so helpful. Thank you.

Case Ref. RES61605 – DAB

Sarah Coy was very patient and persistent and excellent throughout.

Case Ref. RES62654 – SC

Both Maryanne and Jane Gray were knowledgeable and helpful and always kept me informed and responded quickly to any queries I had.

Case Ref. RES63347 – JG

Abby Barbosa – excellent service at all times.

Case Ref. RES63449 – DAB

Aiden Keay has been excellent throughout!

Case Ref. RES62896 – DAB

Sudesh has been a pleasure to work with – thank you!

Case Ref. RES63175 – SG