Cunningtons LLP Solicitors Hornchurch
First Floor, 135 High Street,
Hornchurch, Greater London
RM11 3YD
United Kingdom
Tel: 01708 984 999
After nearly 30 years in their Ilford office, Cunningtons solicitors relocated to Hornchurch in December 2022, continuing our tradition of providing exceptional legal services to clients throughout Greater London and Essex.
Our team of Hornchurch solicitors offers expert advice and representation with a focus on residential conveyancing and Wills and probate, while providing access to our full range of legal specialties through our established branch network.
Meet Our Hornchurch Solicitors

Palaniappan Ahilan
Partner in charge of the Hornchurch branch
The Hornchurch branch is managed by Partner Palaniappan Ahilan, who specializes in all aspects of residential conveyancing. With extensive experience in property law, Palaniappan leads our team of Hornchurch solicitors in delivering personalized legal support with the efficiency and expertise that Cunningtons clients expect.
Telephone: 01708 984 999
Why Choose Cunningtons Solicitors in Hornchurch?
- Fixed Fees – Transparent pricing with no hidden costs
- Personal Contact – Direct communication with your dedicated solicitor
- Local Expertise – Specialist knowledge of Hornchurch and Greater London
- National Coverage – Access to our network of branches across England
- Award-winning Service – Recognized excellence in legal care
- Heritage & Experience – Established in 1748 with centuries of legal expertise
- Fast Response Times – Quick quotes and efficient service
- SRA Regulated – Full compliance with legal standards
GET IN TOUCH
To contact us about any of our legal services including Family Law or Wills and Probate,
just complete this form so we can get back to you.
Legal Services at Cunningtons Solicitors in Hornchurch
Cunningtons solicitors in the Hornchurch office offer you a range of legal services, focusing on Property and Wills and Probate.

Residential Conveyancing
Our Hornchurch solicitors excel in residential property transactions, offering expert guidance through the legal aspects of buying, selling, or remortgaging property. Led by Palaniappan Ahilan, our conveyancing team combines local knowledge with legal expertise to ensure smooth, efficient property transactions.
Read more about Conveyancing >>

Wills & Probate
Protect your legacy and provide for your loved ones with our comprehensive Wills and Probate services. Our Hornchurch solicitors can help you draft a legally sound Will, administer probate, or manage complex estate matters with sensitivity and professionalism.

Additional Legal Services at Cunningtons Hornchurch
Through our branch network, our Hornchurch solicitors can connect you with specialists in:
- Family Law – Expert guidance on divorce, child arrangements, and domestic matters
Learn about our Family Law Services → - Civil Litigation – Professional representation for disputes, claims, and legal challenges
Explore our Litigation Services → - Employment Law – Specialist advice on workplace rights and employer obligations
Discover our Employment Law Support → - Commercial Property – Expert handling of business premises and commercial leases
Learn about our Commercial Property Services →
Areas We Serve from Our Hornchurch Office
Our strategically located Hornchurch office allows us to serve clients throughout Greater London and Essex, including:
While we’re ideally positioned to serve the local community, our Hornchurch solicitors handle legal matters for clients throughout England and Wales.
Visit Our Hornchurch Office
Our Hornchurch office is conveniently located on the High Street in central Hornchurch:
- Within easy walking distance of the main shopping area;
- Just minutes from Hornchurch station and multiple bus routes;
- Easily accessible from throughout Greater London.
Our strategic location offers excellent transport links to surrounding areas:
- Only 5 minutes from Emerson Park;
- 10 minutes from Upminster and Romford;
- 15 minutes from Rainham and Harold Wood;
- Easy access from the A127, A12, and M25;
- Well-connected to Central London via the District Line and Elizabeth Line.
Cunningtons Solicitors: Legal Excellence Since 1748
The Hornchurch branch of Cunningtons LLP continues our firm’s long tradition of legal excellence that dates back to 1748. As part of our network of offices across England and Wales, our Hornchurch solicitors combine the resources and expertise of a large firm with the personal touch and community knowledge of a local practice.
Technology-Enabled Legal Services
Our investment in the latest legal technology allows our Hornchurch solicitors to provide an efficient service without compromising on quality. From rapid conveyancing quotes to secure document handling, we make use of technology to enhance your experience.
Collaborative Legal Support
Our Hornchurch solicitors work seamlessly with specialists across our branch network, ensuring you have access to expert advice no matter what legal challenge you face. This collaborative approach means you benefit from dedicated local support backed by wide-ranging legal expertise.
Client-Centred Approach
At Cunningtons’ Hornchurch branch, we believe in building lasting relationships with our clients. Our solicitors take the time to understand your specific needs and concerns, providing personalised guidance that addresses your unique situation.
Whether you’re buying a home in Hornchurch, planning for your family’s future, or facing a complex legal challenge, the team at Cunningtons is here to provide you with the professional support and expert advice you need.
Get in Touch
Ready to discuss your legal needs? Contact our Hornchurch solicitors today:
- Phone: 01708 984 999
- Email: Palaniappan.Ahilan@cunningtons.co.uk
- Visit: First Floor, 135 High Street,
Hornchurch, RM11 3YD
Alternatively, complete our contact form and a member of our team will be in touch soon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that our Greater London branch gets asked: if you need an answer to a question that is not on this list, please contact us for an answer.
What happens in the conveyancing process?
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property, and it happens whenever UK property is bought, sold or remortgaged. Conveyancing for each transaction is different, and generally involves liaising between buyers, sellers, mortgage companies, local councils and the Land Registry.
If you are buying property:
We contact the seller’s solicitors to check the title deeds and contract, then conduct a variety of searches depending on the location, check the formal mortgage offer, collect together documents that require signing, organise the handing over the deposit, ensure all monies are in the right accounts, arrange completion of sale, ensure the correct stamp duty is paid, instruct the land registry of the change in ownership, then send the deeds to either the buyer or the mortgage lender.
If you are selling property:
We obtain the title deeds and up-to-date information from the Land Registry, arrange the contracts that outline the sale, liaise with the buyer’s solicitors, find out the balance on your mortgage if necessary, send deeds for signing, arrange for estate agents’ fees to be paid, collect all funds due to the seller, submit statements and send dees and keys to the new owner.
If you are remortgaging:
We obtain the title deeds and up-to-date title copy from Land Registry, deal with any searches, receive mortgage offer, ask you to sign mortgage deed, arrange for the delivery of the new loan, get up-to-date statement from current lender, run searches at the Land Registry, receive the loan and repay existing mortgage, and register the new mortgage with the Land Registry.
In brief, conveyancing has a number of stages and differs according to the purpose of the transaction, the finances of the buyer/seller/remortgager, the geographical location of the property, and the number of other transactions in the chain.
Talk to your conveyancing solicitor throughout the process and they’ll keep you up to date with this important process.
What is the difference between a solicitor and a conveyancer?
When you use a solicitor for conveyancing you can be sure that they are regulated by the Solicitors’ Regulation Authority (SRA), a member of the Law Society, have degree-level qualifications and at least two years on the job training before qualifying as a conveyancing solicitor.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhereas a conveyancer tends to be regulated by the Council for Licenced Conveyancers (CLC) and is usually less highly qualified, although can still be perfectly competent.
What searches does a conveyancer do?
The standard searches your conveyancing solicitor undertakes are:u003cbr/u003e– local authority,u003cbr/u003e– water/drainage, andu003cbr/u003e– environmental.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThere are a number of other searches to undertake depending on the locality of the property. For example, in mining areas a mining search is also always obtained. There may also searches for Gypsum in areas where gypsum mining has taken place, Lead Mining, China Clay, and Limestone.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCheck with your property solicitor to find out which searches they are intending to undertake.
When I ask for a conveyancing quote, do I have to pay anything?
All our conveyancing quotes are free and you are not obliged to use our conveyancing services.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHowever, we have found that most people who receive a quotation for our conveyancing services are happy to use us and remain loyal customers for future moves!
Is there a difference between freehold and leasehold conveyancing?
The short answer is yes.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen dealing with leasehold transactions, there are many more things to check during the conveyancing process, including ground rent, service charges, licences under the Lease and leasehold covenants (obligations).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor this reason we charge an additional fee for dealing with leasehold transactions.
Should I use an online conveyancing company?
We do not generally recommend using an online conveyancer; although you often pay a lower fee, the level of service will also be lower.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYou will rarely speak to the same person twice, and you have to be wary of the extras they add on.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen you are dealing with something as valuable as your home, it is important not to take risks. And the potential small savings to be made by using online conveyancing don’t add up – yet. You should meet the solicitor who is working on your case face-to-face.
How do I avoid fraudulent transactions when moving house?
With such large amounts of money changing hands, there can be attempts to steal them in transit.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eIt is easy to avoid fraud if you follow simple rules:u003cbr/u003e1 – Never ever disclose bank account details by email.u003cbr/u003e2 – Never pay money into an account whose details you have received by email.u003cbr/u003e3 – Both you and your solicitor should pay into accounts whose details you have received by phone or in person.u003cbr/u003e4 – Ideally, test the veracity of bank account details by making an initial payment of £1 – which you then verify by telephoning your conveyancing solicitor – before paying any more.
How long does conveyancing take?
As most home moves depend on a number of different factors, it is impossible to predict how long your conveyancing will take. However, on average the process will usually take about 8 weeks for a freehold property, and slightly longer for a leasehold.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut as there can be a number of transactions going on at the same time, usually with a chain of strangers all buying and selling their homes and getting mortgages in place – the process rarely depends on just one person.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThat’s why moving home is a great time to practice calm and patience, as it is out of your control.
What living in Ilford like?
u003ca href=u0022https://www.theguardian.com/profile/tomdyckhoffu0022u003eTom Dyckhoffu003c/au003e wrote about Ilford in his u003cemu003eu003ca href=u0022https://www.theguardian.com/money/2017/may/26/lets-move-ilford-east-london-boomtown-property-tom-dyckhoffu0022u003eLet’s Move To …u003c/au003eu003c/emu003e column in The Guardian in 2017:u003cbru003eu003cbru003eLet’s move to Ilford, East London: ‘One of today’s boomtowns’u003cbru003eu003cemu003eAs inner London becomes supergentrified, it’s suburbs such as this that are left for the likes of you and meu003c/emu003eu003cbru003eu003cbru003eWhat’s going for it? Ilford’s attraction is not immediate. I rise past it most weeks on the North Circular; you might be in any outer London suburb, Kingston or Kingsbury, Bromley or Barnet. If you squint hard (health and safety warning: not when you’re driving), you could even be in Los Angeles. Maybe. Look, Ilford has its moments. Indeed, as central London becomes supergentrified with artisan chocolate boutiques, suburbs such as Ilford are left for the likes of you and me, with the cosmopolitan diversity we once used to seek in the hubbub of the city. These are today’s boomtowns, filled with young professionals, here not least because of u003ca href=u0022https://www.theguardian.com/uk/crossrailu0022u003eCrossrailu003c/au003e – aka the u003ca href=u0022https://tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/elizabeth-lineu0022u003eElizabeth lineu003c/au003e. Sure, Ilford is fat on chainstores, but look past TK Maxx and Wilko and you’ll find wonderful green pockets such as u003ca href=u0022http://www.valentinesmansion.com/gardens.phpu0022u003eValentines Parku003c/au003e, ace south Asian grocers and Turkish grills.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eThe case against u003cbru003eIt’s not a beauty. It’s as if a giant toddler tipped out its building blocks on to the Essex borders.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eWell connected? Very. Trains: every few minutes to Liverpool Street (16-21 minutes) and, the other way, to Brentwood (13); u003ca href=u0022https://www.theguardian.com/uk/crossrailu0022u003eCrossrailu003c/au003e should get you to Liverpool Street in 17 minutes, Farringdon in 19 and Bond Street or Shenfield in 24. Driving: the North Circular skirts by, and you’re not far from the A12 and A13 for escaping the Smoke.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eSchools Primaries: many “good”, Ofsted says, with u003ca href=u0022http://www.loxford.net/u0022u003eLoxfordu003c/au003e, u003ca href=u0022http://www.clevelandroadpri.uku0022u003eCleveland Roadu003c/au003e, u003ca href=u0022http://www.sevenkings.school/160/primaryu0022u003eSeven Kingsu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022http://www.christchurchprimary.co.uk/u0022u003eChristchurchu003c/au003e “outstanding”. Secondaries: u003ca href=u0022http://www.loxford.net/u0022u003eLoxfordu003c/au003e, u003ca href=u0022http://www.valentines-sch.org.uk/u0022u003eValentines Highu003c/au003e, u003ca href=u0022http://www.sevenkings.school/u0022u003eSeven Kingsu003c/au003e, u003ca href=u0022http://isaacnewtonacademy.org/u0022u003eIsaac Newton Academyu003c/au003e and u003ca href=u0022http://www.chadwellacademy.org.uk/u0022u003eChadwell Heath Academyu003c/au003e all “outstanding”.u003cbru003eu003cbru003eHang out at … The wonderful veggie Indian, u003ca href=u0022https://saravanabhavanlondon.co.uk/ilford/u0022u003eSaravanaa Bhavanuu003c/au003e. Or the u003ca href=u0022https://www.facebook.com/GardenersCottageCafeu0022u003eGardener’s Cottage Cafeu003c/au003e in Valentines Park.
FURTHER INFORMATION
More information about the services offered at our Hornchurch branch
Conveyancing Done Right
What is conveyancing, how long does it take, and what can go wrong? We guide you through your choices
Ilford branch moves to Hornchurch
Cunningtons celebrate the opening of their new branch in Hornchurch
Hornchurch Partner Profile
Palaniappan Ahilan is the Partner in Charge of the Hornchurch branch. Find out more about the branch.