
Maria Christine Richards Consultant Chartered Legal Executive
Maria is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives and has over 20 years of experience practising in the largest firms in the Southwest. Before joining Setfords she was a partner, Head of the Later Living Conveyancing team and a member of The Equity Release Council and subsequently became Head of Department.
Maria also is also a senior examiner for the National Association of Licensed Paralegals, writes and moderates examinations and assignments and was the training manager for many years at her former firm. Maria’s teaching experience extends from legal secretary courses to graduate and postgraduate levels in all areas of law and she is proud to have assisted over 7000 students in gaining a legal qualification of various levels over the past 15 years.
Maria prides herself on communication with clients, referrers and agents and other professionals to ensure these close working relationships result in a smooth transaction for all involved.
In Maria’s spare time, she enjoys various hobbies including cake decorating, baking, walking and going in the sea. She loves exploring Cornwall and all its hidden gems.
Specialist Areas:
- Sale and purchase of freehold and leasehold properties
- Equity Release
- Re-mortgages
- Co-ownership transfers
- Rights of way
- Land Registry voluntary registrations
- Auctions - sales and purchases
- Council Care Homes Deferred Charge Schemes
- Right to Buy - council or social housing
- Creation of Easements
- Transfers of Part
Testimonials:
Please accept our thanks Maria for your very efficient handling of our sale and purchase. We’ll definitely be recommending your services to others.
- Mr & Mrs A -
Thank you for all you have done for me, during this hard time of losing my wife. It is most appreciated. Setford Solicitors are lucky to have you in their team, and I was lucky to find you.
- Mr F -
I will be sure to recommend your services to people I know who are looking for a good solicitor!
- Miss T -
Practice Areas
Locations
Accreditations & Awards

Excellent from start to finish! Highly recommend!
Superb! I was kept informed at every stage of the sale of my house. Extremely happy with this company. Couldn’t recommend them more highly!! Thank you!
Setfords was very helpful, kept me updated all the time, and took the time to explan everything. Nothing was to much trouble for them. Highly recommended. The staff are so friendly, couldn't done...
There’s no amount of superlatives I can give Maria and her team. Maria and Petra in particular I know went above and beyond and kept pushing and pulling to make sure we got our completion date....
Maria was awesome from start to finish explaining any terms and issues we didn't understand and reassuring us at every step. Our sale and purchase seemed to take an age, but not due to Maria and her...
They kept us up to date with progress and helped us by explaining any terms and issues we didn't understand. Our sale and purchase seemed to take an age, but not due to Maria and her team, their...
I had the absolute joy of working with Maria and Petra in the Newquay branch in Cornwall. Both were prompt, knowledgeable, and clear about the process. As a first time buyer, no question was too...
We used Setfords Solicitors for our conveyancing work and they were absolutely brilliant from start to finish. The whole team were down to earth, highly efficient, and consistently professional, ...
Great comms, professional but friendly, good team & patient in tyring circumstances
Maria and team handled our purchase amazingly fast ..clear explanations throughout the whole journey .
Very fast to respond, provided lots of easy-to-understand information, just overall incredible to work with
Maria and Petra have been absolutely outstanding throughout the very stressful sales process. It has been one of the most difficult property sales I have experienced due to inadequate legal...
Hi a big thanks to the setfords team many thanks to Petra and Clair they are excellent at their job Jo helped me with some paper work to thanks it is nice to pick up the phone and talk to...
Setfords were really efficient, professional and very timely with all communication. I cannot recommend them highly enough. If we ever move again, we will use them!
I was recommended to use Setfords for conveyancing by my local independent estate agent - Maria's team based in Newquay went above and beyond to help me through selling the property in a very...
We have had such a good experience with our recent sale and purchase, using Setfords for conveyancing. Their team was always quick to respond, made everything really clear, and nothing seemed too...
Maria Richards at Setfords is the best conveyancing solicitor that we have ever used and we thoroughly recommend her and her efficient team. Extremely competent; organised; prompt; knowledgeable;...
Maria Richards and her team were friendly, professional and highly efficient from first contact to completion. Whenever we phoned or emailed with a question, it was answered instantly, and we never...
Professional, quick, efficient and thorough service. We have instructed Maria Richards in every sale and purchase we have made. I would not use any other solicitor. Maria and her team , Petra to name...
The girls could not have done more for me, in what was a tricky, drawn out sale and purchase. I cannot praise them enough for the above and beyond service they gave me.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR ENQUIRY
How Can We Help You?
Please note that we cannot offer legal aid.
Contact our team
General
New Clients
Payments
Email
Location
74 North Street, Guildford, Surrey, GU1 4AW
DX / 2401 Guildford
Business Hours
Monday to Thursday
9:00am – 5:30pm
Friday
9:00am – 5:00pm
Closed
Weekends & Bank Holidays
Reach out to our team
Call our team on 0333 060 6183 or fill out the form beside and we will get back to you as soon as possible.