Paula Wakeling-Basham Consultant Conveyancing Lawyer

Paula is a highly skilled lawyer with over 20 years’ experience in real estate law. She is based in the South West though her practice extends nationwide and she regularly advises clients in London and the Home Counties. Paula has a particular expertise in land law and possesses in-depth knowledge of all aspects of land and property, with a strong ability to navigate complex legal processes. Throughout her career, she has consistently achieved successful outcomes for her clients. 

She is known for her strong negotiation skills and her belief that a collaborative approach between lawyers is essential to achieving the best results. She focuses on resolving issues fairly, pragmatically, and efficiently. Her goal is always to find practical solutions, particularly in challenging situations, and to act in the best interests of her clients. Her work is primarily non-contentious, although she frequently advises other lawyers at an early stage on complex land title matters to help resolve issues before they escalate to court proceedings. 

Her experience covers a broad spectrum of real estate transactions, from residential property sales and purchases to land acquisitions for development and high-volume portfolio acquisitions for investment purposes. She has worked closely with investment banks, finance providers, and agricultural landowners, consistently delivering a high standard of service without compromising on attention to detail or quality of work. 

Approach to work and clients

Paula is a dedicated, client-focused lawyer who understands the importance of clear communication and regular updates. Paula maintains close, one-to-one contact with her clients throughout each transaction, ensuring transparency, clarity, and reassurance at every stage. This approach has enabled her to build strong, long-lasting relationships, with many clients having worked with her for over ten years. 

She has extensive experience acting for a wide range of clients, including individual property buyers, high-profile individuals, high-net-worth clients, families, companies, property developers, and both small and large property investors. She tailors her approach to suit each transaction, whether straightforward or complex, and remains flexible as matters evolve. 

Paula is frequently instructed by repeat clients, as well as their families, friends, and professional contacts. Her work includes assisting first-time buyers, handling transfers of equity following divorce or separation, advising on lease extensions, managing refinancing arrangements for investment portfolios, and advising on the acquisition and disposal of land for development. 

Previous cases

Acting for a high-net-worth individual

The client travelled extensively and worked abroad, requiring regular availability at flexible times to accommodate his commitments. Paula advised on the purchase of multiple investment properties in London and Cornwall and simultaneously handled the refinancing of existing property to release funds for those acquisitions. The transaction was completed successfully, and the client has since returned to Paula for further investment work, as well as recommending her services to colleagues, contacts, and friends. 

Acting for a farm owner with a large, previously unregistered estate

The estate was approximately 40 acres, including several outbuildings. Paula successfully negotiated with HM Land Registry to establish ownership, define boundaries, and identify any rights of way or title obligations. She advised on the correct registration of the land and buildings for residential use and future disposal, including Class Q permitted development rights and full planning permission. In addition, Paula resolved a complex issue involving a neighbouring landowner who had claimed part of the land by adverse possession, successfully negotiating the appropriate legal resolution to protect her client’s interests.  

Acting for property developers on land acquisitions

In one example, she advised on the purchase of farmland with outbuildings for development. This involved conducting detailed development searches and enquiries and working closely with surveyors, architects, planning departments, and building control to ensure the viability of the project. She advised on finance requirements, carried out comprehensive land due diligence for lenders, and prepared transfers of part once the development was completed. During the development phase, Paula drafted detailed contracts and transfer deeds incorporating rights of way, shared facilities, services, private waste treatment arrangements, and warranties. This enabled marketing to commence promptly while ensuring ongoing compliance with lender requirements and finance deadlines.  

Advising on the purchase of a large twelve-bedroom property intended for conversion into a licensed student letting.

The transaction included the division of garden land, allowing the seller to retain and enlarge their own garden. Paula managed the variation of the property licence, secured bridging finance for the client, and completed the transfer of both the main property and the garden land simultaneously. The bridging finance required repayment within six months, during which time the property was reconfigured to increase bedroom capacity. Paula negotiated boundary responsibilities and ensured dilapidations were addressed prior to exchange. She subsequently handled the refinancing and repayment of the bridging loan, after which the client successfully secured a student letting agreement with a managing agent. Following the success of this project, the client instructed Paula on a further transaction.