Ten Canberra firms for buying, selling, leasing and property disputes, with what each one suits and how the ACT rules on Crown leases, the seller's documents, cooling off, off the plan contracts and conveyance duty work.
Google ratings checked 24 October 2026 · Updated 25 October 2026
Contact the firm to ask about first consultation terms.
Office
EY Building, Level 2, 121 Marcus Clarke St, Canberra ACT 2601
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
MV Law, also known as Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers, calls itself one of Canberra's largest independent firms and says its property team is the biggest in the city. Partner Christine Murray heads that team and advises developers, banks, builders, landlords and government. The firm says she has acted on more than 1,800 Territory land sales. Residential conveyancing manager Kim Cosgrove and development manager Christina Berlis run high volume off the plan work on major Canberra apartment projects. It suits buyers of new apartments, developers and commercial landlords. Ask about first consultation terms when you call.
The firm says it has advised government for more than 40 years
Also worth knowing
The firm says its conveyancing managers have run sales in large projects such as Soho in Dickson and Metropol in Reid.
Lawyers
Christine Murray, Partner, head of property
Rachael Wood, Special Counsel, property, commercial and finance
Kim Cosgrove, Residential Conveyancing Manager
Christina Berlis, Property Development Manager
Areas of property law handled
Buying and selling homes in the ACT and NSW
Off the plan purchases
Developer sale contracts
Put and call option deeds
House and land packages
Commercial property sales and purchases
Commercial and retail leases
Residential tenancy advice
Unit titles and owners corporation advice
Stamp duty and land tax
Town planning and compulsory acquisition
Office
EY Building, Level 2, 121 Marcus Clarke St, Canberra ACT 2601
Lexmerca was set up in 2014 by Jason Wenning and John Chamberlain and works from Northbourne Avenue in Braddon, with a Sydney office added in 2024. Property is one of its two founding strengths. According to the firm, Chamberlain has 22 years in residential and commercial property law and is a former chair of the ACT Law Society Property Committee. Lara Riley handles conveyancing, unit developments, Crown lease covenants and land rent contracts. The firm says Doyle's Guide named it a leading Canberra property firm from 2017 to 2022 and in 2024. It suits developers, landlords and home buyers. Ask about first consultation terms.
Founded in 2014
Also worth knowing
Its property team includes lawyers and two conveyancing staff covering ACT and NSW files.
Lawyers
John Chamberlain, Co founder, property lawyer
Lara Riley, Property lawyer
Andrew Cha, Property and commercial lawyer
Elysia Beale, Commercial and property transactions
The firm says it always gives an estimate of costs. Ask about first consultation terms when you call.
Office
9th Floor, Canberra House, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra City ACT 2601
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
BAL Lawyers, formally Bradley Allen Love, is one of Canberra's larger local firms and works from Canberra House on Marcus Clarke Street. Its property team is led by directors John Bradley, Georgina Phelps and Anthony Simpson, with a commercial leasing manager and a conveyancer alongside. The team acts on home sales and purchases in the ACT, NSW and Queensland, off the plan and new build contracts, strata disputes and retirement village agreements. Simpson focuses on commercial sales and leasing. It suits buyers, sellers and landlords who want a large local team. Ask about first consultation terms when you call.
Also worth knowing
It advises on strata management, by laws and building defects.
Lawyers
John Bradley, Director
Georgina Phelps, Director
Anthony Simpson, Director, property
Ruby Holloway, Senior Associate
Thomas Iles, Associate, property
Sandy Meaney, Commercial Leasing Manager
Lily Swan, Conveyancer
Areas of property law handled
Buying and selling homes
Off the plan purchases
House and land packages
New build contract advice
Loan and mortgage documents
Strata advice and building defects
Retirement village contracts
Commercial property sales
Commercial leasing
Property development
Office
9th Floor, Canberra House, 40 Marcus Clarke Street, Canberra City ACT 2601
Elringtons says it has served Canberra and Queanbeyan since 1897, and it works from Thesiger Court in Deakin and Monaro Street in Queanbeyan. Managing partner Shalini Sree, an accredited specialist in property law according to the firm, leads its property and commercial work. The team acts on home purchases and sales in both the ACT and NSW, off the plan contracts, strata and unit titles, and leases and easements. Because the firm also does family law and wills, it can handle a sale or transfer that comes out of a separation or an estate. It suits buyers and sellers with property on both sides of the border.
The firm says it has practised since 1897
Also worth knowing
Property work can run alongside its family law and wills practice.
Lawyers
Shalini Sree, Managing Partner, property and commercial Accredited property law law specialist
The firm publishes separate ACT and NSW conveyancing fee schedules on its site. Ask about first consultation terms when you call.
Office
Level 6, Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Circuit, Canberra City ACT 2601
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
O'Connor Harris & Co formed in 1982 when two Canberra practices merged, and it works from the Bright Consulting Building on London Circuit. Founding director Ruth Harris has spent more than 40 years on conveyancing, subdivisions and unit and community title work, the firm says, and sat on the ACT Law Society's Property Law Committee for many years. Directors Joseph Wong and Enrica Wong, appointed in 2023, cover conveyancing, commercial leasing, option deeds and electronic settlements. The firm acts in the ACT and NSW and posts its conveyancing fee schedules online. It suits first home buyers, downsizers and small developers.
Formed in 1982
Also worth knowing
It posts its ACT and NSW conveyancing fee schedules online.
Lawyers
Ruth Harris, Founding Director, property and conveyancing
John Harris, Founding Director, commercial, property and construction
Joseph Wong, Director, conveyancing and commercial leasing
Enrica Wong, Director, property
Elena Griffin, Lawyer, property
Areas of property law handled
Buying and selling houses
Unit and strata purchases
Off the plan purchases
Land and new lots from subdivision
Strata plan registration and subdivision
Put and call option deeds
Commercial leasing
Family transfers
Mortgages and refinancing
First home buyer concessions
Office
Level 6, Bright Consulting Building, 161 London Circuit, Canberra City ACT 2601
Contact the firm by phone or through its enquiry form to ask about first consultation terms.
Office
Level 8, 28 University Ave, Canberra City ACT 2601
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Tetlow Legal was started by Brian Tetlow, who the firm says has practised in Canberra for more than 40 years, and it's now led by partners Emma Bragg and Rebecca Tetlow from University Avenue in the city. Bragg began her career as a property lawyer and heads the commercial and property side, covering ACT and NSW conveyancing, off the plan purchases and commercial leasing. Senior associate Jason Gibb handles leasing and commercial conveyancing, and licensed conveyancer Rebecca Peisley brings more than 20 years of residential work. It suits buyers and sellers who also want wills or retirement village advice. Ask about first consultation terms.
Also worth knowing
It covers property in both the ACT and NSW.
Lawyers
Emma Bragg, Partner, commercial and property
Rebecca Tetlow, Partner
Jason Gibb, Senior Associate, commercial and property
The firm says it offers set fees for residential conveyancing on established properties in the ACT and NSW.
Office
Ground floor, 10 Corinna Street, Woden ACT 2606
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
KJB Law has practised from Woden since 1981 and runs a conveyancing team alongside its estates, family and retirement village work. It handles established homes, vacant land, house and land packages and off the plan units in the ACT and NSW, plus unit titling, subdivisions and residential and commercial leases. Principal Jo Twible leads commercial conveyancing, leasing and retirement village work, and the firm says team member Karen Watt was REIACT Conveyancer of the Year in 2019. The firm says set fees apply to residential conveyancing on established homes. It suits south side buyers and older clients moving into a village.
Founded in 1981
Also worth knowing
It handles unit titling in the ACT and strata titling in NSW.
Lawyers
Jo Twible, Principal, commercial conveyancing, leasing and retirement villages
David Endersby, Senior Associate, commercial and property
The firm says conveyancing consultations are free, in person, by phone or online.
Office
43-49 Geils Court, Deakin ACT 2600
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Snedden Hall & Gallop opened in 1960 and now works from Geils Court in Deakin. Director Tom Lindenmayer leads its property and commercial leasing team and was appointed to the ACT Law Society Property Law Advisory Committee in 2026. The team acts on home purchases and sales, auctions, stamp duty concessions and retirement village contracts, and for landlords and tenants on commercial leases, rent reviews and Crown lease permitted use issues. Senior conveyancing clerk Tanya Corneliusen has more than 20 years on ACT and NSW files. The firm says first consultations are free, in person, by phone or online.
Founded in 1960
Also worth knowing
The firm says first conveyancing consultations are free.
Lawyers
Tom Lindenmayer, Director, property and commercial leasing
Gerald Santucci, Special Counsel, business, property, elder law and wills
The firm says its conveyancing is fixed fee with no hidden extras.
Office
Level 7, 10 Hobart Place, Canberra ACT 2601
Full profile: lawyers, services and sources
About the firm
Emma Brown Legal is a small Canberra City practice on Hobart Place that does property and conveyancing work only. Director and principal solicitor Emma Brown was admitted in 2004 and has focused on property since 2010. Conveyancer Kylie Harris joined in 2022 with 20 years of conveyancing behind her. The firm handles residential and commercial sales and purchases, strata, rural and vacant land, auctions, refinancing, leases and family transfers across the ACT and NSW. Fees are fixed with no hidden extras, the firm says. It suits buyers and sellers who want to deal directly with the solicitor.
Ammitoj Singh Legal is a one lawyer property practice on Ainslie Place in the city. Principal lawyer Ammitoj Singh studied law and commerce at ANU and has worked in boutique and large corporate firms, acting for first home buyers, investors, developers and builders. The firm says it practises only in property law. Work covers private treaty and off the plan purchases, auction contract reviews at short notice, sale contracts and title transfers. Conveyancing is fixed fee, and virtual and after hours appointments are available. It suits first home buyers who want one lawyer on their file from start to finish.
Also worth knowing
Virtual and after hours appointments are available.
Firm details come from each firm's own website. Google ratings are shown as published on Google and don't set the order. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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How we compiled this list
We include firms with a Canberra office whose own websites show real property work, from conveyancing and off the plan purchases to unit titles, Crown lease issues, development and commercial leasing. For each firm we read its website in October 2026 and wrote the description ourselves. The ACT Law Society doesn't accredit specialists, so where a firm's site names a lawyer as an accredited specialist in an area we say the claim comes from the firm. Some firms here lean towards developers, landlords and government rather than home purchases, and we say so in the write-up. Free consultations and fee terms are as the firm describes them, so confirm them when you call. We show Google ratings with the date we checked them.
Firms can pay for a featured listing on some of our pages, which affects where they appear. No firm on this page pays. Payment doesn't buy the write-up. We write those ourselves, and firms don't get to edit them. If something here is out of date, let us know. There's more detail on how we rank law firms.
This page is general information, not legal advice. Rules and fees are as published by ACT Planning, the ACT Revenue Office, the ACT Legislation Register, ACAT, the ACT courts, the ACT Law Society and Legal Aid ACT in October 2026. ACAT and court fees apply from 1 July 2026 and change each July.
Leasehold land: what you're actually buying in the ACT
Most land in the ACT is leasehold, held under Crown leases. According to ACT Planning, leasehold is the territory's system of land tenure, and when you buy a house, a unit or a block in Canberra you're usually buying a Crown lease. Holding a Crown lease means you effectively own the property. A residential lease is usually granted for 99 years.
A few things follow from that:
The purpose clause matters: the land and buildings can only be used for the purpose the lease authorises. If you want to run a business from a home, build a second dwelling or redevelop a block, check what the lease allows. You may also need development approval
Renewing the lease: you can apply to the Territory Planning Authority for a further Crown lease at any time during the term. If the Territory or the Commonwealth doesn't need the land, there's no payment for a new residential lease other than an administrative fee
Commercial and development land: building and development covenants in a Crown lease, and changes to what a lease permits, are specialist work. Several firms on this list advise developers and landlords on them
Your lawyer or conveyancer should read the Crown lease itself, not just the title search, before you sign.
The contract, the seller's documents and cooling off
Residential sales in the ACT are governed by the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003. The seller must make a set of required documents available for you to inspect, and those documents form part of the contract.
Document
Notes
Crown lease, title register extract and deposited plan
A current certified extract from the land titles register, plus any encumbrances such as easements
Building and compliance inspection report
Not needed for a class A unit or a home that has never been lived in
Pest inspection report
If the home has been occupied before. Not needed for a class A unit
Energy efficiency rating statement
If it isn't given before the contract is made, the seller must pay the buyer 0.5% of the price
Building conveyancing inquiry documents
For each home on the block. Not needed for a class A unit or a home that has never been lived in
Lease conveyancing inquiry documents
For the land
For a unit
The units plan, a unit title sale certificate and any building management statement
Where relevant
Asbestos and regulated swimming pool documents
When the sale completes, the seller can recover from the buyer the cost of the first building and compliance report and the first pest report. A person who prepares a false or misleading report may have to compensate the buyer.
Cooling off. The cooling off period starts when the contract is made and ends at 5pm on the 5th working day after that day. To get out of the contract in that time, you give the seller a signed written notice. You forfeit 0.25% of the price, taken from the deposit first, and nothing more is payable. The agent doesn't get a commission on a sale ended this way.
There's no cooling off when:
the buyer is a corporation
the property is sold by auction or tender
the contract is made on auction day after the property was passed in, and you were a registered bidder
you waive it, which needs a certificate from your lawyer
The cooling off period can also be shortened, but again only after you've had a lawyer's advice and certificate. If you're buying at auction, have the contract and documents checked before the day, because you won't get a second chance.
Buying off the plan and sunset clauses
Buying an apartment or townhouse before it's built means signing for something you can't inspect. Part 2A of the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003 limits when a developer can walk away from an off the plan contract under a sunset clause or a similar term. The main ways the seller can end the contract are:
with each buyer's written consent, after giving at least 28 days' notice
with an order of the Supreme Court, which it will only make if it's just and equitable
If the developer goes to court, it pays your costs unless the court finds you unreasonably withheld consent. A rescission clause in the contract doesn't end the contract automatically. If a developer writes asking you to agree to end your contract, get advice before you reply, especially if property values have gone up since you signed.
Duty on new units. The ACT Revenue Office says that from 1 July 2026 the price cap has been removed from the off the plan unit duty exemption. A new Newly Unit Titled Duty Exemption also covers owner occupiers buying a newly built unit titled property that wasn't sold off the plan. Check the current conditions with the Revenue Office before you sign.
Conveyance duty and the Home Buyer Concession Scheme
Conveyance duty, still usually called stamp duty, is paid by the buyer and administered by the ACT Revenue Office. The transfer must be lodged within 14 days after settlement, and the duty is due 14 days after the title is registered at Access Canberra. Your lawyer or conveyancer will usually work out the duty and lodge the paperwork.
The ACT changed its home buyer help on 1 July 2026. According to the Revenue Office:
Scheme
From 1 July 2026
Home Buyer Concession Scheme
Eligible buyers are exempt from conveyance duty on a home or vacant residential land. There's no income threshold and no property price cap
Off the plan unit duty exemption
The price cap has been removed
Newly Unit Titled Duty Exemption
New, for owner occupiers buying a newly built unit titled property not sold off the plan
Pensioner and Disability Duty Concession Schemes
The price caps have been removed
Commercial property
No conveyance duty at a dutiable value of $2,100,000 or less, and a flat 5% above that
To qualify for the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, as the Revenue Office describes it:
every buyer must be an individual aged 18 or over, so companies and trusts can't use it
no buyer, and no buyer's domestic partner, can have owned an interest in any other property in the last 5 years
at least one buyer must live in the property as their principal place of residence for at least 12 months, starting within one year of settlement, or of the certificate of occupancy for vacant land
The scheme isn't only for first home buyers. If you haven't owned property for 5 years, you may qualify. Older guides and calculators may still quote the income limits and price cap that applied before 1 July 2026, so check the Revenue Office's own pages.
Unit titles, commercial leases and neighbour disputes
Unit titles. If you buy a unit or townhouse on a units plan, you become part of an owners corporation under the Unit Titles (Management) Act 2011. The owners corporation is created when the units plan is registered and can sue and be sued. An executive committee, elected at each annual general meeting, runs it, and each AGM approves a budget. If the units plan has 4 or more units, the Act also requires a sinking fund and a 10 year sinking fund plan.
ACAT resolves some unit title disputes, for example over pets, whether a resolution is valid or fair, and maintenance of common property. Owners, occupiers, the owners corporation, managers and executive committee members can apply. From 1 July 2026 the application fee is $195 for an individual and $392 for a corporation. Overdue levies can be recovered as a debt in ACAT's civil jurisdiction. An appeal against an ACAT unit titles decision has to be lodged within 28 days.
Retail and commercial leases. The Leases (Commercial and Retail) Act 2001 covers retail premises and small commercial premises, among others. It doesn't cover leases shorter than 6 months unless you've been in continuous occupation, or very large premises leased to a listed public company. Under the Act:
the landlord must give you a disclosure statement at least 14 days before you enter into the lease
if your total term is under 5 years, you can extend it to 5 years by giving the landlord written notice at least 90 days before the term ends. The right doesn't apply if you got independent legal advice about it before signing, usually shown by a lawyer's certificate, or to option renewals, change of use leases and continuous occupation leases
a clause letting the landlord set the rent at its discretion is void, and the rent can't change more than once in each 12 months
if you ask to assign the lease, the landlord must respond within 28 days and can only refuse if it's reasonable
The ACT Magistrates Court charges a fee for lodging a commercial lease application: $1,065 for an individual and $2,131 for a corporation from 1 July 2026.
Fences and trees. Fence disputes are decided by ACAT under the Common Boundaries Act 1981. Before you apply for a new fence or a repair you must give your neighbour at least 30 days' notice. Neighbours sharing a side or back fence usually share the cost equally, unless ACAT orders otherwise. The ACAT fee from 1 July 2026 is $195 for an individual. Legal Aid ACT suggests talking to your neighbour and trying mediation first, for example through the Conflict Resolution Service on (02) 6162 4050. Some trees on private land are protected, so check with Access Canberra on 13 22 81 before you cut anything back.
Bigger disputes. ACAT hears civil claims up to $25,000. The ACT Magistrates Court hears claims up to $250,000, and the Supreme Court has no upper limit. Both courts sit at 4 to 6 Knowles Place in Canberra City. A contract claim generally has to be started within 6 years, or 12 years if the contract is a deed.
Choosing a property lawyer, costs and free help
Most firms on this list run residential conveyancing through conveyancers or conveyancing clerks, with a lawyer supervising. That's normal for a standard purchase or sale. A lawyer adds the most when something is out of the ordinary: a Crown lease purpose or covenant problem, a unit development, a commercial lease, a sunset clause notice, a family transfer, or a dispute that might end up in ACAT or a court. Only a lawyer can give the certificate needed to waive or shorten your cooling off period.
When you're choosing a firm:
Ask who does the work: and who to call when the bank or the other side's lawyer goes quiet before settlement
Ask how it charges: fixed or set fee conveyancing is common. The Legal Profession Act 2006 requires written costs disclosure for most matters, so expect your lawyer to tell you in writing how they'll charge and give you an estimate
Check NSW experience if you need it: many Canberrans buy or sell in Queanbeyan or elsewhere in NSW, where different rules apply. Several firms here act on both sides of the border
Specialists: the ACT Law Society doesn't accredit specialists in any area of law. If a lawyer calls themselves a specialist, ask which body accredited them. On this list, Elringtons says Shalini Sree is an accredited specialist in property law, without naming the body
If you're unhappy with a solicitor, the ACT Law Society suggests raising it with the solicitor or a senior person at the firm first. If that doesn't work, start with the online enquiry form on its website. Someone from its Regulatory Services Team replies within 10 working days. Complain within three years of the conduct. For help with the form, call (02) 6274 0300, 9am to 12:30pm on weekdays.
Free and low cost help in Canberra:
Legal Aid ACT Helpline: 1300 654 314, Monday to Thursday 8:30am to 7pm and Friday 8:30am to 5pm. It gives legal information and referrals and can book an appointment with a lawyer. Legal Aid usually doesn't fund conveyancing
Tenancy Advice Service: 1300 402 512, run by Legal Aid ACT, if you're renting rather than buying
Canberra Community Law: (02) 6218 7900, for people on low incomes with housing and other problems
ACT Law Society: its Find a Firm search lists ACT firms by area of practice, suburb or postcode
Canberra property law: common questions
What does it mean that land in the ACT is leasehold?
Most land in the ACT is leasehold, so you usually buy a Crown lease, which ACT Planning says means you effectively own the property. A residential lease is usually for 99 years, and you can apply for a further lease at any time during the term, with only an administrative fee for a new residential lease if the government doesn't need the land. The lease sets what the land can be used for, so check it before you buy if you plan to build, subdivide or run a business there.
How long is the cooling off period when buying in Canberra?
It starts when the contract is made and ends at 5pm on the 5th working day after that day. To get out, you give the seller a signed written notice and forfeit 0.25% of the price. There's no cooling off at an auction or tender sale, for a corporate buyer, or on auction day after the property was passed in if you were a registered bidder. You can only waive or shorten it with a certificate from your lawyer.
Do first home buyers pay stamp duty in the ACT?
From 1 July 2026, eligible buyers pay no conveyance duty under the Home Buyer Concession Scheme, on a home or vacant residential land, with no income threshold and no price cap. Every buyer must be an individual aged 18 or over, none of you or your partners can have owned property in the last 5 years, and at least one buyer must live there for at least 12 months. The ACT Revenue Office decides eligibility, so check with it before you sign.
Can a developer cancel my off the plan contract?
Only in limited cases. Under the Civil Law (Sale of Residential Property) Act 2003, a developer generally needs your written consent, given after at least 28 days' notice, or a Supreme Court order to end an off the plan contract under a sunset or similar clause. The court will only order it if it's just and equitable, and the developer pays your costs unless you unreasonably refused consent.
Do I need a property lawyer or a conveyancer in Canberra?
For a standard purchase or sale, many firms run the file through a conveyancer supervised by a lawyer. A lawyer becomes more important if there's a problem with the Crown lease, a unit development, a commercial lease, a sunset clause notice or a dispute. Only a lawyer can give the certificate needed to waive or shorten your cooling off period. Whoever you use, ask who handles your file and how they charge.
How do I sort out a dispute with my owners corporation?
ACAT resolves some disputes under the ACT's unit titles laws, such as disputes over pets, whether a resolution is valid or fair, and maintenance of common property. Owners, occupiers, managers and executive committee members can apply. From 1 July 2026 the fee is $195 for an individual. The owners corporation can also recover overdue levies as a debt through ACAT.
Where can I get free help with a property problem in Canberra?
The Legal Aid ACT Helpline on 1300 654 314 gives legal information and referrals, although Legal Aid usually doesn't fund conveyancing. Renters can call the Tenancy Advice Service on 1300 402 512. Canberra Community Law on (02) 6218 7900 helps people on low incomes with housing problems. For fence disputes, Legal Aid ACT suggests trying mediation, for example through the Conflict Resolution Service on (02) 6162 4050.
General information only, not legal advice.
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