When you buy a home in the UK, you’re not just purchasing bricks and mortar, you’re also entering into a legal transaction that must be carefully managed and properly documented. This is where conveyancing comes in.
What Is Conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one party to another. It begins once your offer has been accepted and continues until you receive the keys to your new home.
While it can seem complex and time consuming, understanding the steps involved can help you feel more confident, reduce delays, and make informed decisions throughout your home buying journey.
This guide walks you through the full conveyancing process, from instructing a solicitor to completing the purchase and beyond.
1. Instructing a Conveyancer or Solicitor
The conveyancing process begins once your offer on a property has been accepted. At this point, you’ll need to instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal work involved in the purchase. You’re free to choose your own legal representative, you don’t have to use one recommended by your estate agent or mortgage lender.
Your chosen solicitor will carry out the necessary checks, prepare and review contracts, liaise with the seller’s legal team, and ensure all the required steps are completed for a legal transfer of ownership.
2. Reviewing the Draft Contract
The seller’s solicitor will send your solicitor a draft contract pack, which includes:
- A draft contract of sale
- The property’s title deeds (from the Land Registry)
- Details of the property’s boundaries, rights of way, and any restrictions
- Property information forms completed by the seller (including fixtures and fittings, warranties, and building work)
Your solicitor will carefully review these documents to ensure everything is in order and raise any pre-contract enquiries with the seller’s solicitor. These might involve clarifying legal boundaries, checking planning permissions, or investigating potential issues such as flood risks or disputes with neighbours.
3. Conducting Property Searches
Next, your solicitor will order a series of legal property searches with the local authority and other relevant bodies. These searches are crucial for uncovering any legal, environmental, or structural issues that may affect the property or your ability to enjoy it. Key searches typically include:
- Local Authority Search: Reveals planning decisions, nearby developments, or road schemes that could affect the property.
- Environmental Search: Checks for contamination, flood risk, subsidence, and other environmental hazards.
- Water and Drainage Search: Confirms whether the property is connected to mains water and sewage systems.
- Land Registry Search: Verifies the legal ownership of the property and any charges against it.
Additional searches may be recommended depending on the property’s location: for instance, a coal mining search in former mining areas, or a chancel repair search for historic church repair liabilities.
4. Applying for Your Mortgage
While your solicitor is progressing the legal side, you’ll be finalising your mortgage application with your lender. Once your mortgage is approved, the lender will issue a formal mortgage offer, which is sent to both you and your solicitor.
Your solicitor will review the mortgage offer and ensure that the conditions align with the property and your financial circumstances. They may also be responsible for managing the release of mortgage funds when it comes time to complete the purchase.
5. Arranging a Property Survey
Although not strictly part of the conveyancing process, you should also commission a property survey around this time. A mortgage lender may carry out a basic valuation, but this only confirms the property’s value; it won’t highlight structural or maintenance issues.
You may want to instruct a Homebuyer Report or a more detailed Building Survey to identify any hidden defects that could influence your decision or the price you’re willing to pay.
If the survey reveals significant issues, you can instruct your solicitor to negotiate on price or request that the seller addresses repairs before completion.
6. Signing Contracts and Agreeing a Completion Date
Once all the searches have been returned, enquiries answered, and your mortgage offer is in place, your solicitor will provide a report on title: summarising the findings and confirming whether it’s legally safe to proceed.
You’ll then be asked to:
- Review and sign the contract of sale
- Pay your deposit, usually 10% of the purchase price
- Agree on a completion date (the day you get the keys and become the legal owner)
Only once both parties have signed identical contracts and agreed on the date will the process move to exchange.
7. Exchange of Contracts
Exchange of contracts is a major legal milestone. At this point, both the buyer and seller are legally committed to the transaction. The contract becomes binding, and you’ll forfeit your deposit if you pull out without good reason.
Your solicitor will exchange contracts with the seller’s solicitor, typically over the phone, and confirm everything in writing. From this point, you can begin finalising moving arrangements, notify utility providers, and prepare for ownership.
8. Completion
Completion day is when the property officially becomes yours. On this date, your solicitor will:
- Transfer the remaining balance to the seller’s solicitor (this includes your mortgage funds)
- Receive confirmation that the transaction has completed
- Notify you that you can collect the keys, often from the estate agent
You’ll now take physical possession of the property and can begin moving in.
9. Post-Completion Tasks
After completion, your solicitor still has a few important jobs to do:
- Pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on your behalf (if applicable)
- Register your ownership with HM Land Registry
- Send a copy of the updated title deeds to your mortgage lender (if required)
- Provide you with a copy of the Title Register confirming your ownership
These steps are usually completed within a few weeks after completion, though Land Registry registration can sometimes take longer.
How Long Does the Conveyancing Process Take?
In a straightforward transaction, the conveyancing process usually takes 8 to 12 weeks from offer acceptance to completion. However, several factors can delay things, such as:
- Length of the property chain
- Delays in searches or mortgage approvals
- Complex legal issues or disputes
- Negotiations arising from surveys
Working with an experienced and proactive solicitor, and staying responsive throughout the process, can help keep things on track.
The conveyancing process is a vital part of buying a home in the UK. It may seem daunting at first, but with the support of a knowledgeable solicitor and a clear understanding of each stage, it becomes far more manageable.
Choosing the right conveyancer, staying organised, and responding promptly to requests can make all the difference in ensuring a smooth and successful property purchase.
Whether you’re a first-time buyer or moving home, knowing what to expect, and why each step matters, will help you feel more in control and confident on your path to homeownership.
