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My Proper Home

Guide · 7 min read

Conveyancing explained

Solicitors, searches, contracts, exchange, completion — and where chains actually get stuck.

What conveyancing is

The legal transfer of property ownership from seller to buyer. Both sides instruct a solicitor (or licensed conveyancer) who handles contracts, money and the Land Registry filing. Average residential conveyance in 2025 takes ~14 weeks from offer accepted to completion.

What it costs

Legal fee: £900–1,800 + VAT. Cheaper for cash buyers, dearer for leasehold flats. Disbursements: Land Registry fees (£40–£910 depending on price), searches (£300–500), bank transfer fees (~£30 per leg), Stamp Duty submission (your money, but the solicitor pays it).

The eight stages

  1. Instruct + identity checks (week 1) — anti- money-laundering paperwork, signed terms of engagement.
  2. Seller's contract pack arrives (week 1–3) — draft contract, title deeds, TA6 (property information form), TA10 (fixtures + fittings). Buyer's solicitor reviews.
  3. Searches ordered (week 2) — local authority, environmental, water + drainage. Some councils return in 2 weeks, some in 10.
  4. Enquiries raised + answered (weeks 4–8) — the back-and-forth that creates 80% of the wait time. Pre-empt by collecting boiler certificates, planning permission docs and guarantees before instructing.
  5. Mortgage offer received (weeks 4–6) — lender issues the formal offer. Triggers their final valuation.
  6. Report on title (week 9–10) — your solicitor summarises everything they've found. You sign the contract here.
  7. Exchange (week 11) — contracts are physically exchanged between the two solicitors. Deposit moves. You're legally bound.
  8. Completion (week 12–14) — balance funds transfer. Keys released. Stamp Duty submitted within 14 days.

Why chains stall

Every property in the chain has to be at exchange-ready stage at the same time. One slow solicitor blocks the whole sequence. Most common stalling causes: late searches, mortgage delays at the bottom buyer, missing certificates (FENSA / Gas / Electrical).

How to speed it up

  • Reply to your solicitor's emails the day they arrive — most of their time is waiting for you, not the other side.
  • Collect documents in advance: boiler certificate, double-glazing (FENSA), any planning permission paperwork, last 3 ground-rent / service-charge demands (leasehold).
  • Pick a conveyancer who advertises a "no sale, no fee" policy and gives you a named contact you can email directly.
  • Use My Proper Home's chain view to spot which step is stuck — nudge through the agent rather than your solicitor.

Useful next steps