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The UK Conveyancing Process Explained: A First-Time Buyer's Step-by-Step Guide
Conveyancing is the legal process that transfers a property from the seller to you. Most first-time buyers describe it as the most opaque part of buying a home — weeks pass with little visible progress, then suddenly there’s a flurry of forms and a date in the diary. This guide walks through every stage of the UK conveyancing process, what’s actually happening behind the scenes, the typical timeline, the costs to expect, and how to keep things moving when they slow down.
Quick Answer
UK conveyancing typically takes 12–16 weeks from offer accepted to completion and costs £1,200–£2,500 for a standard residential purchase. The process splits into five phases: instruction, searches and enquiries, mortgage offer and contract review, exchange of contracts, and completion. Most delays come from searches, leasehold paperwork, or coordinating long property chains — not the legal work itself.
What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the legal work that transfers ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer. It covers everything from checking the property’s legal title, to running searches with the local authority, to handling the financial transfer on completion day. Both buyer and seller need their own conveyancer — a solicitor or licensed conveyancer — to act for them.
For most buyers the process feels like a black box. Your conveyancer disappears for weeks, then resurfaces asking for documents, and at some point you’re told to send a deposit. Understanding the underlying stages helps you spot what’s normal, what’s slow, and when to push back.
The five stages of UK conveyancing
Stage 1: Instruction (week 1)
Once your offer is accepted, the estate agent issues a memorandum of sale to both parties’ conveyancers. You instruct your conveyancer formally by signing a client care letter, paying an upfront sum (typically £200–£400) for searches, and providing identification documents for anti-money-laundering checks.
At the same time, the seller’s solicitor sends out a draft contract pack containing the title deeds, the property information form (TA6), the fittings and contents form (TA10), and — for leaseholds — the leasehold information form (TA7) plus the management company pack.
Stage 2: Searches and enquiries (weeks 2–6)
This is where the work happens — and where most delays creep in. Your conveyancer orders three core searches:
- Local authority search — checks for planning permissions, building control issues, road schemes, and other matters affecting the property. Turnaround varies wildly by council, from days to several weeks.
- Environmental search — flags contamination, flood risk, subsidence, and ground stability issues.
- Water and drainage search — confirms how the property is connected to mains water and sewage.
Depending on the property, additional searches may be needed — chancel repair, mining, common land, or specific local searches for areas like Cornwall (tin mining) or Cheshire (brine).
Once the contract pack and search results are in, your conveyancer raises enquiries with the seller’s side. These are questions about anything unclear or concerning — boundary disputes, building works without planning, restrictive covenants, lease terms. Enquiries often go through several rounds back and forth, which is one of the most common reasons for the process to stretch.
Mortgage application running alongside? Conveyancing and mortgage processing run in parallel — both need to land before exchange. We coordinate with your conveyancer throughout to keep both on track. Speak to a mortgage adviser →
Stage 3: Mortgage offer and contract review (weeks 4–8)
Your mortgage lender issues a formal mortgage offer once the valuation is complete and your application is fully underwritten. Your conveyancer reviews the offer alongside the contract and the title, and confirms that the lender’s conditions are satisfied. They also calculate the final completion figures — the balance owed, fees, stamp duty, and the deposit released.
By the end of this stage you’ll receive a report on title from your conveyancer, summarising what they’ve found about the property, any risks or restrictions, and asking you to confirm you want to proceed. This is also when you sign the contract — but signing isn’t the same as exchanging. The signed contract sits with your conveyancer until both sides are ready.
Stage 4: Exchange of contracts (weeks 8–12)
Exchange is the legal commitment point. Both parties’ conveyancers exchange the signed contracts by phone or secure portal, your exchange deposit (usually 10% of the price) is transferred to the seller’s solicitor, and a completion date is fixed in the contract.
Up to the moment of exchange, either party can walk away with no legal consequence (though sellers can keep their property listed and buyers risk losing money already spent on searches and surveys). After exchange, both parties are legally bound — backing out triggers significant financial penalties, typically losing the 10% deposit for the buyer.
For more on deposit sizing and how it shapes your borrowing, see our guide on how much you can borrow with your deposit.
Stage 5: Completion (the agreed date)
On completion day, your mortgage lender releases the loan funds to your conveyancer, who combines them with your remaining deposit and transfers the total to the seller’s solicitor. Once the seller’s side confirms receipt, you’re the legal owner. The estate agent releases the keys, usually around midday.
Behind the scenes, your conveyancer files the transfer document with HM Land Registry to update the official property register — though this can take several weeks, it doesn’t affect your ownership. They’ll also pay your stamp duty within 14 days of completion.
Typical timeline at a glance
| Week | Stage | What’s happening |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Instruction | Conveyancers instructed, ID checks, contract pack sent |
| 2–6 | Searches & enquiries | Searches ordered, enquiries raised, valuations carried out |
| 4–8 | Mortgage offer | Formal mortgage offer issued, contract reviewed |
| 8–12 | Exchange | Final enquiries resolved, contracts signed and exchanged |
| 12–16 | Completion | Funds transferred, keys released, registration filed |
Faster is possible. New-builds with a developer-imposed deadline can complete in 6–8 weeks. Cash purchases with no chain can move quicker still. Slower is also possible — leasehold purchases, properties with title issues, or chains of four or five all add weeks.
What does conveyancing cost in 2026?
Conveyancing costs split into two parts: the legal fee paid to your conveyancer, and the disbursements they pay on your behalf. Disbursements are pass-through costs — your conveyancer doesn’t profit from them.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Legal fee (freehold) | £800–£1,500 |
| Legal fee (leasehold) | £1,000–£1,800 |
| Local authority search | £250–£400 |
| Environmental search | £40–£60 |
| Water and drainage search | £40–£70 |
| Land Registry fee | £40–£910 (price-banded) |
| Bank transfer fee | £25–£45 |
| ID and AML checks | £10–£30 |
| Leasehold management pack | £200–£500 (if applicable) |
Total for a typical freehold purchase: £1,200–£2,000. Leasehold purchases run £1,500–£2,500. Stamp duty is separate — see our stamp duty calculator for the figure on your specific purchase price.
Solicitor or licensed conveyancer: which should you use?
Both are regulated and both can complete a residential property transaction. The differences are practical:
- Licensed conveyancers specialise solely in property law. They’re often a touch cheaper and tend to run streamlined, high-volume operations.
- Solicitors have broader legal training. Worth choosing if your purchase has unusual elements — a divorce settlement involved, a probate sale, a complex leasehold extension, or a corporate buyer structure.
For a standard first-time buyer purchase, either works. What matters more than the title is the firm’s responsiveness, their experience with your lender, and whether they’re on your lender’s panel (most are, but it’s worth checking — being off-panel adds delay and cost).
Common reasons conveyancing slows down
- Slow local authority searches — some councils take three or four weeks. Your conveyancer can’t speed this up.
- Leasehold management pack delays — managing agents are notorious for slow turnaround on the LPE1 form. Budget 4–6 weeks.
- Chain coordination — every link in the chain has to be ready before exchange can happen. Long chains are slow chains.
- Mortgage application delays — missing documents, complex income, or a slow underwriter can all stall things.
- Title issues — restrictive covenants, missing planning consents, or boundary disputes need to be resolved or insured against before lenders will release funds.
- Survey findings — major issues uncovered by your survey may trigger renegotiation, retentions, or additional enquiries.
How to keep your conveyancing on track
- Return forms quickly — your TA forms and ID documents are needed early. A two-day delay at the start can become a two-week delay later.
- Choose a panel firm — make sure your conveyancer is on your mortgage lender’s approved panel. If not, expect extra fees and friction.
- Stay on top of your mortgage application — it has to land in step with the legal work. Use a broker who’ll coordinate proactively rather than waiting for you to chase.
- Push politely, regularly — a weekly email to your conveyancer asking for an update is reasonable. Daily is overkill.
- Don’t book removals too early — wait until exchange. Pre-exchange dates are aspirational, not contractual.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the conveyancing process take in the UK?
Typically 12–16 weeks. Straightforward purchases with no chain can complete in 8–10 weeks; leasehold or chain-heavy transactions often run 16–20 weeks.
How much does conveyancing cost in 2026?
£1,200–£2,500 in total for a typical residential purchase. Leasehold properties cost more because of additional landlord enquiries and management pack fees.
What is the difference between exchange and completion?
Exchange is the legal point at which the purchase becomes binding and the deposit is paid. Completion is when the balance transfers, ownership changes, and you get the keys. There’s usually a 1–4 week gap between them.
Do I need a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer?
Either is fine for a standard residential purchase. Licensed conveyancers specialise solely in property; solicitors offer broader legal expertise for unusual cases. Both are regulated and acceptable to mortgage lenders.
Can I do my own conveyancing?
Legally yes, but mortgage lenders won’t work with an unrepresented buyer — they require a regulated conveyancer to handle the legal charge. Even cash buyers almost always instruct one.
Get your mortgage moving in step with your conveyancer
Conveyancing only works smoothly if your mortgage application keeps pace. We coordinate directly with your solicitor throughout, chase your lender, and flag potential delays before they cost you exchange. Free initial consultation, whole-of-market access, no upfront fees.
Whole-of-market · Based in Marlow, serving the UK
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Frequently asked questions
- How long does the conveyancing process take in the UK?
- The average UK conveyancing process takes 12–16 weeks from offer accepted to completion. Straightforward freehold purchases with no chain can complete in 8–10 weeks. Leasehold purchases or properties in long chains routinely take 16–20 weeks. The biggest delays usually come from local authority searches, leasehold pack delays, or chain coordination — not the legal work itself.
- How much does conveyancing cost in 2026?
- Expect to pay £1,200–£2,500 in total conveyancing fees on a typical residential purchase. This includes the solicitor's legal fee (£800–£1,500), local authority searches (£250–£400), Land Registry fees (£40–£910 depending on price band), bank transfer fees and ID checks. Leasehold properties cost more due to additional landlord enquiries and management pack fees.
- What is the difference between exchange and completion?
- Exchange of contracts is the legal point at which the purchase becomes binding on both parties. You pay your exchange deposit (typically 10% of the property price) and a completion date is set. Completion is the day the remaining funds transfer, the property changes ownership, and you collect the keys. There is usually a gap of 1–4 weeks between exchange and completion, although same-day exchange and completion does happen.
- Do I need a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer?
- Either can handle a residential property purchase. Licensed conveyancers specialise specifically in property law and are often slightly cheaper. Solicitors offer broader legal expertise which can be useful if your purchase has unusual elements such as a divorce settlement, probate, or a complex leasehold. Both are regulated and both can complete the work to the standard required by your mortgage lender.
- Can I do my own conveyancing?
- Legally yes, but in practice almost no buyer does. Mortgage lenders will not work with an unrepresented buyer — they require a regulated solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal charge on the property. Even cash buyers rarely DIY because of the technical detail involved in title checks, searches and Land Registry filings.
Gaurav Shukla
CEO · CeMAP DipFA
Gaurav has over a decade of experience spanning top brokerages, fintech startups, and wealth management firms. He specialises in high-value mortgages for professionals and athletes, bringing a strategic, client-first approach to every case.
A CeMAP and DipFA qualified adviser, he founded Home Me Mortgages with a simple goal: to make expert mortgage advice genuinely accessible across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, and London. An avid football fan, you will often find Gaurav at local grounds taking in a game at the weekend.