Conveyancing UK: What It Is & How Long It Takes

What Is Conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. Whether you're buying, selling, or remortgaging, a solicitor or licensed conveyancer handles the legal work on your behalf.

The process covers everything from checking the property's legal title and carrying out local authority searches to drawing up contracts, transferring funds, and registering you as the new owner with the Land Registry.

You can use either a solicitor (a qualified lawyer who may offer conveyancing alongside other legal services) or a licensed conveyancer (a specialist property lawyer). Both are regulated and insured.

What Does a Conveyancer Do?

Your conveyancer handles a wide range of tasks throughout the buying process:

• Title checks: Verifying the seller legally owns the property and has the right to sell it
• Property searches: Local authority searches, environmental searches, water and drainage searches, and mining searches (where applicable)
• Contract review: Reviewing the draft contract from the seller's solicitor, raising enquiries, and negotiating terms
• Mortgage liaison: Working with your mortgage lender to ensure funds are ready and conditions are met
• Stamp duty: Calculating and paying Stamp Duty Land Tax on your behalf
• Exchange of contracts: Managing the exchange process — the point at which the sale becomes legally binding
• Completion: Transferring funds, collecting keys, and registering your ownership with the Land Registry
• Anti-money laundering checks: Required by law — your conveyancer must verify your identity and the source of your funds

Property Searches Explained

Searches are investigations carried out by your conveyancer to uncover potential issues with the property or surrounding area. Most mortgage lenders require specific searches before they'll release funds.

Standard Searches

• Local authority search: Checks planning permissions, building regulations, road schemes, tree preservation orders, and conservation area status. Cost: £100–£300. Turnaround: 1–6 weeks (varies hugely by council).
• Environmental search: Checks for contaminated land, flood risk, subsidence risk, and radon gas levels. Cost: £30–£60.
• Water and drainage search: Confirms the property is connected to mains water and drainage, and whether any public drains cross the property. Cost: £40–£60.

Additional Searches (if needed)

• Mining search: Required in areas with historical mining activity. Cost: £30–£50.
• Chancel repair search: Checks if you could be liable for church repair costs. Cost: £20–£30.
• HS2 / Crossrail search: In affected areas, checks proximity to planned rail routes.

Exchange and Completion

Exchange of Contracts

Exchange is the moment the sale becomes legally binding. Before this point, either party can pull out without penalty (though they may lose costs incurred). At exchange:

• Both parties sign identical contracts
• You pay your deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price)
• A completion date is agreed and fixed
• If either party pulls out after exchange, they face significant financial penalties

Completion

Completion is the day you officially become the owner. Your solicitor transfers the remaining funds to the seller's solicitor, the seller hands over the keys, and the property is legally yours. Your solicitor then:

• Pays Stamp Duty to HMRC (within 14 days of completion)
• Registers you as the new owner with the Land Registry
• Sends you the title deeds (or confirmation of electronic registration)

How Much Does Conveyancing Cost?

Conveyancing costs typically break down as follows:

• Solicitor/conveyancer fees: £800–£1,500 (varies by firm and complexity)
• Search fees: £250–£450 total for standard searches
• Land Registry fee: £95–£910 depending on property value
• Bank transfer fee: £25–£50 per transfer
• Anti-money laundering checks: £5–£20

Total typical cost: £1,200–£2,500 for a standard purchase.

Leasehold purchases are usually more expensive (add £200–£500) because they involve additional checks on lease terms, ground rent, service charges, and management company details.

If you're remortgaging, many lenders cover legal costs as an incentive — your conveyancer's fees may be fully paid by the new lender.

How Long Does Conveyancing Take?

The conveyancing process typically takes 8–12 weeks from instruction to completion, though it can be faster or slower depending on circumstances:

• Fastest (4–6 weeks): Straightforward freehold purchase, no chain, responsive solicitors, and fast local authority searches
• Average (8–12 weeks): Standard chain transaction with typical search turnaround times
• Slowest (12–20+ weeks): Complex chains, leasehold issues, slow local authority searches, or problems uncovered during the process

Common Causes of Delay

• Slow local authority searches (some councils take 6+ weeks)
• Issues raised in property searches or surveys
• Delays in the property chain (if one sale stalls, the whole chain stops)
• Mortgage offer conditions not being met
• Incomplete or slow responses to solicitor enquiries

Top tip: You can speed things up by responding to your solicitor promptly, having your documents ready, and choosing a conveyancer who communicates proactively.

Choosing the Right Conveyancer

Not all conveyancers are equal. Consider these factors:

• Specialist experience: If you're buying leasehold, shared ownership, or a new build, choose someone experienced in that type of transaction.
• Communication: Ask how they'll keep you updated. Regular communication reduces stress and avoids surprises.
• Reviews: Check Google reviews and ask for recommendations.
• Fixed fees vs hourly rates: Most conveyancers now offer fixed-fee quotes. Get a full breakdown including disbursements so you can compare like-for-like.
• No-completion, no-fee: Some firms offer this — you only pay if the purchase completes. This protects you if the sale falls through.