Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from seller to buyer. In England and Wales it typically takes 8–14 weeks from offer accepted to completion — though some transactions move faster and some drag on for many months. This guide walks through the stages, what your solicitor does at each one, where the typical delays appear, and what you can do to keep things moving.
Conveyancing timeline reality: 8-14 weeks from offer to completion is typical, but a well-organised buyer with a responsive solicitor on a straightforward chain can sometimes hit 6 weeks. A cheap conveyancer handling 80+ files at once is the most common cause of avoidable delays.
Choosing a solicitor
Cost (£1,200–£2,500 typical for residential conveyancing) matters less than responsiveness and capacity. The right solicitor for a smooth purchase is one who picks up the phone, replies to emails the same day, and has bandwidth — not the cheapest fixed-fee quote you can find.
Ask before instructing: 'how many active files does my conveyancer have?' (60+ is heavy), 'who handles my file if they're on leave?', 'how do you communicate progress?'. Cheap conveyancers often handle volume by giving each file less attention.
The early stages: instruction to searches
Once you instruct, your solicitor will: send anti-money-laundering verification requests, request the contract pack from the seller's solicitor, raise initial enquiries, and order property searches (local authority, water and drainage, environmental, sometimes chancel and mining).
Local authority searches are the biggest typical delay at this stage — some councils respond in 5 days, others in 6+ weeks. Knowing your local council's typical turnaround helps you plan.
Reviewing the contract pack
The contract pack from the seller's solicitor includes: the draft contract, the Property Information Form (TA6 — the seller's disclosures about the property), the Fittings and Contents Form (TA10), copies of the title register and title plan, and any leases.
Your solicitor will review these for issues: restrictive covenants, rights of way, shared access, planning constraints, missing consents for previous works. Anything unclear becomes an enquiry sent to the seller's solicitor.
Search results: what they actually show
Local authority search reveals planning history, building consents, enforcement actions, road status (adopted by the council or private), tree preservation orders, conservation area status, and contaminated land entries.
Environmental search shows flood risk, ground stability (mining areas), and historical land use. Water and drainage shows where the sewer and water pipes run and who's responsible for maintenance.
Any 'adverse' search result becomes an enquiry — not necessarily a deal-breaker, but something to understand and resolve.
Mortgage offer and survey
Your mortgage lender will commission a valuation (free or low cost), which is for them, not for you. You commission your own survey separately if you want one — Level 2 or Level 3 depending on property age and complexity.
A "down valuation" — where the lender's valuer values the property below your offer price — is one of the most common pre-exchange disruptions. Why valuations can be wrong goes through the mechanics.
Enquiries: where the delays accumulate
Your solicitor's enquiries go to the seller's solicitor, who has to ask the seller, who often takes time to find the right paperwork. Multiple rounds of enquiries — sometimes 3 or 4 — are common.
Speed up by responding to your own solicitor's requests within 24 hours, and by asking weekly for a status summary. Most delays come from the other side, but your own responsiveness sets the pace from your end.
Exchange of contracts
Once all enquiries are resolved, the mortgage offer is in hand, and searches are complete, the parties exchange contracts. From this point, both sides are legally bound and pulling out triggers significant penalties (typically forfeiture of your deposit, which is paid at exchange).
Exchange and completion are sometimes simultaneous (rare on a residential purchase) but more commonly separated by 1–4 weeks. The gap gives time to arrange removals, final mortgage funding, and any final logistics.
Completion day
Completion is when the legal transfer happens, the purchase funds move, the seller vacates, and the keys are released. Solicitors coordinate this with mortgage lenders, the seller's solicitor, and the estate agent (who typically holds the keys).
On the day: have your removals ready, allow for delays in fund transfers (a 2–3 hour window between morning and key release is normal), and don't expect to do anything else productive — moving day is moving day.
Post-completion: SDLT and Land Registry
After completion, your solicitor pays the SDLT to HMRC (within 14 days) and registers the transfer with HM Land Registry (4–10 weeks typical, sometimes longer). You get a final completion statement and the deeds shortly after. SDLT in 2026 covers the bands.
Frequently asked questions
How long does conveyancing take in the UK?
Typically 8-14 weeks from offer accepted to completion, with significant variation. Fast, well-organised transactions on simple chains can complete in 6 weeks; complex chains, lease issues or slow local authorities can stretch beyond 6 months. Choosing a responsive solicitor with reasonable bandwidth is the single biggest controllable factor.
What does a conveyancing solicitor do?
Reviews the contract pack and title, orders property searches, raises and resolves enquiries with the seller's solicitor, handles the mortgage offer paperwork, coordinates exchange and completion, pays SDLT, and registers the transfer with Land Registry. The complexity comes from the number of moving parts, not from any single complex step.
How much does conveyancing cost in the UK?
Conveyancing fees typically range from £1,200 to £2,500 for residential purchases, plus disbursements (searches, Land Registry fees, bank transfer fees) that add £400-£800. SDLT is separate and paid to HMRC. Cheap conveyancers can be a false economy if they handle high file volumes that slow down your transaction.
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