Conveyancing
Buying a home involves many legal formalities. We explain what conveyancing is and how the process works.
What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the process of formally transferring the legal ownership of a property. In practice, solicitors handle the entire formal side of the transaction — from preparing purchase-related documents (local searches, contracts), reviewing the mortgage offer, to authenticating the transaction.
How does conveyancing work?
In the UK, the transfer of property ownership can only be carried out by qualified lawyers known as conveyancing solicitors or licensed conveyancers. They handle the land registry, draft contracts, transfer funds, and complete all necessary formalities. Due to the specialist nature of this work, the profession is heavily regulated. You can verify a solicitor on The Law Society website.
The process differs for buyers and sellers
Sellers
The seller must complete detailed forms about the property and items included in the sale. The seller's solicitor prepares the sale contract and obtains a mortgage redemption statement.
Buyers
The buyer must arrange a property survey and check their finances. The buyer's solicitor reviews documents provided by the seller, mortgage documents, and conveyancing search results. They also handle the Stamp Duty Land Tax payment.
How much does it cost and how long does it take?
Conveyancing costs typically range from £1,500 to £2,500 (excluding Stamp Duty Land Tax). They depend on the property value, location, and source of the deposit.
The average timeframe is 10–12 weeks, though it can be shorter or longer depending on the parties involved and document availability.
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