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Conveyancing FAQs

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person(s) to another. This process is usually carried out by a conveyancing solicitor.

The average length of time is 12-16 weeks, though it is common for transactions involved in longer chains to take 6 months or more.

A conveyancing solicitor will:

    • Advise their clients: provide insights on the conveyancing process, and keep them informed about any progress. 
    • Arrange searches: uncover any potential issues with the property itself or local area. 
    • Draft contracts: ensure both sides are happy with the arrangement before exchanging.
    • Liaise with other professionals: these might include estate agents, mortgage advisors, and the solicitors advising other parties in the ‘chain’. Deal with the finances: review financial records and facilitate the eventual transfer of funds when the sale is complete.

 

A property survey is not compulsory, but strongly encouraged when purchasing a property. It is a check carried out by a licensed professional which identifies any issues with the building’s condition prior to the new owners finally committing to purchase it. This is so that any risks or future expenses don’t come as a surprise.

The conveyancing solicitor for the seller creates a draft contract which outlines the terms of the sale of the property. It is called a draft contract as it is not legally binding until the contracts are exchanged.

Completion day is the final stage in conveyancing and is when the buyer takes possession of the property. It is when the funds are transferred across, and usually takes place anywhere between a week and a month from contracts being exchanged. This length of time can be affected by many things:

  • Delays in the money being transferred 
  • How proactive the solicitors and estate agents are in pushing through each stage of the proces
  • Other transactions in the chain
  • The mortgage lender
  • Building delays with newbuild properties

For an update regarding your completion date, ask your conveyancing solicitor.

An exchange of contracts is when the contracts become legally binding and both parties are from that point on, legally obligated to proceed with the property purchase and sale. Completion, meaning the transfer of funds in exchange for ownership of the property, usually happens less than a month later.

The exchange of contracts takes place once each party is happy with the terms set out and all legal checks, property searches and building surveys have taken place.  

A ‘chain’ means that there are several properties that need to change ownership on the same day. A chain will have one person(s) who are only buying at one end of the chain (first-time buyers and investors, for example) and one person(s) at the other end of the chain who are only selling (a company selling newbuild homes, or someone moving into long-term care). Between these two parties will be person(s) who need to both buy and sell a property.

When there is a long chain, conveyancing can take much longer because it can take a while for the ‘chain’ to be ‘complete’. There is also a higher potential for one ‘link’ in the chain to pull out of the purchase, thus, everyone has to wait while the parties involved have to find new buyers/sellers.

Property searches are legal enquiries that a solicitor will make with the relevant authorities in order to gather information about a property that their client is in the process of purchasing. Property searches are required for buyers with a mortgage, but it is still recommended for cash buyers too. 

Property searches will uncover any potential issues like risk of flooding, future developments in the local area, and planning permission restrictions.

Whether you will have to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when you buy a property depends on its value. From 1st April 2025 in England and Northern Ireland, if you buy a freehold, leasehold, or shared ownership property above £125,000 in value, you will pay SDLT. If you are a first time buyer, you will only pay SDLT if buying a property worth £300,000 or more.

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Based on 477 reviews
18 Mar 2025

Emma Gillespie was fantastic

Emma Gillespie was fantastic. She is really on top of everything, very responsive and a pleasure to work with.


Richard McLoughlin
18 Mar 2025

I’d like to say a big thank you to…

I’d like to say a big thank you to Donna and Greg for all the help during a very difficult time


Ian Ware
06 Mar 2025

Our experience was excellent

Our experience was absolutely fantastic. We are so grateful and lucky to have Sylvia Garcia as our solicitor. She was very approachable from day 0 until the end. She managed to speed things up and helped us at all times. We strongly recommend Eric Robinsons Solicitors. We had a very good experience with this company. Again, thanks Sylvia for your hard work, your empathy and for being so kind and understanding. Thank you very much !


Nat
06 Mar 2025

I used emma for a purchase recently…

I used emma for a purchase recently highly recommend good fast service.


Consumer
01 Mar 2025

Sylvia Garcia

Sylvia Garcia. Professional Calm and detail orientated with your best interests at the forefront of the transaction.


lisa oliver
28 Feb 2025

I had a great experience with the…

I had a great experience with the Solicitor Sajith Pillai throughout my property transition. Great Service and Trustworthy Serivices. Transparency is the key merit for his services Regards, Umapathy


Umapathy Desineni
18 Mar 2025

Emma Gillespie was fantastic

Emma Gillespie was fantastic. She is really on top of everything, very responsive and a pleasure to work with.


Richard McLoughlin
18 Mar 2025

I’d like to say a big thank you to…

I’d like to say a big thank you to Donna and Greg for all the help during a very difficult time


Ian Ware
06 Mar 2025

Our experience was excellent

Our experience was absolutely fantastic. We are so grateful and lucky to have Sylvia Garcia as our solicitor. She was very approachable from day 0 until the end. She managed to speed things up and helped us at all times. We strongly recommend Eric Robinsons Solicitors. We had a very good experience with this company. Again, thanks Sylvia for your hard work, your empathy and for being so kind and understanding. Thank you very much !


Nat
06 Mar 2025

I used emma for a purchase recently…

I used emma for a purchase recently highly recommend good fast service.


Consumer
01 Mar 2025

Sylvia Garcia

Sylvia Garcia. Professional Calm and detail orientated with your best interests at the forefront of the transaction.


lisa oliver
28 Feb 2025

I had a great experience with the…

I had a great experience with the Solicitor Sajith Pillai throughout my property transition. Great Service and Trustworthy Serivices. Transparency is the key merit for his services Regards, Umapathy


Umapathy Desineni
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