Last reviewed: June 2026
TL;DR- Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership - a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer must handle the legal work.
- The process includes title searches, raising and resolving enquiries, reviewing the mortgage offer, exchanging contracts and completing the transfer.
- Typical timescales for a standard freehold purchase are 8-12 weeks; leasehold transactions and those in chains typically take longer.
- The mortgage lender may have a panel of approved solicitors - using a panel solicitor can reduce costs but choice may be restricted.
What Conveyancing Involves
Conveyancing covers all the legal work required to transfer property ownership from seller to buyer and to register the buyer's mortgage charge in favour of the lender at HM Land Registry. Key stages include:
- Instruction and initial checks: the solicitor takes instructions from the buyer, conducts anti-money laundering checks, and registers as acting for the mortgage lender (where required).
- Draft contract and initial enquiries: the solicitor receives the draft contract and title documents from the seller's solicitor, raises preliminary enquiries and reviews the title.
- Searches: standard searches include local authority (planning, road adoption, tree preservation orders), drainage and water, environmental (flood, contamination) and, where relevant, mining, chancel repair and coal authority searches.
- Mortgage offer review: the solicitor reviews the mortgage offer and reports to the buyer on the offer terms and any conditions.
- Report on title: the solicitor reports to the buyer on the title, searches and enquiries, confirming the property is suitable for purchase and the buyer can proceed.
- Exchange and completion: once all enquiries are resolved and both parties are satisfied, contracts are exchanged. Completion follows at the agreed date.
- Post-completion: SDLT return and payment (within 14 days of completion), registration at HM Land Registry, and provision of title documents to the buyer and lender.
Solicitor vs Licensed Conveyancer
Conveyancing can be carried out by a solicitor (regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority) or a licensed conveyancer (regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers). Both are qualified to carry out residential conveyancing. Mortgage lenders typically approve both types of practitioner on their panels. The choice between them is primarily one of personal preference, local availability and cost comparison.
Lender Panel Requirements
Mortgage lenders maintain panels of approved solicitors and licensed conveyancers. Where the buyer's chosen solicitor is on the lender's panel, the same firm can act for both buyer and lender (dual representation), reducing costs. Where the buyer's chosen firm is not on the panel, the lender appoints a separate solicitor to act for them - the buyer's solicitor acts for the buyer only, and the lender's solicitor's costs are typically charged to the buyer. Using a panel firm avoids this duplication of costs.
Timescales and What Causes Delays
Standard freehold residential conveyancing typically takes 8-12 weeks from instruction to completion. Leasehold transactions take longer (12-16+ weeks) due to the additional enquiries required regarding the lease, service charges, freeholder and management company. Transactions in chains take longer as each link in the chain must be ready to proceed simultaneously. Common causes of delay include: slow responses to enquiries from sellers or their solicitors; searches taking longer than expected; issues arising from the title or searches requiring resolution; mortgage offer delays; and problems in the chain.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a conveyancing solicitor?
Recommendations from friends and family, the estate agent (though agent-recommended solicitors may have a referral fee arrangement), or the mortgage broker are starting points. Key criteria are: membership of the lender's panel (to avoid dual solicitor costs); CLC or SRA regulation; clear fee quotation covering all disbursements; and responsiveness. Conveyancing quality comparison services and online reviews can help identify reputable local or national firms.
What is included in conveyancing fees?
A solicitor's conveyancing fee quotation typically distinguishes between: the solicitor's professional fee; and disbursements (third-party costs passed through). Disbursements include: search fees (local authority, drainage, environmental - typically £300-£600); HM Land Registry registration fees (scaled to property value); electronic transfer fees (CHAPS charge for the completion payment); and SDLT return filing fee. The total cost including all disbursements is the relevant figure for comparison between solicitors.
Can I use the same solicitor as the seller?
In most cases, no - Solicitors Regulation Authority rules prevent a solicitor acting for both buyer and seller in a transaction where there is a conflict of interest (which is almost always the case in a property sale). Occasionally, where the parties are closely related and there is no genuine conflict, both can be represented by the same firm - but this is unusual and requires SRA rule compliance. Separate solicitors for buyer and seller are standard practice.
What happens if the solicitor makes a mistake?
Solicitors are regulated professionals with professional indemnity insurance requirements. If a solicitor's error causes financial loss to the buyer (for example, failing to identify a planning issue that affects the property's value), the buyer may have a claim against the solicitor's professional indemnity insurance. Complaints about solicitor conduct are handled by the Legal Ombudsman. The buyer should keep copies of all documents and communications throughout the conveyancing process.
