Buying a House

What Does a Conveyancer Do?

A conveyancer is a legal professional who handles the transfer of property ownership from the seller to you. They can be a solicitor who specialises in property law, or a licensed conveyancer who is specifically trained and regulated for this type of work. Both can handle your purchase equally well.

Your conveyancer carries out essential checks on the property before you commit to buying it. They review the title deeds to make sure the seller actually owns the property and has the right to sell it. They carry out local authority searches to check for planned developments, environmental risks, or other issues that could affect the property. They also check for any restrictions or covenants that might limit what you can do with the property.

Your conveyancer handles all the legal paperwork, liaises with the seller's solicitor, manages the exchange of contracts, and registers your ownership with the Land Registry after completion. They also handle the transfer of funds on completion day, making sure the money goes to the right place at the right time. Without a conveyancer, you could not legally complete a property purchase.

The Conveyancing Process

The conveyancing process begins once your offer on a property is accepted. Your first step is to instruct a conveyancer. They will ask you for identification documents and information about your finances, including details of your mortgage offer if you have one.

Your conveyancer then orders searches on the property. These include local authority searches, environmental searches, water and drainage searches, and sometimes additional searches depending on the location. These searches typically take 2 to 4 weeks to come back and cost £200 to £400 in total.

While the searches are being carried out, your conveyancer reviews the draft contract and title documents sent by the seller's solicitor. They raise enquiries about anything that is unclear or concerning. This back-and-forth can take several weeks. Once all searches are back and all enquiries are answered, your conveyancer reports to you on their findings and advises whether it is safe to proceed.

You then exchange contracts, which is the point at which the sale becomes legally binding. A completion date is agreed, typically 1 to 4 weeks after exchange. On completion day, the money is transferred, you receive the keys, and the property is yours.

How Much Does Conveyancing Cost?

Conveyancing fees are made up of two parts: the solicitor's own fees and disbursements. The solicitor's fee for a standard purchase typically ranges from £800 to £1,500, though it can be higher for complex transactions, leasehold properties, or properties worth over £500,000.

Disbursements are third-party costs that your solicitor pays on your behalf. These include local authority searches (£100 to £300), environmental searches (£30 to £50), Land Registry fees (£100 to £300 depending on the property price), and bank transfer fees (typically £30 to £50). In total, disbursements usually add £300 to £700 to your costs.

You will also need to pay Stamp Duty Land Tax if the property costs more than the current threshold. First-time buyers currently pay no stamp duty on the first £425,000 of a property's value, up to a maximum purchase price of £625,000. For non-first-time buyers, the threshold is £250,000.

Always get quotes from several conveyancers before choosing one. The cheapest option is not always the best. Look at reviews, ask about their average completion times, and check how many cases each conveyancer handles. Overworked conveyancers are the most common cause of delays.

How Long Does It Take?

The average time from offer accepted to completion is 8 to 12 weeks, but it can vary significantly. A straightforward chain-free purchase with a responsive seller can complete in 6 weeks. A complex transaction involving a long chain, leasehold issues, or planning problems can take 4 to 6 months or more.

The main factors that affect the timeline are the length of the chain (how many buyers and sellers are linked together), how quickly searches come back from the local authority, whether the seller responds promptly to enquiries, and whether your mortgage offer is in place. You can speed things up by having your documents ready, responding quickly to requests from your conveyancer, and choosing a conveyancer who is proactive.

One common source of delay is the local authority search. Some councils take 2 to 3 weeks, while others can take 6 weeks or more. Your conveyancer can advise whether it is worth paying for an expedited search or using a personal search company, which is typically faster but may not be accepted by all mortgage lenders.

Common Problems to Watch For

Gazumping is when the seller accepts a higher offer from another buyer after already accepting yours. This is legal in England and Wales because the sale is not binding until contracts are exchanged. To protect yourself, you can ask the seller to take the property off the market once your offer is accepted, or consider a lock-out agreement.

Leasehold properties come with additional complications. You need to check the remaining length of the lease (anything under 80 years can be problematic), the ground rent and service charges, and whether there are any disputes with the freeholder. Your conveyancer should flag any concerns about the lease.

Boundary disputes and rights of way can cause significant delays and additional costs. Your conveyancer should identify these issues during the title review. If there are unresolved boundary issues, it may be worth getting a surveyor involved before proceeding.

Search results can reveal problems like planned developments nearby, flood risk, contaminated land, or mine workings beneath the property. Your conveyancer will explain what these results mean and whether they should affect your decision to buy. Do not ignore these warnings, as they could affect the property's value and your ability to get insurance.

Tips for First-Time Buyers

Get a mortgage agreement in principle before you start looking at properties. This shows sellers and estate agents that you are a serious buyer and gives you a clear idea of your budget. Most lenders can provide this within a few days.

Choose your conveyancer early, ideally before you make an offer. This means they can start work immediately once your offer is accepted, saving valuable time. Look for a conveyancer who specialises in the type of property you are buying, especially if it is leasehold or a new build.

Do not skip the survey. A mortgage valuation is not a survey and it does not check for problems with the property. A homebuyer's report or a full structural survey can identify issues that could cost thousands to fix. The cost of a survey (£250 to £700) is small compared to the potential cost of hidden problems.

Budget for all the additional costs beyond the purchase price. As well as conveyancing fees and stamp duty, you will need to pay for a survey, mortgage arrangement fees, removal costs, and building insurance from the date of exchange. A common rule of thumb is to budget an additional 3 to 5 percent of the purchase price for these costs.