Head of Content
Mortgage Advisor & Director
How long does conveyancing take in the UK?
In the UK, the conveyancing process typically takes around 12 weeks, however, we've seen delays caused by the pandemic. Demand has surged as people take advantage of the stamp duty holiday, more are working remotely and have changing needs when it comes to housing, compounded with reducing staffing levels.
As a rough guide to the timings, the following list shows you the average time taken at each stage of the conveyancing process:
- Pre-contract work - 2-3 weeks
- Mortgage offer - 4-5 weeks
- Draft contract - 2-12 weeks
- Exchange to completion - 1-3 weeks
What do conveyancers do?
A conveyancer is a legal professional who deals with property transactions. Their work entails dealing with contracts, deeds, legislative provisions and other legal documents that are associated with the home buying process.
Their role typically includes:
Preparing the draft contract between you and your buyers/sellers; Ensuring that there are no issues regarding title (ownership) of the property that may affect your proposed purchase; Discussing the terms of sale and conditions of purchase with the seller, and Registering your contract at the land registry.
Can conveyancing be done in 4 weeks?
It is possible for the conveyancing process to be completed in less than 4 weeks, but in reality, it's difficult to say how long a conveyancing transaction will take.
A lot depends on how quickly the other party's solicitors can respond and supply information, for example. It is also dependent on the type of property you are buying. For example, if you're buying a leasehold property the process can be extended.
Are conveyancing searches necessary?
Although not a legal requirement, conveyancing searches are recommended as part of the process of buying a home. If you are applying for a mortgage for your new home, this will be a requirement from your lender.
There are three main searches that your conveyancer will carry out:
- Local Authority - these searches look at detailed information on the property and the surrounding area and cover information such as whether the property is listed or in a conservation area, if there are any proposals for new roads or planning decisions affecting the property.
- Water and Property - These searches identify where neighbouring drains and public sewers are in relation to the property.
- Environmental - Environmental searches look at previous land use and potential environmental risk, for example, contamination or flooding.
How to avoid conveyancing delays
Conveyancing can be delayed for various reasons. The most common reason for a delay is having to chase information from the other party, or from third parties such as banks and building societies.
Other common reasons are:
- There are issues with the property title.
- Problems have been identified in the building survey.
- There are mortgage or finance issues.
- The surveyor's report is missing details.
- Property searches are not completed on time.
- A sale under probate - when the property is being sold from one party to another after the death of the previous owner.
- The property is a new build and is still under construction.
These are all problems that your solicitor can help you identify and sort out at an early stage, but it's important for you to be aware so you know what might happen during the conveyancing process.
Are conveyancing fees paid upfront?
Conveyancing fees are typically paid upon completion of the transaction, although they may ask for money on account to cover costs such as searches.
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