How long does conveyancing take?

Conveyancing is the legal process in which ownership of a property is formally transferred from one person to another and is carried out by solicitors. It involves many stages, including searches, surveys, mortgages, exchange and completion, which means it can be time consuming even when there are no particular complications or issues.

In this article we’ll look at the conveyancing timeline, some of the common stumbling blocks and what you can do to help speed things up.

The conveyancing timeline

On average, the conveyancing process when buying a home takes around 12 to 16 weeks, but it is possible to get it done quicker where there are no delays.

The process starts as soon as an offer on a house has been accepted and is followed by the various steps that have to be taken in order to secure the legal transfer of ownership at the Land Registry.

Step 1: Pre-contract work

This starts with the appointment of a conveyancing solicitor. Ideally, this should be done at the same time as you start looking at properties or put your property on the market. Once you’ve chosen your preferred solicitor, you’ll need to fill out various forms and present your ID. Draft contracts will be prepared which set out information such as what fixtures and fittings will be included in the property you’re buying and/or selling. For the buyer, a number of searches will be carried out, including drainage, environmental, Land Registry and a survey of the property itself.

Step 2: Mortgage

If you need to secure a mortgage to as the property buyer, this needs to be applied for and agreed in principle.

Step 3: Surveys

Any issues resulting from the searches, surveys or draft contract will be reviewed and ironed out. This could involve negotiations over price depending on what is discovered.

Step 4:  Exchange of contracts

Once your contract is finalised, your conveyancer and estate agents will work with others in the chain to exchange contracts and propose a completion date. Solicitors organise the exchange and once this has happened, the sale is legally binding. After exchange, deposits are forwarded, followed by the rest of the purchase funds on completion day. After completion, the relevant deeds and paperwork will be finalised. Your solicitor will need to register you as the new owner of a property with the Land Registry within 30 days.

While the above is a rough guide, it can vary quite significantly depending on a whole range of factors, such as the size of the chain, whether a mortgage is involved and the situation in the housing market at the time. For example, Government initiatives such as Stamp Duty holidays and help for first time buyers, or impending interest rate rises, can lead to peaks and troughs in demand, which could impact the workload of the various parties involved in a sale.

Why can conveyancing take so long?

Because there are so many steps involved in the legal aspect of buying or selling a home, there are many factors that can easily cause a delay.

In many cases, people are dealing with both a purchase and a sale, and are often reliant on others in the chain too. This means that in addition to all the factors that can impact your own conveyancing process, you’re often at the mercy of all the parties involved in other people’s sales too. A delay in one link can easily have a knock-on effect throughout the entire chain.

Common reasons for delays to the conveyancing process include:

Issues related to the title of the property

These are issues with the ownership of the property, such as unclear or missing deeds, or disputes over ownership. These must be resolved before the sale can proceed.

Problems with a mortgage application

Any issues with the mortgage application or approval process can delay the conveyancing process when buying a house. If the borrower provides incorrect or incomplete information on their mortgage application, the verification process can be further delayed whilst the lender requests any additional documentation that may be needed.

Delays in a new build property being ready

Some common causes of delays in the construction of new build houses include permit or zoning issues, weather, labour shortages and material shortages.

Issues flagged up by a survey

If the property has not been built or modified in accordance with local planning and building regulations, this can delay the conveyancing process as issues raised in a building survey will have to be addressed, while the necessary permissions and approvals are obtained.

Missing or incomplete paperwork from buyers and sellers

Not having the correct paperwork in place can significantly delay the conveyancing timeline. It is therefore important for both parties to carefully review all necessary documentation and ensure that it is complete and accurate to avoid potential delays.

How can I speed up the process?

While a lot of it is out of your hands as a buyer or seller, there are things you can do to speed up the conveyancing process for your part.

By being organised and informed about what’s required and reacting promptly to requests for paperwork and information, you can make sure you’re not the cause of any otherwise avoidable delays.

This includes having the correct paperwork in place in advance. If you’re selling, these tips can also help you sell your house quickly. But one of the most important things of all is to enlist the services of a trustworthy and reliable conveyancer who knows their stuff.

Have a good conveyancer by your side

We are a quality, accredited conveyancing firm with a great team of solicitors and have helped thousands of people to buy and sell property. We’re with you every step of the way from contract drafting and searches through to completion. As well as our exceptional personal service and extensive local knowledge, our responses are fast and timely – and there are no hidden fees. We fix our fees based on the information you give us and won’t add extra charges for things like ID verification, sending money, photocopying and unexpected issues such as rights of way or easements.

You can get your no hidden fees online conveyancing quote in just a few clicks via our website.