The Conveyancing Process Explained

The conveyancing process is the legal work required to transfer ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer. It involves contracts, searches, legal checks, and coordination with mortgage lenders and other solicitors.

Our role as your conveyancing solicitors is to protect your legal position, ensure the property can be sold to you correctly, and identify any issues that could cause problems now or later.

One of the most common issues we see with first time buyer conveyancing is that a solicitor is instructed too late. By the time we are involved, avoidable delays have often already occurred.

When you instruct our conveyancing team early, we can begin working for you straight away. This includes opening your file, completing identity checks, requesting the draft contract and title documents, and preparing searches while your mortgage and survey are being arranged.

Early instruction allows us to identify potential issues at the outset and deal with them before they slow your purchase down.

As part of the conveyancing process, we carry out searches with the local authority and other relevant bodies. These searches identify issues that may not be obvious from viewing the property.

Searches can reveal planning restrictions, flood risk, drainage issues, or other legal limitations. Identifying these early helps avoid delays later in the conveyancing timeline.

Once we receive the draft contract and property information from the seller’s solicitor, we review everything carefully on your behalf.

We raise enquiries to confirm ownership details, boundaries, and any restrictions affecting the property. This stage is essential to protecting you after completion.

We review your mortgage offer to ensure it aligns with the property and contract. Exchange of contracts is the point at which the transaction becomes legally binding.

Before exchange, either party can withdraw. After exchange, both sides are committed and a completion date is agreed.

On completion day, we transfer the remaining funds, confirm release of the keys, and complete the legal formalities.

After completion, we register you as the new owner with HM Land Registry and deal with any Stamp Duty requirements on your behalf.

Conveyancing is not just administrative. It is about managing risk, avoiding delay, and guiding you through a complex legal process.

Our conveyancing team regularly acts for first time buyers, providing clear advice, realistic timelines, and proactive communication from the earliest stages.

Instructing us early allows us to work alongside your purchase and help keep everything on track from start to finish.