📋 In this guide
What Is Conveyancing?
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. In England and Wales, you are legally required to use either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer to handle this process.
Both can do the same job. Solicitors are qualified lawyers who can advise on broader legal matters. Licensed conveyancers are specialists in property law only — and often charge less.
The Conveyancing Process Step by Step
1. Instruct a conveyancer (after offer accepted)
The moment your offer is accepted, instruct a conveyancer immediately. Don't wait — slower conveyancers lose sales.
2. Draft contract and searches
The seller's solicitor sends a draft contract. Your conveyancer raises any queries and orders searches — checks with the local authority, water companies, and environmental agencies.
3. Mortgage offer
Your lender completes their valuation and issues a formal mortgage offer. Your conveyancer reviews it.
4. Exchange of contracts
Both parties sign identical contracts. You pay a deposit (typically 10%). From this point, neither party can pull out without significant financial penalty.
5. Completion
The remaining money transfers and you get the keys. Your conveyancer files the SDLT return and registers you as the new owner at the Land Registry.
How Much Does Conveyancing Cost in 2026?
Conveyancing fees in England and Wales typically range from £1,500 to £3,000 for a straightforward purchase. This breaks down into:
- Legal fees: £800–£1,500 — the conveyancer's time
- Local authority search: £100–£300 — varies by council
- Water and drainage search: £30–£60
- Environmental search: £30–£60
- Land Registry fee: £20–£455 — based on property price
- Bank transfer fee: £20–£50
- ID verification: £10–£30
How Long Does Conveyancing Take?
The average conveyancing process in England takes 8–12 weeks from offer accepted to completion. However this varies enormously:
- Fastest: 4–6 weeks (no chain, new build, straightforward title)
- Typical: 10–12 weeks
- With complications: 16–20+ weeks (long chains, leasehold issues, planning queries)
The biggest cause of delays is slow responses — from your conveyancer, the seller's conveyancer, or local authorities returning searches. Chasing proactively is not rude — it's necessary.
How to Choose a Conveyancer
- Do not use the estate agent's recommended solicitor — they receive referral fees and the firm may be prioritising volume over quality
- Check the firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC)
- Read recent Google and Trustpilot reviews — specifically look for comments about communication speed
- Ask if you'll have a named contact rather than a general inbox
- Get quotes that itemise every cost — beware of hidden disbursements
Common Conveyancing Mistakes
- Instructing too late — conveyancers have waiting lists; instruct immediately after offer accepted
- Not chasing — be politely persistent, especially in the two weeks before exchange
- Ignoring the survey results — if the survey flags issues, ask your conveyancer whether they affect the title or are purely structural
- Not reading the contract — your conveyancer should explain it; ask questions about anything unclear
- Forgetting to budget for searches — these add £150–500 on top of legal fees