Most sellers have no idea what conveyancing actually involves.
They just sign things and hope for the best.
That’s a costly approach.
I’m Saif Derzi, founder of Property Buyers Today. Since 2015, I’ve guided sellers through countless conveyancing processes – good and bad.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through every stage. You’ll know what to expect, what can go wrong, and how to keep things moving.
- What Is Conveyancing and Why Do You Need It?
- What Documents Does a Seller Need for Conveyancing?
- How Long Does the Conveyancing Process Take When Selling?
- Where Does the Time Actually Go?
- What Can Go Wrong During Conveyancing?
- How Much Does Conveyancing Cost When Selling?
- How Property Buyers Today Makes Conveyancing Faster and Simpler
What Is Conveyancing and Why Do You Need It?
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a home from one person to another. It covers everything from checking the title deeds to drawing up contracts and registering the new owner with HM Land Registry.
You can’t legally sell a home in England and Wales without it. I’ve seen sellers try to rush this step – it never ends well. A qualified professional must handle the legal transfer, whether that’s a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer. Both are trained to do the same job. Solicitors are fully qualified lawyers who can handle other legal matters too. Licensed conveyancers specialise only in property. The government explains what a conveyancer is authorised to do if you want the official definition.
Instruct someone as soon as you accept an offer – or even before you list. I’ve watched sales stall because sellers waited too long to get legal help in place. Check our guide on average solicitor fees for selling a house, so you know what to budget.
Good legal help makes the whole process smoother.
Conveyancing follows a set order – knowing what happens at each stage helps you stay on top of the process.
Instruction and ID Checks
The first thing your solicitor does is verify who you are.
Anti-money laundering laws require every solicitor to check your identity before they can act for you. You’ll need to provide photo ID and proof of address. This happens at the very start – delays here push everything else back.
Your solicitor will also confirm their fees in writing at this stage. The Solicitors Regulation Authority requires firms to be transparent about what they charge and what the conveyancing process involves, so you should receive a clear breakdown upfront.
Preparing and Issuing the Draft Contract Pack
Once ID checks are done, your solicitor puts together the contract pack.
This includes the draft contract, the title register, and the property information and fittings forms you’ve completed. It gets sent to the buyer’s solicitor, who then reviews everything and raises any questions. The quicker you return your paperwork, the faster this stage moves.
Responding to Enquiries
The buyer’s solicitor will almost always come back with questions.
These enquiries can cover anything – boundaries, planning history, rights of way, building work, or anything unclear in the documents. Your solicitor handles the responses, but they’ll often need information from you. Slow replies at this stage are one of the most common reasons sales drag on.
Exchange of Contracts
Exchange is the point where the sale becomes legally binding for both sides.
Before the exchange, either party can walk away. After it, pulling out has serious financial consequences. A completion date is agreed and locked in at the same time. It’s worth reading the exchange of contracts completion statement so you know exactly what to expect when this stage arrives.
Completion
Completion is the final step – the day ownership officially transfers.
The buyer’s solicitor sends the money across, your solicitor confirms receipt, and the keys are released. You must be out of the property by the agreed time. Your solicitor then repays any outstanding mortgage and sends you the remaining sale proceeds.
What Documents Does a Seller Need for Conveyancing?
Getting your paperwork together early is one of the best things you can do to speed up a sale.
Title Deeds or Land Registry Title Register
Your solicitor needs proof that you own the property before anything else can happen.
For most homes, this means obtaining a copy of the title register from the Land Registry. If your property is unregistered, the original physical deeds will be needed instead. Missing or incomplete title documents are one of the most common causes of delays early in the conveyancing process.
Property Information Form
The TA6 is one of the most important forms you’ll fill out as a seller.
It covers everything a buyer needs to know about the property – boundaries, disputes, planning history, building work, flood risk, and more. Accuracy matters here. Providing false or misleading information on a TA6 can have serious legal consequences. Read more about what you need to sell your house to make sure nothing gets missed.
Fittings and Contents Form
The TA10 sets out exactly what’s included in the sale and what isn’t.
It covers fixtures, fittings, and contents room by room – white goods, light fittings, carpets, curtains, and more. Disputes over what was agreed to be left behind are surprisingly common. A clearly completed TA10 prevents misunderstandings and protects both sides.
Relevant Certificates
Buyers and their solicitors will ask for paperwork to back up any work done to the property.
An EPC is legally required for every sale. Building regulations certificates, planning permissions, FENSA certificates for replacement windows, and gas or electrical safety certificates all need to be provided if relevant. Missing certificates can slow a sale down or put buyers off entirely.
Leasehold Documents
If the property is leasehold, a separate set of documents is required on top of everything else.
This includes the lease itself, recent service charge accounts, buildings insurance details, and the management information pack from the freeholder or managing agent. The management pack in particular can take several weeks to arrive; requesting it as early as possible is essential to avoid delays.
How Long Does the Conveyancing Process Take When Selling?
On the open market, expect 12–16 weeks from instruction to completion. I’ve seen straightforward sales wrap up faster, but delays are common.
Slow local authority searches are one of the biggest hold-ups. Some councils take ten weeks to return results. Mortgage issues, failed surveys, and late paperwork all add time, too. Then there’s the chain. If your buyer is also selling, you’re waiting on their buyer – and their buyer’s solicitor, lender, and searches. Every extra link adds risk.
Cash sales cut through most of this. No mortgage means no lender timelines. No chain means no domino effect when something goes wrong. I’ve seen cash completions happen in two to four weeks. Read about how long it takes to sell a house in different scenarios. This guide on typical conveyancing timelines and what drives costs up is worth reading before you instruct anyone.
Knowing what causes delays helps you plan around them.
Where Does the Time Actually Go?
Most of the delay isn’t with your solicitor – it’s waiting on other people. Here’s a realistic breakdown of where the weeks go in a typical open market sale.
| Stage | Typical time | With PBT | Main delay risk |
| Instruction & ID checks | 1–2 weeks | 2–3 days | Slow paperwork from seller |
| Buyer arranges mortgage | 3–5 weeks | Not applicable (cash) | Lender backlogs, down valuations |
| Searches & enquiries | 3–10 weeks | 1–2 weeks | Slow councils, unanswered queries |
| Exchange of contracts | 1–2 weeks | 1–3 days | Chain coordination |
| Exchange to completion | 1–4 weeks | 1–5 days | Chain dependencies |
| Total | 12–16 weeks | 2–4 weeks |
* Timeline assumes a standard freehold sale in England or Wales. Leasehold sales, title defects, or long chains can add weeks at any stage. Cash sales with Property Buyers Today bypass mortgage and chain delays entirely.
What Can Go Wrong During Conveyancing?
Conveyancing problems are more common than most sellers expect. I’ve seen sales collapse at every stage – sometimes weeks before completion.
A buyer’s mortgage offer can expire if the process drags on too long. Lenders usually give six months, but a slow chain eats through that fast. Searches sometimes reveal planning problems, contaminated land, or enforcement notices that buyers didn’t know about – and won’t accept.
Title defects stop sales cold. Missing documents, gaps in the ownership chain, or old undischarged mortgages all cause delays while solicitors try to fix them. Disputes over what stays in the home – light fittings, kitchen appliances, garden structures – can also hold things up near the end.
The biggest risk is chain collapse. One buyer pulling out can unravel everyone above and below them. I’ve watched sellers lose their onward purchase because a stranger at the bottom of the chain changed their mind. Read about broken property chains and what your options are if it happens to you.
How Much Does Conveyancing Cost When Selling?
Most sellers pay between £500 and £1,500 in solicitor fees, depending on the property and how complex the sale is. That’s the headline figure – but it’s rarely the full amount.
Disbursements are added on top. These are costs your solicitor pays on your behalf:
Common disbursements:
- Title register copies (around £6–£10)
- Bank transfer fees (£20–£40)
- ID and anti-money laundering checks (£10–£30)
Always check whether VAT is included in the quote. A fee of £900 plus VAT actually costs £1,080. I’ve seen sellers get caught out by this. Ask upfront.
Some conveyancers charge a fixed fee – you know the total from the start. Others charge hourly, which can be cheaper for simple sales but risky if things get complicated. I’ve found fixed-fee quotes easier to budget around. See our full breakdown of the cost to sell a house so you know what to expect across every fee, not just legal costs.
How Property Buyers Today Makes Conveyancing Faster and Simpler
Let me break this down…
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership. Your solicitor handles contracts, answers buyer enquiries, organises searches, and makes sure everything’s legally sound. In a normal sale, this takes 12-16 weeks on average – sometimes much longer if there are complications.
When you sell your house fast to us, the conveyancing still happens, but it’s dramatically quicker because we’re cash buyers with no chain. Plus, we cover all your solicitor costs – you don’t pay a penny for legal fees.
Here’s why homeowners value this simpler process…
Speed
Most house sales take months, but we can buy your property in as little as 7 days.
This quick process is perfect if you need to move soon or want to avoid being stuck in a long chain of buyers and sellers. We have the cash on hand so don’t need to wait for mortgages or a chain to collapse.
Guaranteed Sale
Did you know 1 in 3 sales fall through on the open market?
We know how frustrating it is to get 6 months into a process and have a buyer pull out.
When we give you the final price for your house, that’s the amount you’ll get. Guaranteed!
No Costs
You won’t face any costs with us.
We handle all the expenses involved in buying your property, including legal fees and surveys. You get cash in your bank when the sale is complete, and there are no surprise estate agent commissions to worry about.
No Stress Or Hassle
Our team supports you through the whole selling process.
We keep you updated about what’s happening and answer any questions quickly. You’ll always understand what’s going on with your sale and what happens next.
Free Property Valuation
Our property experts will value your house at no cost to you.
They look carefully at your property and check local market prices to give you an accurate figure. This professional service comes with no obligations.
No Viewings Required
Forget about cleaning and tidying for viewings.
We don’t need multiple visits or open houses to make our offer. This means no strangers walking through your home, and no disruption to your daily life.
All Properties Welcome
Whether your house needs work or is in perfect condition, we’ll buy it.
We have experience with all types of properties and conditions. This means you can sell your house to us no matter what state it’s in.
Professional Legal Service
Our expert team manages all the legal requirements for you.
We work with experienced property lawyers who make sure everything runs smoothly, and put your property at the top of their list. This gives you peace of mind that your sale is being handled properly from start to finish.
