What is conveyancing and how long does it take?

Conveyancing is the part of a move that happens behind the scenes, after the handshake and before the keys. It is the legal work that makes a sale real, and understanding the stages is the best way to keep your own sale moving and spot a delay early.

What does a conveyancer actually do?

A conveyancer is the solicitor or licensed property-law specialist who handles the legal transfer of a home. Each side appoints their own, and the two firms deal with each other on your behalf.

• Draft and check the contract of sale, and the forms describing the property and its fittings.
• Order and review searches, such as local authority, environmental and water searches.
• Raise and answer legal enquiries about the title, boundaries, planning and guarantees.
• Handle the money: the deposit at exchange, then the balance and any mortgage funds at completion.
• Register the new owner with HM Land Registry and pay any Stamp Duty due.

How long does conveyancing take in 2026?

For a typical sale with a chain, expect around 16 to 20 weeks from offer accepted to completion. The biggest variable is the chain: a simple chain-free purchase can complete in roughly 8 weeks, while a long chain can stretch a sale toward six months.

What are the main stages of conveyancing?

1. 1. Instruct a conveyancer

   Both sides appoint their own solicitor or licensed conveyancer, ideally as soon as the offer is accepted.

2. 2. Draft contract and property forms

   The seller's conveyancer sends a draft contract plus the property information and fittings forms.

3. 3. Searches and enquiries

   The buyer's conveyancer orders the searches, then raises enquiries on anything that needs clarifying.

4. 4. Mortgage and survey

   The buyer's lender issues a formal mortgage offer after its valuation, and the buyer arranges any survey.

5. 5. Exchange of contracts

   Both sides sign, a completion date is fixed, the buyer pays a deposit, and the sale becomes legally binding.

6. 6. Completion

   The balance is transferred, ownership passes to the buyer, and the keys are handed over.

Why does conveyancing get delayed?

• Property chains, the single biggest cause, where one slow link holds up everyone; a long chain can push a sale toward six months.
• Slow local authority searches, with some councils running four to six weeks behind in 2026.
• Leasehold management packs, which can take two to six weeks to arrive from a managing agent.
• Unanswered enquiries, missing paperwork, or a mortgage offer that takes longer than expected.

How can I speed up my conveyancing?

• Instruct your conveyancer before you accept an offer, so day one is not lost to admin.
• Fill in your property forms early and gather documents (guarantees, planning permissions, the lease) up front.
• Reply to enquiries quickly and keep your conveyancer, agent and mortgage broker talking.
• Choose a buyer in a short or no chain where you can, since the chain is what most often holds a sale up.

Conveyancing rarely stalls because the law is hard. It stalls because paperwork sits waiting. The sellers who complete fastest are the ones who answer quickly and start early.

Conveyancing questions, answered

Getting your sale through conveyancing smoothly starts with choosing the right agent and a realistic price from the outset. ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so you can pick the agent best placed to keep your sale moving. It is free for homeowners, always.