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Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another. Whether you are buying or selling a home, a conveyancer or solicitor handles the legal paperwork, property searches, contract exchange, and completion to ensure the transfer is legally binding.
The process typically takes 8 to 12 weeks from an accepted offer to completion. Your conveyancer will carry out local authority searches, environmental checks, and land registry searches to identify any issues with the property. They also handle the exchange of contracts (when the sale becomes legally binding) and completion (when ownership transfers and you receive the keys).
Conveyancing fees in the UK typically range from £800 to £1,500 plus VAT for the solicitor's legal work, with additional disbursements of £250 to £450 for searches. You may also need to budget for Stamp Duty Land Tax if the property price exceeds the current threshold of £250,000 for most buyers.
Sources: Law Society, MoneyHelper.org.uk, HM Land Registry
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another. It covers everything from the initial property searches and contract drafting through to exchanging contracts, completing the sale and registering the new ownership with HM Land Registry. Whether you are buying, selling or remortgaging, a qualified conveyancer handles the legal work that protects you from hidden problems with the property and ensures your money is secure throughout the transaction.
Finding the right conveyancer takes more than picking the cheapest quote. Follow these steps to compare firms effectively and avoid common pitfalls.
The legal work involved in your property transaction depends on what you are doing and the type of property involved. Each situation has different requirements, timelines and costs. Understanding where you fit helps you choose a solicitor with the right experience for your case.
Freehold purchases are the most straightforward type of conveyancing. Your solicitor carries out property searches, reviews the contract, raises enquiries with the seller's solicitor, handles the deposit and mortgage funds, manages exchange and completion, and registers your ownership with the Land Registry. Most standard freehold purchases complete within 12 to 16 weeks. For a full walkthrough of each stage, read our guide to the conveyancing process.
Leasehold purchases involve additional work that freehold transactions do not require. Your solicitor must request and review a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent, check the remaining lease length, ground rent terms, service charge history and any planned major works. Properties with fewer than 80 years on the lease need specialist advice on lease extension costs. Expect leasehold conveyancing to take 2 to 4 weeks longer and cost £200 to £400 more than a standard freehold purchase. Read our guide to leasehold conveyancing for a full breakdown.
New-build purchases require your solicitor to negotiate with the developer's legal team and review contracts that are often weighted in the developer's favour. They also handle NHBC or equivalent warranty documentation and manage completion dates that frequently shift. Not all firms handle new-build work regularly, so ask any prospective solicitor how many new-build transactions they have completed in the past 12 months. Our new-build conveyancing guide covers what to watch for.
Seller's conveyancing mirrors the buyer's process from the opposite side. Your solicitor prepares the contract pack, responds to the buyer's enquiries, handles the deposit on exchange and manages the transfer of funds on completion. Selling is typically less complex than buying because you are not arranging searches or a mortgage, but your solicitor still needs to coordinate with the buyer's side and any chain above you.
Remortgage conveyancing is simpler than a purchase because there is no buyer, seller or chain involved. Your solicitor handles the legal transfer between your old lender and your new one, including redeeming the existing mortgage and registering the new charge with the Land Registry. Many lenders offer free legal work as part of their remortgage deal, using their own panel solicitors. Find out more about remortgage conveyancing.
Cash purchases follow the same legal process as mortgaged purchases, with one significant difference: there is no lender involvement, which removes the need for a mortgage valuation and panel solicitor requirements. This typically speeds up the process by 2 to 4 weeks. You still need property searches, contract review and Land Registry registration, so conveyancing is not optional even without a mortgage.
You have three main options for who handles your conveyancing, and the right choice depends on your transaction's complexity, your budget and how you prefer to communicate. Each type of provider is fully regulated and carries professional indemnity insurance, so your money is protected regardless of which you choose.
| Provider type | Typical legal fee | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solicitor | £800 to £1,800 plus VAT | Complex cases, leasehold, new build, shared ownership, title disputes | Higher cost, but broader legal expertise beyond property law |
| Licensed conveyancer | £600 to £1,200 plus VAT | Standard freehold purchases and sales | Lower cost and property-focused, but cannot handle disputes or trusts |
| Online conveyancer | £500 to £900 plus VAT | Straightforward freehold, cost-conscious buyers | Lowest cost with 24/7 tracking, but no face-to-face meetings |
For straightforward freehold purchases with no complications, an online or licensed conveyancer typically offers the best balance of cost and efficiency. For leasehold properties, new builds, properties with title defects, or transactions where you want to meet your solicitor in person, a local SRA-regulated firm's broader expertise justifies the higher fee. Our guide to choosing the best conveyancing solicitor gives you a scored framework for comparing firms.
Conveyancing costs fall into two categories: your solicitor's legal fee for the work they do, and disbursements, which are third-party charges your solicitor pays on your behalf. Both are unavoidable, but legal fees vary significantly between firms while disbursements remain broadly consistent regardless of who you instruct.
| Cost item | Typical range (2026) |
|---|---|
| Legal fee (freehold purchase) | £500 to £1,500 plus VAT |
| Leasehold supplement | £200 to £400 plus VAT |
| New-build supplement | £150 to £300 plus VAT |
| Local authority search | £120 to £300 (varies by council) |
| Environmental search | £40 to £55 |
| Water and drainage search | £25 to £50 |
| Land Registry fee | £100 to £270 (depends on property value) |
| Land Registry title search | £6 per title |
| Bank transfer fee | £30 to £45 |
| Anti-money laundering check | £6 to £20 |
On a standard £250,000 freehold purchase, total conveyancing costs typically fall between £1,100 and £1,700 including VAT. For a full line-by-line breakdown, see our guide to conveyancing fees, or use our conveyancing calculator for a personalised estimate. To understand each third-party charge in detail, read our guide to conveyancing disbursements.
When comparing quotes, watch for firms that advertise a low headline fee but add supplementary charges for acting on the mortgage, ID verification or electronic funds transfers. These extras can add £150 to £300 to the total. A transparent firm includes everything in its initial quote and provides a clear completion statement before you pay. If cost is your primary concern, our guide to cheap conveyancing explains how to reduce your bill without cutting corners on quality.
The average conveyancing timeline in 2026 runs between 12 and 16 weeks from the point you instruct a solicitor to completion day. Chain-free purchases with responsive solicitors can complete in 8 to 10 weeks, while leasehold properties or long chains may take 16 to 20 weeks.
Several factors affect the timeline for your specific transaction:
You can reduce delays by having your documents ready before instructing your solicitor, responding promptly to queries, and choosing a firm with capacity to handle your case without a backlog. For a detailed breakdown of each stage, read our guide on how long conveyancing takes.
The biggest mistake people make with conveyancing is choosing purely on price. A solicitor who is £200 cheaper but takes four weeks longer to respond to queries can delay your entire chain and cost you far more in extended mortgage offers, missed moving dates and temporary accommodation. Always ask about current caseload and average completion times before instructing.
Choosing the right conveyancing solicitor is the single biggest decision you make over both the cost and the speed of your property transaction. These five checks help you compare firms objectively rather than relying on a recommendation or the cheapest quote.
The conveyancing process follows a structured sequence from the moment you instruct a solicitor to the day you receive your keys. Each stage builds on the previous one, and your solicitor coordinates with the other side, your mortgage lender and various third parties throughout.
For a more detailed walkthrough of each stage with timelines, read our complete guide to the conveyancing process.
FAQ
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from one person to another. It covers property searches, contract drafting and review, raising and answering legal enquiries, exchanging contracts, completing the sale, paying Stamp Duty Land Tax and registering the new ownership with HM Land Registry. A conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer handles this work on your behalf to protect you legally and financially throughout the transaction.
Legally, yes. There is no requirement to use a solicitor or licensed conveyancer for a property transaction in England and Wales. In practice, doing your own conveyancing is risky and rarely advisable. You would need to conduct your own property searches, draft or review legal contracts, liaise with the other side's solicitor, handle Land Registry applications and manage the transfer of funds. If you have a mortgage, your lender will almost certainly require a qualified solicitor to act on their behalf, which means you would need to pay for one anyway.
A solicitor is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and qualified to practise across all areas of law, including property. A licensed conveyancer is regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) and specialises exclusively in property transactions. Solicitors typically charge £800 to £1,800 while licensed conveyancers charge £600 to £1,200 for the same standard freehold work. Both carry professional indemnity insurance and offer equivalent consumer protection. Solicitors are the stronger choice for complex cases involving title disputes, trusts or unusual legal issues.
Total conveyancing costs for a standard freehold purchase typically fall between £1,100 and £1,700 including VAT in 2026. This comprises a legal fee of £500 to £1,500 plus VAT, and disbursements of £250 to £500 covering property searches, Land Registry fees and bank transfer charges. Leasehold properties add £200 to £400 to the legal fee. New-build purchases add a further £150 to £300. The total varies by property value, firm type and transaction complexity.
Standard conveyancing takes 12 to 16 weeks from instruction to completion in 2026. Chain-free purchases with a responsive solicitor can complete in 8 to 10 weeks. Leasehold properties add 2 to 4 weeks for management pack requests. Each additional link in a property chain adds 1 to 3 weeks because all parties must be ready to exchange simultaneously. The biggest variable is local authority search turnaround, which ranges from 48 hours to 8 weeks depending on the council.
Conveyancing searches are checks your solicitor carries out to identify potential problems with the property before you commit to buying it. The main searches are a local authority search (covering planning permissions, building control, road schemes and conservation areas), an environmental search (checking for flood risk, contamination and subsidence), and a water and drainage search (confirming the property is connected to mains water and sewerage). Your solicitor may also recommend additional searches depending on the location, such as a mining search or chancel repair liability check.
Exchange of contracts is the point at which your property purchase becomes legally binding. Your solicitor and the seller's solicitor exchange signed contracts simultaneously, typically by phone. You pay your deposit at exchange, usually 10% of the purchase price. After exchange, pulling out of the transaction means forfeiting your deposit and potentially facing a claim from the seller for their losses, including any costs incurred from the collapsed sale. Exchange and completion are usually 1 to 4 weeks apart, though they can happen on the same day.
Yes, in most cases. Remortgaging requires a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal transfer between your existing lender and your new one, including redeeming the old mortgage and registering the new charge with the Land Registry. Many lenders offer free legal work as part of their remortgage deal, using their own panel solicitors, so you may not need to find or pay for one yourself. Check whether your new lender includes this before arranging your own conveyancer.
The core process is the same: your solicitor carries out property searches, reviews the contract, raises enquiries, handles exchange and completion, and registers your ownership. The key difference is that there is no mortgage lender involved, which removes the need for a mortgage valuation, lender panel requirements and mortgage conditions. This typically speeds up the process by 2 to 4 weeks and gives you more flexibility on which solicitor you use, since you do not need one on a specific lender's panel.
No sale no fee conveyancing means you only pay the solicitor's legal fee if your transaction completes successfully. If the sale or purchase falls through before exchange of contracts, you owe nothing for the legal work already done. You will still need to pay for disbursements such as property searches, because these are third-party charges your solicitor has already paid on your behalf. Around 30% of transactions fall through before exchange, so this arrangement provides genuine financial protection.
Gazumping happens when a seller accepts a higher offer from another buyer after already accepting yours. It is legal in England and Wales because the sale is not binding until exchange of contracts. You cannot fully prevent gazumping, but you can reduce the risk by moving quickly with your solicitor, getting a mortgage agreement in principle before making offers, and asking the seller to take the property off the market once your offer is accepted. Some buyers use lock-out agreements, which prevent the seller from negotiating with other parties for a set period.
Not automatically. Estate agents receive referral fees of £150 to £300 per recommendation, which may be passed on to you through higher legal costs. The recommended firm may be competent, but the recommendation is financially motivated. Always get at least two independent quotes for comparison before deciding. You are never obligated to use the agent's recommendation, and the agent cannot refuse to sell you the property or treat you differently because you chose a different solicitor.
Start by raising the issue directly with the firm in writing, documenting specific delays with dates and times. If communication does not improve, escalate to the firm's complaints procedure. If the issue remains unresolved after 8 weeks, contact the Legal Ombudsman, which can award compensation of up to £50,000. For SRA-regulated solicitors, report serious misconduct to the SRA directly. For licensed conveyancers, complaints go to the CLC. In extreme cases, you can switch solicitors mid-transaction, though this will add cost and delay.
No. Your solicitor does not need to be in the same area as the property you are buying or selling. Online and national firms handle transactions across England and Wales without visiting the property. However, local solicitors may have useful knowledge of area-specific planning issues, local authority search turnaround times and common title complications in the region. For straightforward freehold purchases, location matters less than competence, communication quality and competitive pricing.
A step-by-step walkthrough of the entire conveyancing process from instruction to completion, with timelines for each stage.
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A complete breakdown of UK conveyancing fees in 2026, covering legal fees, disbursements, regional differences and how to reduce costs.
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What each conveyancing search covers, how much it costs and how long it takes, with guidance on which searches you actually need.
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What happens at exchange of contracts and on completion day, including deposits, legal obligations and what to do if things go wrong.
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How leasehold conveyancing differs from freehold, what it costs and how the new ground rent cap affects your purchase.
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What gazumping and gazundering mean, whether they are legal, and practical steps to protect yourself when buying a UK property.
Read Full Article
A scored decision framework for comparing conveyancing solicitors, covering regulation, fees, reviews and lender panel status.
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How no sale no fee conveyancing works, what costs are covered, and how to compare solicitors offering this arrangement.
Read Full ArticleResources
These organisations offer independent guidance on the conveyancing process and property law.
Government-backed guidance on buying a home, conveyancing costs, and choosing a solicitor.
Find a regulated solicitor or conveyancer. Guidance on the conveyancing process and your legal rights.
Official property ownership records. Search the register, check title deeds, and verify property boundaries.
Free advice on property rights, buying and selling a home, and resolving disputes with solicitors.
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Conveyancing
Compare quotes from regulated solicitors and licensed conveyancers. No obligation, no upfront fees, and no sale no fee options available.
Conveyancing
Compare quotes from regulated conveyancing solicitors and licensed conveyancers to find the right firm for your property transaction.