Conveyancing is the legal machinery that turns an accepted offer into a home you own. It is rarely glamorous and often slow, but understanding the order of events makes the wait far less stressful. Here is what happens between handshake and house keys.
Instructing your solicitor
Once your offer is accepted, you appoint a conveyancer or solicitor to act for you. They confirm your identity, take a payment on account for searches, and write to the seller's side to request the contract pack. Choosing someone responsive matters more than choosing the cheapest, because chasing a silent solicitor is a misery.
Searches and enquiries
Your solicitor orders local authority, environmental, water and drainage searches to uncover anything the survey would miss, from planned roadworks to flood risk. They also raise enquiries about the property, querying boundaries, alterations and any guarantees. This stage often takes the longest, so patience helps.
- Local authority search planning history and nearby development
- Environmental search contamination, flooding and subsidence risk
- Water and drainage how the property connects to the mains
Exchange of contracts
When searches are clear, the mortgage offer is in hand and both sides agree a completion date, contracts are exchanged. At this point the deal becomes legally binding, your deposit is transferred, and neither party can walk away without serious penalty. It is the moment to finalise your buildings insurance.
Completion and beyond
On completion day the balance of the money moves, the seller hands over the keys, and the property is yours. Afterwards your solicitor pays the stamp duty and registers you as the new owner with the Land Registry. Keep the final statement and title documents somewhere safe; you will want them when you eventually sell.