How Long Does Conveyancing Take?

The average property purchase in the UK takes between 8-12 weeks (2-3 months) from offer acceptance to completion. This is a rough estimate; the actual timeframe can vary significantly. How long conveyancing takes is a key part of this overall timeline.

Some purchases complete in as little as 8 weeks, while others can take 16 weeks or more. Don't rely on averages; prepare for potential delays in the conveyancing process.

You will be able to complete faster for an auction or a new-build purchase, but a freehold or leasehold purchase will take between 8-14 weeks.

A top tip for speeding up the conveyancing process: ensure you properly manage your chain (if applicable) and order your conveyancing searches and surveys early on.

The real timeline: How long does it take to buy a house?

Finding your home (2 - 24 weeks)

This stage is the most unpredictable and could be the most time-consuming, as it depends on market conditions, your criteria, property availability, and your search methods.

You'll set a budget, attend many home viewings, and scour online property portals to find 'the one'. In a competitive market, properties may sell quickly, requiring fast action. In a slower market, you might have more time to consider options. The more specific your criteria (e.g., location, size, features), the longer it might take to find a match.

Making an offer and mortgage application (2 - 8 weeks)

Once you've found your property, you'll make an offer. This involves:

• Submitting your offer to the estate agent.
• Negotiating the price and any conditions of the sale.
• The seller deciding whether to accept your offer.

This typically takes a week or two, depending on how quickly the seller responds and if there are counteroffers.

After your offer is accepted, you'll need to submit a mortgage application. This involves:

• Submitting your full mortgage application with supporting documents.
• A valuation of the property to ensure it's worth the loan amount.

This can take 2-6 weeks for standard applications but could take 8 weeks or more in complex cases.

How long does conveyancing take? (4 - 16 weeks)

This is the legal process of transferring ownership, and it's often the longest part of the process after finding a property. It involves:

• Instructing a Solicitor/Conveyancer - do this as soon as your offer has been accepted.
• Searches and Enquiries - your solicitor will conduct various searches (local authority, environmental, water) and raise enquiries with the seller's solicitor about the property.
• Survey - arrange a survey as soon as possible after your offer is accepted.
• Draft Contract and Review - the seller's solicitor prepares the draft contract, which your solicitor will review.
• Exchange of Contracts - once all legal and financial matters are in order, contracts are exchanged, making the purchase legally binding.
• Completion - the final transfer of ownership takes place, and you receive the keys.

How property type impacts the conveyancing timeline - which applies to you?

Freehold

• Freehold is the most straightforward type of ownership. You own both the property and the land it sits on.
• Generally quicker than leasehold as there's no freeholder to deal with.

Leasehold

• You own the property for a set period (the lease), but not the land. A freeholder owns the land.
• Can add significant time due to the involvement of the freeholder. Your solicitor will need to obtain information from them (management pack) and deal with any lease-related issues. Short leases (less than 80 years) can be particularly problematic for mortgage lenders.

Shared Ownership

• You buy a share of the property from a housing association and pay rent on the remaining share.
• More complex than standard purchases due to the involvement of the housing association. The resale process, mortgage applications, and lease agreements can all contribute to delays.

Right to Buy

• If you're a qualifying council tenant, you may have the right to buy your home at a discounted price.
• Can be quicker than a standard purchase as the seller is a public body, but there are specific procedures that need to be followed.

Cash Buyer

• Buying with cash eliminates the need for a mortgage, which can significantly speed up the process. While faster, it's still essential to instruct a solicitor to carry out the necessary legal checks.
• Can result in a much faster completion, potentially within a few weeks.

Buying at Auction

• Properties are sold to the highest bidder at an auction. You'll need to pay a 10% deposit immediately upon winning the bid, and you're legally committed to the purchase.
• Requires a very fast turnaround, typically 28 days for completion. You need to have your finances and legal due diligence in place before the auction.

Factors that cause delays in the conveyancing process

Length of the chain

The more properties involved, the higher the risk of delays. If someone in the chain experiences a problem (e.g., mortgage issues, or survey problems), it can affect everyone else.

Leasehold properties

Dealing with freeholders adds complexity and time. Obtaining management packs, dealing with service charges, and getting consent for the sale can all cause delays. Short leases can also be a significant issue for mortgage lenders.

Shared Ownership properties

Shared ownership purchases can be more complex due to the involvement of the housing association. This can lead to delays with:

• Resale Process: The housing association often has the first right of refusal to buy back the share.
• Mortgage Applications: Lenders may have specific criteria for shared ownership mortgages, which can take longer to process.
• Lease Agreements: Shared ownership agreements are leasehold, so all the usual leasehold issues apply.
• Survey Issues: Problems found in the survey can lead to renegotiations, repairs, or further investigations. This can involve obtaining quotes for work, arranging for specialists to inspect the property, or even renegotiating the purchase price.

Right to Buy properties

A Right to Buy purchase can be a freehold or a leasehold, but councils are extremely slow at communication and the property valuation expires after 3 months so might need to be extended.

Mortgage offer delays

Lenders can experience backlogs, especially during busy periods or if your financial circumstances are complex.

Slow communication

Delays in communication between solicitors, estate agents, buyers, and sellers can impact the timeline.

Some local authorities have longer turnaround times for searches. This is often outside the control of your solicitor.

Title issues

Problems with the property's legal title (e.g., missing documents, boundary disputes, rights of way) can cause delays as they need to be resolved before the sale can proceed.