Conveyancing Explained: The Process and What It Costs (2026)
Quick answer
Conveyancing is the legal work that transfers a property from seller to buyer. This plain-English guide walks through every step, what conveyancing fees and disbursements cover, how long it takes, and how to choose the right conveyancer.
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another, and it is the part of buying or selling a home that confuses people the most. Whether you are a first-time buyer, moving up the ladder or selling, understanding the conveyancing process helps you budget accurately, avoid nasty surprises and keep your move on track. This guide explains what conveyancing actually involves, the step-by-step stages, what the fees and costs cover, and how to choose someone good.
What is conveyancing?
Conveyancing covers all the legal and administrative work needed to transfer the legal title of a property. It runs from the moment your offer is accepted right through to the day you get the keys (completion) and your ownership is registered. The professional who does this work is your conveyancer — either a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor who specialises in property.
Their job is to protect your interests: checking the seller genuinely owns the property and can sell it, uncovering anything that might affect its value or your enjoyment of it (planning issues, flooding risk, disputes, restrictions), handling the money safely, and registering you as the new owner with HM Land Registry.
If you are selling, your conveyancer prepares the contract pack, answers the buyer's enquiries and discharges (pays off) any existing mortgage from the sale proceeds. Most people buying and selling at the same time use one conveyancer to handle both sides of the chain.
The conveyancing process, step by step
Every transaction is slightly different, but the conveyancing process almost always follows the same broad sequence:
- Instruct a conveyancer. Once your offer is accepted, you formally appoint (instruct) your conveyancer. They send you a client-care letter, a fee estimate and identity (ID) checks to satisfy anti-money-laundering rules. You will usually pay a small amount on account to cover early costs.
- Draft contract and supporting documents. The seller's conveyancer sends a draft contract along with the title deeds and standard forms — the Property Information Form (TA6) and the Fittings and Contents Form (TA10), plus a leasehold form (TA7) if relevant.
- Property searches. Your conveyancer orders searches from the local authority, the water and drainage company, and an environmental search (covering flooding and contaminated land). Further searches may be needed depending on the area, such as mining or chancel-repair checks.
- Raise enquiries. Based on the contract pack and searches, your conveyancer asks the seller's side questions to clear up anything unclear — boundaries, building work, guarantees, disputes or planning permissions. This back-and-forth is often where time is lost.
- Mortgage and survey. In parallel, your lender carries out its valuation and issues a formal mortgage offer. Many buyers also commission their own survey (a HomeBuyer report or a full building survey) for peace of mind.
- Report and sign. When everything checks out, your conveyancer sends you a report on the property and the contract to sign. You also pay your deposit (typically 10% of the price) to them ready for exchange.
- Exchange of contracts. The two conveyancers exchange signed contracts and agree a completion date. At this point the deal becomes legally binding — neither side can pull out without serious financial penalty.
- Completion. On completion day the balance of the purchase money is transferred, the seller moves out, and you collect the keys. You are now the legal owner.
- After completion. Your conveyancer pays any Stamp Duty (see below), registers you as the new owner at HM Land Registry, and sends you copies of the final documents.
What conveyancing costs: the breakdown
Conveyancing fees come in two parts: the conveyancer's own legal fee (their charge for doing the work) and disbursements (costs they pay to third parties on your behalf, such as search providers and HM Land Registry). A typical quote bundles both together, so always check what is and is not included.
The table below shows the usual cost components for a buyer. Figures are general guides only — they vary by firm, region, property value and whether the property is freehold or leasehold.
| Cost component | What it is | Typical guide (buying) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal fee | The conveyancer's charge for handling the transaction | ~£800–£1,500 + VAT |
| Property searches | Local authority, water & drainage, environmental and any extra searches | ~£250–£450 |
| HM Land Registry fee | Registering you as the new legal owner (scales with price) | ~£20–£500+ |
| Bank transfer (CHAPS) fee | Same-day transfer of completion funds | ~£20–£40 |
| ID / anti-money-laundering checks | Verifying your identity and source of funds | ~£10–£40 |
| Stamp Duty (SDLT) — separate | Property purchase tax paid to government (England & NI) | Depends on price & circumstances |
Stamp Duty is not a conveyancing fee. It is a separate tax on the purchase that your conveyancer collects and pays on your behalf after completion. In England and Northern Ireland it is called Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT); in Scotland it is Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT); and in Wales it is Land Transaction Tax (LTT). Each nation has its own rates and thresholds, so always work out the right one for where the property is. In England and NI, for example, no SDLT is due on the portion of a main home's price up to £125,000, with higher rates on the slices above (first-time buyers and additional-property buyers have different rules). Use the Stamp Duty Calculator to estimate yours.
To estimate the legal fees and disbursements themselves, try the calculator below.
If you are budgeting for the whole move — including removals, mortgage fees and Stamp Duty as well as conveyancing — the Cost of Moving House Calculator pulls everything together. You can also explore more guidance in our property guides.
Conveyancer or solicitor — what's the difference?
Both can legally do your conveyancing, and for a straightforward purchase the difference matters little.
- Licensed conveyancer — a specialist in property law, regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. They often focus solely on conveyancing, which can mean a streamlined, competitively priced service.
- Solicitor — a qualified lawyer regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who can advise on property and other legal matters too. A solicitor may be the better choice if your transaction is complex (for example, a problematic lease, a probate sale or a boundary dispute).
Either way, make sure they are on your mortgage lender's approved panel — otherwise the lender may insist on a separate firm, adding cost and delay.
How long does conveyancing take?
For a typical purchase, conveyancing usually takes around 8 to 12 weeks from offer accepted to completion, though anything from 6 weeks to several months is possible. Cash purchases of freehold properties can be quicker; long chains, leasehold flats and slow search turnaround can push it out considerably. The length of the chain — the run of linked sales above and below you — is often the single biggest factor, because everyone has to be ready to exchange on the same day.
Freehold vs leasehold: the extra costs
If you are buying a leasehold property (most flats, and some houses), there is more legal work and so higher costs. Your conveyancer must review the lease, check the remaining term, and obtain a leasehold information pack (the LPE1 / management pack) from the freeholder or managing agent — which itself carries a fee, often a few hundred pounds.
You will also need to budget for ongoing leasehold charges that come up at completion, such as ground rent, service charges and possibly notice fees payable to the freeholder when ownership changes. A short remaining lease (broadly under about 80–85 years) can affect mortgageability and lead to expensive extension costs later, so always ask your conveyancer to flag it early. Freehold purchases are simpler — you own the building and the land outright, with no lease to review.
How to choose a conveyancer
- Get itemised quotes. Compare two or three on a like-for-like basis — legal fee, VAT, searches and all disbursements — not just the headline figure. Use the Conveyancing Fees Calculator as a sense-check.
- Check the regulator. Confirm they are regulated (CLC or SRA) and on your lender's panel.
- Ask how you'll communicate. A named contact you can actually reach beats a faceless call centre, especially when a chain gets tense.
- Read recent reviews. Look for comments on responsiveness and how problems were handled, not just price.
- Beware "no completion, no fee" small print. It can be reassuring, but check whether you still pay for searches and other disbursements if the deal falls through.
Common delays and mistakes
- Slow responses to enquiries. The most common hold-up. Return forms and questions promptly — both sides waiting on each other adds weeks.
- Long or broken chains. One delayed party can stall everyone. Good communication up and down the chain helps.
- Leaving the mortgage late. Apply early; a delayed mortgage offer can hold up exchange.
- Missing leasehold information. Freeholders and managing agents can be slow to supply the management pack — chase it early.
- Underbudgeting. Forgetting searches, the Land Registry fee or Stamp Duty leads to a shortfall right when funds are tight.
- Skimping on a survey. A lender's valuation is not a survey. A proper survey can reveal costly defects before you are committed.
FAQs
What is conveyancing in simple terms?
It is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer — checking the title, carrying out searches, handling the money and registering the new owner with HM Land Registry.
How much are conveyancing fees?
As a rough guide, the legal fee for buying is often around £800–£1,500 plus VAT, plus disbursements such as searches (~£250–£450) and the Land Registry fee. Costs vary by firm, property value and whether it is leasehold. Get itemised quotes to compare.
Is Stamp Duty part of conveyancing?
No. Stamp Duty (SDLT in England and NI, LBTT in Scotland, LTT in Wales) is a separate government tax on the purchase. Your conveyancer collects it and pays it for you after completion, but it is not their fee.
How long does conveyancing take?
Typically 8 to 12 weeks from offer accepted to completion, but it can be quicker for cash freehold purchases or much longer with leaseholds, long chains or slow searches.
Do I need a conveyancer or a solicitor?
Either can do the work. A licensed conveyancer specialises in property and may be cheaper; a solicitor offers wider legal advice and may suit complex cases. Make sure whoever you pick is on your mortgage lender's panel.
Sources
- Buying or selling your home — gov.uk
- Stamp Duty Land Tax — gov.uk
- Registering land or property with HM Land Registry — gov.uk
This guide is general information, not personal financial or legal advice. For your own circumstances, speak to a qualified conveyancer or solicitor.
Written by
Laura Michelle Davis — Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA)
ACCA · CTA (Chartered Tax Adviser) · ATT · BSc Economics, UC Berkeley
Laura Michelle Davis is a Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) who also holds the ACCA and ATT qualifications and a BSc in Economics from UC Berkeley. She specialises in UK personal tax, covering income tax, National Insurance, self-employment and capital gains, and has built her career making complicated rules easy to follow. At TaxFly, Laura writes and edits the tax guides and explainers, checking that figures reflect current HMRC rates and that every explanation answers the question a real person is actually asking. Her goal is plain-English clarity you can trust and act on.
