What Is Conveyancing? The UK Step-by-Step Guide for 2026

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Conveyancing Milestone Tracker

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Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from seller to buyer. It covers checking the title at HM Land Registry, ordering local authority and water searches, raising enquiries about the property, drafting and exchanging contracts, completing the sale, paying stamp duty, and registering the new owner. The MoneyHelper guide to what solicitors and conveyancers do is the consumer reference.

The full conveyancing process, step by step

Instruction. Both parties instruct conveyancers. ID checks and source-of-funds verification follow under anti-money-laundering rules.
Draft contract pack. The seller's conveyancer produces the draft contract, official copies of the title, the TA6 (Property Information Form), the TA10 (Fixtures and Fittings), and — for leaseholds — the LPE1 management pack and lease.
Searches. The buyer's conveyancer orders local authority, water and drainage, environmental and chancel searches.
Enquiries. The buyer's conveyancer raises questions about anything ambiguous in the contract pack or searches.
Mortgage offer. The buyer's lender issues a formal offer. The conveyancer reviews the conditions and the lender's certificate of title.
Survey. The buyer commissions a RICS survey. Issues found may trigger renegotiation.
Report on title. The buyer's conveyancer reports to the buyer summarising the legal position. The buyer signs the contract.
Deposit. The buyer transfers the deposit (typically 10% of the price) to their conveyancer's client account.
Exchange of contracts. The two conveyancers exchange signed contracts on the phone, agree the completion date, and the deposit is committed.
Completion. Funds transfer from the buyer's conveyancer to the seller's. Keys are released.
Post-completion. The buyer's conveyancer files the SDLT return within 14 days, registers the transfer with HM Land Registry, and notifies the lender.

The GOV.UK buy-sell-your-home guide covers the legal sequence in plain English.

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Conveyancing milestone tracker

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The key documents

Official Copies (Title Register and Title Plan). From HM Land Registry. These show the legal owner, the boundaries, and any restrictions, charges or rights of way.
TA6 Property Information Form. Filled in by the seller — disputes, alterations, services, warranties.
TA10 Fittings and Contents Form. What's included or excluded from the sale. See the Law Society's TA10 reference.
LPE1 Leasehold Property Enquiries. For flats — service charges, ground rent, major works, building safety status.
Local Authority Search. Planning, building regulation, road status, contaminated land, conservation area, listed-building status.
Water and Drainage Search. Confirms mains connections, sewer locations.
Environmental Search. Flood risk, contaminated land, radon, energy infrastructure.
Mortgage offer. The lender's binding terms.
Contract. The legally binding agreement to sell at a fixed price on a fixed date.
TR1 Transfer Deed. Signed at completion, transfers legal title to the buyer.

Solicitor or licensed conveyancer?

Both can act on a property purchase. The differences:

Solicitors. Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Can also handle probate, divorce, contentious matters.
Licensed conveyancers. Regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Specialise in property transactions only — typically faster on standard cases.

For a freehold house purchase, both work. For probate sales, leases under 80 years requiring extension, or matrimonial issues, a solicitor is usually preferred.

Searches: what they are and what they cost

Search	Typical cost	Turnaround
Local Authority (LLC1 + CON29)	£100-£250	5 days to 8 weeks
Water and Drainage (CON29DW)	£40-£80	5-10 days
Environmental	£40-£80	1-3 days
Chancel Repair	£20-£30	1 day
Coal Mining (where applicable)	£40-£80	1-3 days

Costs

Conveyancing on a £400,000 freehold purchase typically costs:

Legal fee: £800-£2,000 + VAT
Searches: £250-£450
Land Registry fee: £40-£910 (price band)
Bank transfer fees: £25-£50
Anti-money-laundering checks: £15-£40

Leasehold flats add £200-£800 for the LPE1 pack and possibly notice fees of £50-£200 to the freeholder/managing agent on completion.

What can go wrong

Defective title — missing rights of way, unregistered covenants, restrictions that limit use. Indemnity insurance often resolves these.
Planning issues — extensions or conversions without consent. May need retrospective consent or indemnity insurance.
Lease length — flats with under 80 years are difficult to mortgage and trigger marriage value on extension.
Building safety — flats above 11m may need an EWS1 form, FRAEW assessment, or fall under the Building Safety Act remediation regime.
Chain failures — one party pulls out, collapsing the chain.

Frequently asked questions

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from seller to buyer. It covers checking title at HM Land Registry, ordering local searches, raising enquiries about the property, drafting and exchanging contracts, completing the sale, paying stamp duty, and registering the new owner. Most buyers and sellers instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to act for them.

What is the difference between a solicitor and a licensed conveyancer?

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and can handle a full range of legal work. Licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and specialise specifically in property transactions. For a standard house purchase, both offer the same service at similar cost. Complex matters (probate, contentious matrimonial issues) usually need a solicitor.

How long does conveyancing take?

Conveyancing typically takes 8 to 12 weeks from instruction to completion on a freehold purchase. Leasehold flats add 2 to 4 weeks for the management pack. Chain-free cash purchases can finish in 3 to 4 weeks. The biggest delays come from local authority searches, leasehold packs, and slow chains.

What is the TA6 form?

The TA6 (Property Information Form) is filled in by the seller and covers the property's history — disputes with neighbours, alterations and planning, services, parking, and warranties. The TA10 covers fixtures and fittings included in the sale. Both are part of the Law Society's standard conveyancing protocol and are key disclosure documents.

Can I do my own conveyancing?

In theory, yes — there is no legal requirement to use a solicitor. In practice, lenders refuse to lend on DIY conveyancing because they need a regulated professional to undertake to register their charge. Cash buyers can technically self-convey, but the cost saving is rarely worth the risk for a transaction of this size.