How Long Does Conveyancing Take?

If you've just had an offer accepted on a property — congratulations! The next question most people ask is: how long does conveyancing take? The honest answer is that it depends, but this guide will give you a realistic picture of timelines and what can slow things down.

Average Conveyancing Timescales

For a typical property purchase or sale, the conveyancing process takes between 8 and 16 weeks from instructing a solicitor to completion. Here's a rough breakdown by transaction type:

• Purchase only (no chain) — 8 to 12 weeks

• Sale only — 8 to 12 weeks

• Purchase and sale in a chain — 10 to 20 weeks or more

• Remortgage — 4 to 8 weeks

• New build purchase — can vary widely, often 6 to 24 weeks

The Key Stages — and How Long Each Takes

Understanding what actually happens during conveyancing helps set realistic expectations:

• Instructing your solicitor and completing ID checks — 1 to 3 days

• Seller's solicitor drafting the contract pack — 1 to 3 weeks

• Buyer's solicitor reviewing contracts and ordering searches — 2 to 4 weeks

• Search results returned — 1 to 6 weeks (local authority searches are often the bottleneck)

• Mortgage offer issued — varies; typically 2 to 6 weeks after application

• Exchange of contracts to completion — usually 1 to 4 weeks after exchange

What Causes Delays?

Most delays in how long conveyancing takes come from one of these sources:

Search delays

Local authority searches are processed by the council and turnaround times vary enormously — some councils respond in a few days, others take six weeks or more. Your solicitor has limited control over this.

Chain issues

If you're in a chain — where your purchase depends on someone else's sale and so on — every link in that chain has to be ready to exchange at the same time. A problem at any point holds everyone up.

Slow mortgage offers

Lenders sometimes take longer than expected to issue a formal mortgage offer, particularly if there are queries about the property valuation or your application.

Leasehold complications

Leasehold properties require additional information from the freeholder or managing agent. These management information packs can take weeks to arrive and sometimes contain issues that need resolving.

Queries and missing information

Solicitors raise "enquiries" — questions about the property — and the answers depend on the seller's solicitor. Delays in responding to enquiries are a common cause of transactions dragging on.

How to Speed Up the Conveyancing Process

There are several things you can do to keep things moving:

• Instruct a solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted — don't wait for the paperwork to arrive

• Complete your ID checks and return paperwork quickly — your solicitor can't progress until you do

• Get your mortgage application in early

• Respond to queries promptly and chase your solicitor regularly if you're not getting updates

• Ask your solicitor about indemnity search insurance — some firms can exchange without waiting for all searches if insurance is used instead

Get Started With a Conveyancer Today

The sooner you instruct a solicitor, the sooner the clock starts. EasyMuve helps you compare quotes from regulated conveyancers in minutes — so you can get moving faster.

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