Conveyancing through Home: what the process looks like end to end

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring property ownership from seller to buyer. It is one of the parts of moving that people find most opaque, partly because it involves solicitors and legal jargon, and partly because the timeline is harder to predict than most other stages of a move.

Home connects you with conveyancing solicitors as part of the moving marketplace. Here is what the process involves.

What a conveyancer does

A conveyancer (usually a solicitor or licensed conveyancer) handles the legal work on both sides of a property transaction. On the buyer's side, they:

• Review the seller's title documents to confirm legal ownership is clear
• Raise and respond to enquiries about the property (boundaries, planning history, rights of way, etc.)
• Commission and review searches (local authority, environmental, drainage and water)
• Manage the mortgage lender's requirements if you are buying with a mortgage
• Handle the exchange of contracts and the transfer of funds on completion

On the seller's side, they draft the contract, respond to buyer enquiries, manage the redemption of any existing mortgage, and handle the transfer of funds.

Both sides need their own conveyancer. They are separate, not shared.

How you connect with a conveyancer through Home

When you are at the point of having an offer accepted (or if you are a seller preparing to market), you can request conveyancing referrals through the platform. Home passes your details to solicitors who handle residential property in your area.

You will receive details of the solicitors available, including indicative costs. The relationship and the formal instruction are then between you and the solicitor directly. Home does not act as your legal representative or have visibility into the legal details of your transaction.

What to expect on timing

Conveyancing typically takes eight to twelve weeks, though this varies considerably. It tends to take longer when:

• There is a chain (multiple linked transactions all needing to complete at the same time)
• Searches come back with issues that need to be investigated
• The seller cannot locate key documents (building regulations certificates, guarantees, etc.)
• One party's solicitor is slow to respond to enquiries

There is no reliable way to guarantee a faster timeline, but instructing a solicitor promptly after your offer is accepted, responding to requests quickly yourself, and using a solicitor who communicates actively all reduce unnecessary delays. For everything else that happens between an accepted offer and moving day, see our moving checklist.

Exchange and completion

Exchange of contracts is the point at which the transaction becomes legally binding. Before exchange, either party can withdraw. After exchange, withdrawal carries financial penalties. The completion date is usually set at exchange: it can be the same day, a few days later, or several weeks later depending on the chain and circumstances.

On completion day, funds transfer, keys are released, and you or your buyer legally owns the property.

A note on costs

Conveyancing costs include the solicitor's own fee and disbursements (the costs the solicitor pays on your behalf, such as search fees and Land Registry charges). For buyers there is also Stamp Duty Land Tax to account for, which is separate from the solicitor's fees. Ask for a full breakdown including disbursements when you compare quotes, not just the headline fee.

Home currently lists 1,249,531 live properties for sale and rent, so there is plenty to browse while you line up a solicitor: a 3-bed house in Fringford, Oxfordshire at £350,000, or a 1-bed flat on Henry Street, Manchester at £195,000. If you have not settled on an agent yet, read our guide to choosing the right estate agent to sell your home before you list. Once your solicitors are instructed, line up moving quotes early through the removals marketplace rather than leaving it to the week of completion.

Nothing in this post constitutes legal advice. Always instruct a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer for property transactions.

Further reading: the government's guide to buying and selling a home.