Conveyancing Process Guide for Homebuyers and Sellers

AuthorLaura Kurowski

If you’re looking at buying or selling a home, you might find the whole conveyancing process a little overwhelming.

But, when you break down the steps, it really is quite manageable, especially if you have specialist support from our property team. Below find a quick, step-by-step conveyancing process guide for homebuyers and sellers that will illuminate the whole transaction.

Conveyancing process when selling:

First, your Conveyancer is instructed.
Then, they advise you of the fixed fee costs and terms of business.
Next, they send out a fittings and contents form and property information form after they confirm your identity documents. If you’re selling a leasehold, they’ll need some extra information.
You’ll fill out all these forms and return them.
Then, they get the title deeds from the deeds holder and anything else The Land Registry needs.
They will confirm the amount outstanding if there is an existing mortgage and draw up the draft contract with supporting documentation and share that with your Buyer’s Conveyancer.
The Buyer checks over your documents and makes any pre-contract enquiries. Your conveyancer answers these questions with your support.
Once the Buyer’s Conveyancer is happy with your answers and all the documentation provided, they confirm if a mortgage offer is in place for the Buyer (if needed).
The next step is to agree to a completion date and exchange the contracts. At this point, both parties are legally committed to the transaction. Your Conveyancer gets an existing mortgage settlement figure if needed. And the Buyer’s Conveyancer will draft a transfer deed to send to your Conveyancer.
After your Conveyancer checks this transfer deed, they send it to you so you have it ready to sign on the completion date.
On completion, you’ll make arrangements to hand over the keys and vacate. Their Conveyancer will send sale proceeds to your Conveyancer and you’ll send the title deeds and transfer deed to the Buyer’s Conveyancer with an undertaking that any proceeds will discharge any existing mortgage. Your Conveyancer then pays any estate agent, repays any mortgages and takes their fee.
After all that, usually on the same day, any remaining monies will be transferred to you, the Seller.
Well done! You’ve just sold a property!

Conveyancing process when buying:

First, you need to have your offer accepted and your Conveyancer needs to be instructed.
You’ll get a survey done and make your mortgage application (if you need one).
Your Conveyancer will advise you of their terms of business and fixed fee costs.
Then they reach out to the Seller’s Conveyancer for a contract pack.
They’ll check it over and make any searches and pre-contract enquiries before getting a copy of your mortgage offer (if you have one).
The Seller's Conveyancer will get back to you on any questions while your Conveyancer reviews everything and keeps you updated. You can ask questions if you don’t understand anything.
Once you’re happy to go ahead, your deposit gets paid to your Conveyancer before the exchange of contracts.
You’ll agree on a completion date and then your contracts are formally “exchanged” - you’re now both committed to this sale.
Your Conveyancer makes a draft transfer deed and completion information form; sending them to the Seller’s Conveyancer for completion.
Once the draft transfer deed is approved by the Seller, a final copy is made. You’ll often need to sign it first before sending it back to them.
Your Conveyancer then makes a completion statement and any pre-completion searches and then applies for your mortgage loan.
On the completion date, you’ll get the keys (usually from an estate agent) and the Seller will be out of the property.
Your Conveyancer then pays any stamp duty to HMRC, gets the title deeds, transfer deed and proof that any outstanding mortgage on the property is cleared.
They’ll then contact The Land Registry and register the property in your name.
You’ll get a copy of this registered title from The Land Registry and any documents related to your mortgage.
Congrats, you now own a new home!

Having a good conveyancer is the most critical part of the conveyancing process guide for homebuyers and sellers. You can see how they are included in nearly every step, so it’s important to have someone you can trust and talk to openly. Clear communication is just one of the many benefits of working with a trusted conveyancing professional from Wilkinson Woodward.

With our property team, you’ll work with the same person from beginning to end and they’ll always be at the end of the line when you need to talk to them about your sale.

Click here to get an online quote for conveyancing now.