Residential Conveyancing Pricing

How long does residential conveyancing take, and how much will it cost?

We’re here to help you sell or purchase your property more efficiently, for a fair price and with minimum stress.

If you’d like a tailored quote, please use our quote builder or call our team on 0800 011 9813 or at your closest office.

This information is for people who are buying or selling a property. If you are interested in our leasehold extension fees, please visit our leasehold extensions and leasehold enfranchisement pages. If you are interested in any other type of residential property transaction, such as a remortgage or transfer of equity, please contact us.

How long does residential conveyancing take?

Conveyancing follows a set process. Read on to understand more about the conveyancing process and what timescales you should expect.

step 1 – getting started

Once you’ve instructed us, you’ll receive an email or letter explaining the initial processes. These include:

1. A digital ID check that you can complete on your phone or laptop.
2. A video call or in-person meeting, if you prefer, where you meet and get to know the people representing you in the transaction. We can also use this call to talk you through the initial paperwork so you understand exactly what you need to do.
3. Sending us your paperwork via email or post.
4. Making your initial payment on account, once our ID requirements have been satisfied. You can pay us by bank transfer, on our website, or by card.

Timescales

You can expect to receive your email within a day of instructing us. This stage typically takes around a week.

step 2 – fact-finding

If you are buying

We request the contract pack from the seller’s solicitors. Once received, we will ask you to check the Land Registry plan for the property. If you are happy with this, we promptly instruct searches using our market-leading search provider. We follow up on this with comprehensive, bespoke enquiries raised on the property.

If you are selling

Once your buyer’s solicitor receives the contract pack from us, their property investigation begins. They will raise their enquiries about your property with us, some of which you may need to answer). We promptly and professionally provide the relevant information to the buyer’s solicitor while diligently protecting your best interests.

Timescales

The speed of this stage of the process depends on several factors. A straightforward sale and purchase may take as little as 10 weeks. However, it is common for it to take longer. Factors that can slow down this stage of the conveyancing process include:

• The type of property you are buying or selling. New builds and older, more historical properties often take longer to complete.
• How the property has come to the market. Properties that are being sold through Probate may take longer to complete.
• Whether a property is leasehold or freehold. A leasehold property will take longer to complete, particularly if it requires a lease extension.
• The responsiveness and length of the chain. The process may take longer if multiple people are involved and if buyers are financing their purchase with a mortgage. Likewise, the response times of a buyer or seller may affect the time it takes to complete – work, family commitments, and pre-booked holidays often need to take priority for buyers and sellers, which can affect the completion time.

Your Howell Jones lawyer will remain contactable throughout this process and will be available to respond to your questions and any concerns you have. If your lawyer is on leave, your case will be progressed by an alternative lawyer until their return.

step 3 – contract & complete

Everyone’s favourite stage! This is where the enquiries have been answered, diligence done, and all parties are ready to proceed to exchange of contracts.

Exchange of contracts is when all parties become legally bound to the sale and purchase. We will call you before we exchange contracts to ensure you are satisfied and happy to proceed.

Once exchanged, completion (when keys are officially handed over) usually takes place within 7 days and on a date agreed by both the seller and buyer. The financial aspects of your transaction are broken down in our easy-to-understand financial statement and sent to you.

Timescales

Once you have exchanged, completion usually takes place within one week. The exact timeframe depends on everyone in the chain agreeing to the same date.

step 4 – post-completion care

Your transaction may be complete, but our work continues.

Our dedicated Post Completion Team register your ownership at HM Land Registry. They comprehensively follow the application through and provide buyers with updated deeds for their records.

Timescales

If you are a buyer, you can generally expect to receive the updated deeds within two to four months of your purchase, based on the current Land Registry timescales.

How much does residential conveyancing cost?

Get a guideline quote

Because every property sale and purchase is different, our quote builder will give you an idea of the fees you can expect to pay based on your circumstances and the property you are buying or selling.

If you would prefer to receive a quotation in the post after speaking to someone, please call 0800 011 9813, and we’ll be pleased to help.