Conveyancing FAQs

Timing depends on the length of the chain, how quickly searches come back, and how complex the property or the sale is, so it’s worth treating any timeline as a guide rather than a fixed date until you’re closer to exchange.

Searches check things a viewing can’t tell you: whether the local authority has any planning issues on record, flood risk, whether the property sits on contaminated land, and similar. They protect you from buying into a problem you didn’t know was there.

The deposit is due at exchange of contracts, which is the point the sale becomes legally binding on both sides. Before that, either party can usually still pull out without penalty.

Exchange is when contracts are signed, and the sale becomes legally binding. Completion is moving day, when the money changes hands and you get the keys.

It’s a real risk in any chain, most often because of a problem further along than your own transaction rather than anything you’ve done. If it happens, we’ll talk you through what it means for your position and what the next steps look like, rather than leaving you to work it out yourself.

Respond to requests for information and documents as quickly as you can, and flag anything that might complicate the sale (disputes, unusual ownership history, planning work) as early as possible. Delays are far more often about missing information than about anyone dragging their feet.

Your conveyancer prepares for the money transfer and finalises the paperwork with the other side. It can feel quiet from your end, but there’s genuine work going on in the background, and you’ll be told if anything needs your input.