The legal transfer of property from one owner to another. The key stages are exchange of contracts when everyone knows the transaction will proceed and completion when everyone moves. There is a lot of legal and administrative work to do before we can exchange contracts and complete. There is a lot to organise and co-ordinate, including legal matters, financial arrangements and regulations to comply with.
To help you understand how it works, our conveyancing desk has answered the most common questions when buying or selling a property.
What is the definition of the conveyancing process?
This is the legal transfer of property from one owner to another. The key stages are exchange of contracts when everyone knows the transaction will proceed and completion when everyone moves.
There is a lot of legal and administrative work to do before we can exchange contracts and complete. While the conveyancing process is fairly similar for each transaction, each transaction will be different. So while all the conveyancing solicitors in the chain carry out those legal and administrative checks, it can be quite stressful.
If you are obtaining a mortgage, a conveyancing solicitor acts on behalf of the buyer and the lender. All the lender’s conditions in the mortgage offer must be dealt with before funds can be requested from them. We therefore urge buyers to check their mortgage offer and ensure any conditions are dealt with as soon as possible.
What is the usual conveyancing process when buying a house?
Every house purchase is different in its own way and often comes with its own challenges. The typical conveyancing process is as follows: