How Long Does Conveyancing Take in 2026?

If you've accepted an offer on your home — or you're about to list — the question on your mind is probably: how long until this is actually done?

The honest answer is 12 to 16 weeks from accepted offer to completion, based on HM Land Registry transaction data and Law Society estimates. But that average hides a huge range. A straightforward chain-free freehold sale with prepared paperwork can complete in 6 weeks. A complicated leasehold sale in a long chain with a slow council? That can stretch beyond 20 weeks.

This guide breaks down exactly what happens at each stage, where the delays creep in, and what you can do — starting today — to speed things up. Every week you shave off the timeline reduces the risk that your buyer walks away. According to Propertymark, roughly 30% of agreed property sales in England and Wales fall through before exchange, and protracted conveyancing is one of the leading causes.

Week-by-week conveyancing timeline for sellers

Here is a realistic week-by-week breakdown of what happens during conveyancing when you are selling a freehold property in England or Wales. The timeframes assume a standard transaction where the seller has not prepared anything in advance.

As you can see, the timeline is not one long sequential process — several stages run in parallel. The mortgage application, searches, and form preparation often overlap. But there are critical dependencies: enquiries cannot be fully answered until searches are back, and exchange cannot happen until all enquiries are resolved and the mortgage offer is in place.

What happens at each stage of conveyancing

Instructing a solicitor or conveyancer

This is the starting gun. Instructing a solicitor means they will ask for proof of identity (passport or driving licence) and proof of address (a recent utility bill) to satisfy anti-money laundering regulations under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. They will also request your title register and title plan from HM Land Registry, which costs just a few pounds per document. If your property is not registered — rare, but possible for homes that have not changed hands since 1990 — this can add weeks while your solicitor establishes title from old deeds.

You can check whether your property is registered and download your own title documents from the HM Land Registry online portal for three pounds each. Having these ready before instructing saves time on day one.

Completing the property information forms

The TA6 Property Information Form is a detailed questionnaire about your property covering boundaries, disputes, planning permissions, building works, flooding, services, and more. The TA10 covers which fittings and contents are included in the sale. These are standardised forms produced by the Law Society and used in virtually every residential property transaction in England and Wales.

This stage is often where sellers lose time without realising it. If you leave questions blank, answer vaguely, or get confused by the legal terminology, the buyer's solicitor will raise additional enquiries — and each round of questions can add a week or more. Filling these forms in thoroughly and accurately the first time is one of the most impactful things you can do to prevent delays.

Pine helps sellers complete the TA6 and TA10 in plain English, with guidance on each question, so nothing is left ambiguous for the buyer's solicitor to query.

Property searches

The buyer's solicitor will typically order a standard package of property searches. The core searches include:

• Local authority search — checks planning permissions, building control records, highways, and conservation areas. This is the slowest search, taking anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks depending on the council. According to the Law Society's monitoring of local authority search times, some London boroughs and rural councils can take 6 weeks or more.
• Drainage and water search — confirms whether the property is connected to mains water and sewerage and whether any public drains run through the land. Usually returned in 3 to 5 working days.
• Environmental search — checks for contaminated land, flood risk, ground stability, and proximity to landfill sites. Usually returned in 24 to 48 hours.
• Chancel repair liability search — checks whether the property may be liable to contribute to Church of England chancel repairs, an ancient obligation that still exists in law. Returned in 24 hours.

The critical insight for sellers is this: you do not have to wait for your buyer to order these searches. Sellers can order an upfront property search pack before listing. These results are typically valid for 6 months and can be passed directly to the buyer's solicitor, removing the single biggest bottleneck in the process.

Enquiries (additional questions)

Once the buyer's solicitor has reviewed the contract pack and search results, they will raise "enquiries" — essentially written questions about anything they need clarification on. Common topics include:

• Building work done without or with unclear building regulations sign-off
• Boundary discrepancies between the title plan and reality
• Missing guarantees for double glazing, damp-proofing, or roofing work
• Planning permissions or permitted development questions
• Issues flagged in the searches, such as nearby planning applications or flood risk zones
• Clarification on vague answers in the TA6 form

Enquiries are where many sales stall. The buyer's solicitor sends questions to your solicitor, your solicitor forwards them to you, you reply, your solicitor passes the answers back, and the buyer's solicitor may raise follow-up questions. Each exchange can take a week or more if anyone in the chain is slow to respond.

Exchange of contracts

Exchange is the moment the sale becomes legally binding. Before this point, either party can withdraw without penalty (which is why house sales fall through). At exchange, the buyer pays a deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) and both parties commit to a completion date.

The actual exchange is done by phone between the two solicitors using an agreed formula (usually Law Society Formula B or C). It takes minutes. The hard part is getting everything aligned so that exchange can happen — all enquiries answered, mortgage offer in place, and everyone in any chain ready to go simultaneously.

Completion

Completion typically happens 1 to 2 weeks after exchange, though it can be on the same day. On completion day, the buyer's solicitor transfers the purchase funds to your solicitor. Once your solicitor confirms the money has arrived (usually by early afternoon), you hand over the keys and the property is officially the buyer's. Your solicitor then repays your mortgage (if any), pays the estate agent, deducts their own fees, and sends you the remaining proceeds.

How long does conveyancing take with no chain?

A chain-free sale is significantly faster. Without waiting for other transactions to align, a typical chain-free sale completes in 8 to 10 weeks. If the seller has prepared paperwork in advance and the buyer is a cash purchaser, completion in 4 to 6 weeks is realistic.

If you want to understand more about how to position yourself as a chain-free or nearly chain-free seller, see our guide on how to sell your house fast.

Seller vs buyer conveyancing: what is the difference?

Conveyancing timelines are often discussed from the buyer's perspective, but the seller's experience is different. As a seller, your main responsibilities fall at the start and end of the process:

• Start: You complete the property forms (TA6, TA10, and TA7 if leasehold), provide title documents, and work with your solicitor to assemble the contract pack.
• Middle: You wait for the buyer's solicitor to review everything and raise enquiries, then answer those enquiries promptly.
• End: You agree a completion date, sign thetransfer deed (TR1), and hand over the keys on completion day.

The buyer's side involves more moving parts: arranging a mortgage, ordering and reviewing searches, negotiating indemnity policies for any title issues, and transferring large sums of money. But from the seller's perspective, the biggest risk factor is the front-loading problem: if you have not prepared your forms and gathered your documents before finding a buyer, you are adding weeks of avoidable delay at the most critical moment.

Leasehold vs freehold: how much longer does leasehold take?

Leasehold conveyancing is more complex and typically adds 2 to 4 weeks to the timeline. The main reasons are:

• Management pack: The buyer's solicitor needs a management information pack from the freeholder or managing agent. This includes details of service charges, ground rent, building insurance, planned major works, and any ongoing disputes. The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 has changed ground rent rules for new leases, but existing leaseholders still need to disclose their current ground rent arrangements. Management packs can take 2 to 4 weeks and cost between 200 and 500 pounds plus VAT.
• Lease review: The buyer's solicitor must read the full lease (often 30 to 60 pages) to check for restrictive covenants, unusual clauses, forfeiture provisions, and the unexpired lease term.
• Short lease issues: If the lease has fewer than 80 years remaining, it becomes significantly harder for the buyer to get a mortgage, and negotiations around a lease extension can add months. The current threshold where most lenders start refusing mortgage applications is around 70 to 80 years, according to RICS and the Council of Mortgage Lenders.
• TA7 form: Leasehold sales require the additional TA7 Leasehold Information Form, covering details about the landlord, managing agent, service charges, and building insurance.

If you are selling a leasehold property, ordering the management pack as early as possible is critical. Do not wait until a buyer is found — instruct your managing agent to prepare the pack the moment you decide to sell.

What causes conveyancing delays?

Understanding where delays come from helps you prevent them. Here are the most common causes, ranked roughly by how much time they typically add:

According to research by the HomeOwners Alliance, the most frequently cited causes of delay are slow solicitors and slow search returns. These two factors alone account for more wasted weeks than any other part of the process.

How to speed up conveyancing as a seller

Here are the specific actions you can take to cut your conveyancing timeline, ordered by impact:

1. Complete your TA6 and TA10 forms before you list

This single step can save 2 to 3 weeks. The TA6 form has 14 sections and requires detailed information about your property. If you start filling it in the day your buyer's offer is accepted, you are immediately 2 weeks behind where you could have been. Pine guides you through the TA6 form in plain English so you can complete it accurately without waiting for your solicitor to explain each question.

2. Order property searches upfront

Sellers can order the same property searches that the buyer's solicitor would order, but do it before a buyer is found. The results are valid for 6 months and most buyer's solicitors will accept seller-ordered searches, particularly from regulated search providers. This removes the 2 to 8 week wait that normally happens after an offer is accepted.

3. Get your title documents and check for problems

Download your title register and title plan from the HM Land Registry website (three pounds per document). Check for any restrictions, charges, or notices on the title. If there are old mortgages that should have been removed, missing easements, or boundary discrepancies, you can start resolving these before a buyer is involved. The Gov.uk website has clear guidance on how to access and interpret Land Registry documents.

4. Gather certificates for any building work

If you have had any building work done — extensions, loft conversions, structural alterations, replacement windows, electrical rewiring, or new boilers — the buyer's solicitor will ask for building regulations completion certificates and, where applicable, planning permission documentation. Track these down before listing. If certificates are missing, you can apply for a regularisation certificate from your local council or arrange an indemnity insurance policy (which typically costs 20 to 100 pounds) through your solicitor.

5. Choose your solicitor carefully

Not all solicitors are equal when it comes to speed. Before instructing, ask these questions:

• How many active cases are you currently handling?
• What is your average time from instruction to exchange for a straightforward sale?
• Will my case be handled by a single named individual or passed between team members?
• How quickly do you typically respond to emails and phone calls?
• Do you use an online case tracker so I can see progress?

The Law Society's Find a Solicitor tool and the Council for Licensed Conveyancers' register are good starting points. Look for practitioners who hold the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accreditation — this is the industry benchmark for residential conveyancing, and most mortgage lenders require it. For a breakdown of what you should expect to pay, see our conveyancing costs guide and our detailed guide to solicitor fees for selling a house.

6. Respond to enquiries the same day

When your solicitor forwards the buyer's enquiries to you, treat them as urgent. Every day you delay your reply adds a day to the overall timeline — and if your answers are unclear, the buyer's solicitor will raise follow-ups, adding another round of delays. Be specific, be honest, and provide supporting documents where you can.

7. Chase proactively but politely

Set a weekly check-in with your solicitor. Ask for a brief status update: what is pending, who are we waiting on, and is there anything I can do to help? If your solicitor consistently takes more than 48 hours to reply to your messages, that is a red flag. The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) requires solicitors to provide a proper standard of service, and persistent unresponsiveness may warrant a formal complaint.

Red flags that your conveyancing solicitor is too slow

It can be hard to tell whether delays are normal or whether your solicitor is dropping the ball. Watch for these warning signs:

• No update for more than two weeks without a clear explanation of what they are waiting for.
• Phone calls going unanswered and emails taking more than 3 working days to get a response.
• Your case is being handled by different people each time you call, suggesting no one has ownership.
• They cannot tell you the current status of your transaction when you ask.
• The buyer's solicitor has complained about slow responses from your side.

If you suspect your solicitor is causing unreasonable delays, you have the right to complain through the firm's internal complaints procedure first, and then to the Legal Ombudsman if the issue is not resolved. In extreme cases, you can switch solicitors mid-transaction, though this will itself cause a short delay while the new firm gets up to speed.

How is conveyancing different in Scotland?

Scotland has a separate legal system and its conveyancing process differs from England and Wales in several important ways:

• Home reports: Sellers in Scotland must commission a home report before marketing (including a survey, energy performance certificate, and property questionnaire). This is a legal requirement under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006.
• Offers: Scotland uses a sealed-bid system. The seller's solicitor sets a closing date and buyers submit sealed offers. Notes of interest are lodged before the closing date.
• Missives: Once an offer is accepted, the solicitors exchange a series of formal letters called missives. When missives are "concluded" (all terms agreed), the sale is legally binding — roughly equivalent to exchange of contracts in England and Wales, but typically happens earlier in the process.
• Speed: Scottish conveyancing is generally faster, averaging 8 to 12 weeks. The requirement for upfront home reports means much of the due diligence happens before the buyer even makes an offer.

This guide focuses on England and Wales. If you are selling in Scotland, consult the Law Society of Scotland's guidance or a Scottish solicitor for jurisdiction-specific advice.

When should you instruct a conveyancing solicitor?

The short answer: as soon as you decide to sell. Most sellers wait until they have accepted an offer, but this is one of the biggest reasons conveyancing takes so long.

By instructing a solicitor early — even before you list with an estate agent — you gain several advantages:

1. Your title can be checked for issues early. If there is a restriction, an old charge, or a boundary problem, you have time to resolve it without holding up a buyer.
2. The draft contract can be prepared in advance. Your solicitor can have the contract pack ready to send on the day an offer is accepted, rather than starting from scratch.
3. You can ask questions. A solicitor can flag potential issues with your sale (such as missing certificates or lease concerns) while you still have time to fix them.
4. You are taken more seriously. Buyers and their agents are more confident in sellers who have already instructed a solicitor. It signals that you are genuinely committed and prepared.

Most solicitors will not charge anything extra for being instructed early. Their fee covers the entire transaction, regardless of when you engage them. Some conveyancers offer "no sale, no fee" arrangements, meaning you only pay if the sale completes.

How Pine helps sellers save weeks on conveyancing

The whole premise of Pine is simple: do the slow legal preparation before you find a buyer, not after. That means completing your property information forms, ordering your property searches, and assembling a solicitor-ready legal pack — all before you list.

When a buyer's offer comes in, your solicitor can send the contract pack to the buyer's solicitor on day one, with searches already done and forms already completed. Instead of 12 to 16 weeks of conveyancing, you are looking at 6 to 8 weeks. That is not just faster — it materially reduces the risk that your sale falls through due to buyer frustration, changing market conditions, or a break in the chain.

Average time from offer to completion: realistic timelines in 2026

While the national average sits at around 12 to 16 weeks from offer acceptance to completion, the actual timeline varies enormously depending on the type of transaction. The table below sets out realistic timescales for common scenarios based on industry data and practitioner experience.

The biggest variables that determine where your transaction falls within these ranges are:

• Search turnaround times: Local authority search speeds vary dramatically from council to council. Some return results in under a week; others take six weeks or more.
• Enquiry responsiveness: How quickly both sides respond to pre-contract enquiries has a direct impact on overall timescales. Each slow reply can add a week or more.
• Chain length: Every additional link in a property chain adds complexity and risk. The slowest participant in the chain sets the pace for everyone else.
• Mortgage offer timescales: Lenders typically take 2 to 4 weeks to issue a formal mortgage offer after the valuation, though this can take longer if the lender requests additional information or if the property is non-standard.

What happens between offer and exchange?

The period between having your offer accepted and exchanging contracts is where the bulk of conveyancing work takes place. Here is a step-by-step timeline of what typically happens during this critical phase:

1. Week 1: Memorandum of sale issued by the estate agent. Both sides instruct solicitors, who carry out identity checks and open their files.
2. Weeks 1-3: The seller's solicitor prepares the draft contract pack, including title documents, the TA6 form, the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form, and any leasehold information if applicable.
3. Weeks 2-4: The buyer's solicitor orders property searches from the local authority and other providers. Search turnaround times depend heavily on the council.
4. Weeks 3-6: The buyer's solicitor reviews the draft contract pack and raises pre-contract enquiries — written questions about anything that needs clarification or further evidence.
5. Weeks 4-8: The seller responds to enquiries (often multiple rounds of questions and answers). The buyer arranges their survey and mortgage valuation in parallel.
6. Weeks 6-10: The mortgage offer is issued by the buyer's lender. Further enquiries are resolved. Search results are returned and reviewed.
7. Weeks 8-12: Both solicitors confirm that all enquiries are satisfied, searches are clear, and the mortgage is in place. A completion date is agreed between all parties.
8. Exchange day: Contracts are signed and exchanged by phone between the two solicitors. The buyer pays the deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price), and the completion date is locked in. The sale is now legally binding.

Once exchange has taken place, completion typically follows within 1 to 2 weeks. For a detailed walkthrough of what happens after exchange, see our guide on what happens between exchange and completion.

More conveyancing guides

• Average Time from Offer to Exchange in the UK
• Can I Do My Own Conveyancing?
• Can You Complete on a Friday? Pros and Cons
• Can You Start Conveyancing Before Getting an Offer?
• What Is a Client Care Letter in Conveyancing?
• Conveyancing Factory Firms: Pros and Cons
• Is Conveyancing Faster with Cash Buyers?
• Conveyancing for Remortgage
• Conveyancing Jargon Buster: Every Term Explained
• Does Conveyancing Slow Down Over Christmas?
• Enquiries About Rights of Way and Easements
• Fixed Fee vs Hourly Rate Conveyancing
• How Long Do Local Searches Take by Council?
• How Long Does Conveyancing Take with No Chain?
• How Long Does Land Registry Registration Take?
• How Long Does Probate Take Before You Can Sell?
• How Long Should It Take for Your Solicitor to Respond?
• How Solicitors Handle Completion Money
• How to Read Your Conveyancing Bill
• Solicitor Professional Indemnity Insurance
• What Does Conveyancing Actually Include?
• What Happens After Exchange: Seller's Checklist
• What Is a Retainer in Conveyancing?
• What Order Do Things Happen When Selling a House?
• When Do You Need Two Solicitors?

Sources and further reading

• HM Land Registry — Transaction data and title document services (gov.uk/government/organisations/land-registry)
• The Law Society — Conveyancing Quality Scheme, TA6/TA10 form standards, and Find a Solicitor tool (lawsociety.org.uk)
• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) — Solicitor conduct and complaints procedures (sra.org.uk)
• Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) — Licensed conveyancer register and regulation (clc.gov.uk)
• RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) — Guidance on property valuations and lease length advice (rics.org)
• Propertymark — Research on fall-through rates and market data (propertymark.co.uk)
• HomeOwners Alliance — Consumer research on conveyancing delays (hoa.org.uk)
• Gov.uk — Guidance on buying and selling property, Stamp Duty, and Land Registry services (gov.uk)
• Law Society of Scotland — Guidance on Scottish conveyancing and home reports (lawscot.org.uk)

Related guides

• Selling Agricultural Land in the UK: A Seller's Guide
• Selling a House with Land Attached
• Selling a House After Separation When Not Married

Frequently asked questions