Moving Home Made Easy: The Conveyancing Process Explained

Buying a house, flat or office space is often a complicated, lengthy process. With many various stages and people involved, knowing your role in it all can become confusing.

Familiarising yourself with how the conveyancing process works can be a useful tool in ensuring a smooth and easy transition into your new home.

What is the Conveyancing Process?

This process covers the legal and administrative stages through the legal transfer of property. The whole process begins when your offer on a property is accepted.

Hiring an experienced solicitor or conveyancer is a great first step in beginning your journey. Here at Eatons, we offer both commercial and residential conveyancing services. Our expert team are always available to offer advice, walking you through the crucial steps in buying a house.

What Steps Are in the Conveyancing Process?

Our aim is to help in making your house buying journey a simple one. We break the conveyancing process down into the following six easy steps:

1. Instructing a Conveyancing Solicitor

As soon as your offer is accepted, it’s a great time to seek help from a solicitor to support you through the entire process. Once your details have been shared between your estate agent and conveyancing lawyer, you will receive all the necessary documents including a Property Information Form and a Fittings and Contents Form.

2. Arrange a Property Survey

While this step is not a legal requirement, it can be extremely useful. This is an opportunity to get an independent report that will highlight any major faults within the property. The survey is a chance to be warned of any costly repairs and to even renegotiate the purchase price if necessary.

3. Conduct Property Searches

During this stage, your solicitor will carry out searches to discover any vital information regarding the property and any associated risks that may occur. The type of search is dependent on the location of the property.

4. Exchanging the Contract

After your solicitor has worked with you to resolve any issues, the final completion statement, transfer deed and mortgage deed will be agreed and signed. This means that you are now legally obligated to purchase the property.

5. Purchase Completion

Completion day is one of the most exciting milestones in your journey to buy a house. This is the day that the sale is finalised, and the property is legally transferred to you. Your conveyancer solicitor will pay the balance of the sale price and you will then obtain the signed transfer deed to make it official!

6. Post Completion

The final step is arranging for any stamp duty to be paid to Revenue and Customs. It is here that you will be registered as the new owner of the property.

How Long Does the Process Take?

The whole process usually takes between 12-16 weeks. This may be shorter if you are a cash buyer, however sometimes the process can take longer if there are any complications.

Our team as Eatons will help to ensure that the process runs smoothly with no delays.

How Can We Help?

Our local team of property lawyers have expertise in both commercial and residential property. We offer constant support and advice along with a range of other services to make your moving process as easy as possible.

If you’re looking for a reliable solicitor to help with your move, get in touch today.