Frequently Asked Questions About Conveyancing

Conveyancing refers to the process of buying or selling a property and is a specialist branch of law that involves the preparation of documents necessary for the purchase or sale of property.

The conveyancing process involves many steps that will all need to be completed before the exchange of contracts and completion stage of a property transaction. The biggest steps in the conveyancing process relate to exchange and completion stages.

The length of the conveyancing process can change from one property transaction to another and can be heavily influenced by external factors, for example how long local authority searches take in any given area of the UK.

There can be huge differences in how fast searches are returned and consider too that individual solicitors can act more speedily than others, but in a straightforward freehold property transaction, conveyancing will take approximately 6 to 10 weeks to complete.

The Property Portal offer a number of services that can reduce the time it takes to complete. Whether buying or selling, we have a number of ways to speed up the process for you. Find out how we can save you time and get you moving more quickly by contacting us today

Yes, conveyancing can be done online. It used to be the case that you would find a local conveyancing solicitor and may deal with them face to face and over the phone, but these days online conveyancing is often more convenient and can be quicker and cheaper too.

When you use an online conveyancing service like The Property Portal you will have your own Property Consultant that you can contact by phone, email or the Portal so you can be rest assured you will always be kept up to date and will be able to contact your conveyancer whenever you need to. Signature of documents can be done digitally and ID verification carried out with facial recognition tools.

There are a few things you can do to help speed along the process, but there’s no real way of guaranteeing the process can be completed faster or within a certain period of time. The Property Portal can assist with ensuring searches are underway in early course, instructions are dealt with effectively and we ensure that we proactively progress your matter weekly.

It is, however, worth being aware of some of the things that can lead to conveyancing delays which include:

Problems or delays in obtaining a formal mortgage offer
Long chains and delays or breaks within the chain
Missing key documentation
Delays in funds clearing
Purchasing a new-build property that isn’t finished yet
Surveys revealing problems
Delays in local authority searches

Finding a conveyancer has never been easier. As well as the traditional options, you can now quickly and easily find a conveyancer online using a service like The Property Portal. Get a fast conveyancing quote or take a look at our blog that covers everything you need to know about finding a conveyancer.

A chain is made up of a number of property transactions. Each of these purchases is linked to the other and will typically need the purchase before it to complete first before the next completion can go ahead and so on.
The bottom or start of the chain is regarded as a buyer with no property to sell, for example a first time buyer, whilst the end of the chain is the final property purchase to complete where the seller is not buying another property.

Because each completion is dependent on the purchase before and after it , if something happens to delay completion or for example, if a buyer pulls out at the last minute, the chain is broken and will need another buyer to restore it.

The shorter the chain, generally the smoother and quicker the process can be, but there are always exceptions to the rule.

You may be able to choose any conveyancer you wish, however in some cases, mortgage lenders may stipulate using a recommended conveyancer. It makes sense to use a fully qualified, expert conveyancer to help ensure that your transaction goes as swift and as smoothly as possible. Conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers whilst solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Before you exchange contracts and become committed to buying a property, it is imperative that you know as much about the property as possible. Searches refer to a variety of different pieces of information held about the property and the land that it sits on.

Various different authorities will hold information about the property and your mortgage lender will usually stipulate what searches they require, however there may be additional searches you’ll want to consider too.

Although there are many different types of searches available which can reveal a whole host of issues, some of the things that might more commonly be covered include:

Planning applications close by that could impact the property
Flood risk
Potentially contaminated land
Land negatively affected by the effects of mining

Legally, you can choose DIY conveyancing. The vast majority of people however choose to use a professional service to do it for them.

The conveyancing process requires in-depth knowledge of property law and a thorough understanding of what needs to be done and when. Although a professional conveyancer does add extra expense, it can help save you time and a great deal of admin stress, so we'd always recommend that conveyancing is handled by an expert.

There are numerous different searches available that your conveyancing solicitor can carry out for you, typically including:

Local authority
Water authority
Environmental
Location specific

Here at The Property Portal we believe in making things simple. With our fixed conveyancing fee structure that starts at just £490.00 + VAT, you'll receive an efficient, speedy and professional service with no nasty surprises or added extras to think about. Our fees depend on the services you require and you can get a fast conveyancing quote here.