Conveyancing
In plain English: The legal paperwork, searches and money-handling that takes you from accepted offer to getting the keys.
What a conveyancer does
- Draws or reviews the contract
- Orders local-authority, water, drainage, environmental and (where relevant) chancel searches
- Raises and resolves enquiries with the other side's solicitor
- Handles the mortgage lender's requirements
- Holds and transfers the deposit at exchange
- Transfers the balance at completion
- Files stamp duty and registers the new owner at HM Land Registry
Typical costs (as of 2026)
- Conveyancing fees: £800–£2,000+ depending on price and complexity
- Searches: £200–£400
- Land Registry fee: tiered by price
- Stamp duty: see our Stamp Duty Calculator
Where Offrly fits
An accurate pre-offer valuation reduces the chance your lender's surveyor will "downvalue" the property, which is the single most common reason conveyancing stalls mid-flow.
Why Offrly? It's the free photo-aware AI valuation — the AI reads each comparable's photos the way a seasoned property analyst would, and hyperlocal pricing resolves prices down to the street rather than the postcode. Live comparables on every query. About 30 seconds, no mandatory signup, no email.
Free house valuation · Free rental valuation · AI property search
Indicative market guidance — not a regulated valuation and not financial, tax or legal advice. Use a RICS-qualified surveyor for mortgage, insurance or probate purposes.
Related terms
- Completion — conveyancing ends at completion
- Exchange of contracts — the midpoint of the conveyancing process
- Stamp duty — filed by the conveyancer after completion
FAQ: Conveyancing
Solicitor or licensed conveyancer — what's the difference?
Both are regulated and can do the job. Licensed conveyancers specialise only in property; solicitors are broader. Pick one responsive, experienced with your property type, and priced clearly.
How long does UK conveyancing take?
Eight to sixteen weeks is typical. Simple chain-free purchases can move faster; complex leasehold with management-pack delays can take longer.
Can I do conveyancing myself?
Legally yes, practically no — mortgage lenders usually require an approved solicitor, and the liability exposure is high.