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 a hyperlocal regression resolves prices down to the street rather than the postcode. Live comparables on every query. About 30 seconds, no 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
Put the term into practice
Get a free UK house or rental valuation, or search live listings in plain English.
Open Offrly →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.