Once your offer is accepted, the excitement kicks in – but so does the paperwork. This is the stage where solicitors step in, searches begin, and the legal transfer of ownership starts to take shape. For many buyers, conveyancing feels like a mysterious black box: things go quiet, emails get longer, and suddenly everybody is talking about “enquiries” and “search results”. This guide is here to help break the process down into clear steps so you know exactly what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can do to keep things moving.
Instructing Your Solicitor: The First Big Step
Your offer is accepted – what next? The very first job is choosing and instructing a conveyancer or solicitor. This is the person who will handle all the legal work on your behalf – and a good one will make a huge difference. A solicitor is there to review all contract and title documents, order and interpret searches, raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor, liaise with your mortgage lender, handle the transfer of funds, and make sure the property is legally safe to buy. Look at reviews – always choose somebody who is responsive and experienced. Cheap conveyancing can be tempting, but slow communication is one of the biggest causes of delays.
The Memorandum of Sale: Setting the Wheels in Motion
Once both sides have solicitors in place, the estate agent (hey, that’s us) issues a Memorandum of Sale. This is a document which confirms the agreed price, the buyer and seller’s details, both solicitors’ details, and any special conditions. It is not legally binding but it officially starts the conveyancing process and enables the solicitors to begin communicating. While the conveyancing starts, make sure to move forward with your mortgage broker and your survey – the two things which run alongside the process.
The Seller’s Solicitor Prepares the Contract Pack
The seller’s solicitor now pulls together a bundle of documents known as the contract pack. This usually includes: the draft contract, the title deeds, property information forms (TA6), the fittings and contents form (TA10), leasehold information if applicable, and any guarantees, certificates, or warranties. This is then sent over to your solicitor for a full review and will flag anything that requires clarification.
Searches: Checking What You Can’t See
Property searches are a crucial part of the process. They’re designed to uncover issues that aren’t visible during your viewing – think planning restrictions, drainage problems, or environmental risks. The main searches are:
- Local Authority Search – planning, highways, restrictions
- Water & Drainage Search – who owns the pipes, connection to mains
- Environmental Search – flood risks, contaminations, land stability
- Mining Search – essential in areas with mining history (welcome to the North East)
If we take Northumberland as an example, which is actually one of the better areas when it comes to search turnaround times, buyers can typically expect the local authority search to take approximately 15 working days – the local search is always the one which takes the longest – the environmental search pretty much instantly, the mining search (also known as coal authority search) in about two working days, and the drainage search can take up to about 5 working days.
Enquiries: Your Solicitor’s Deep Dive
The contract pack is back and the search results are in, it’s time to raise the infamous enquiries which are very simply a list of questions for the seller’s solicitor to answer. These tend to cover missing certificates e.g. boiler service, electrical work, windows, clarification of boundaries or rights of way, planning permissions for extensions or alterations, guarantees for damp proofing, roofing, or structural work, and any issues flagged in your survey. This stage can feel slow, but it’s where most of the important checks happen – your solicitor is making sure you’re not inheriting any hidden problems.
Mortgage Offer: The Green Light From Your Lender
While your solicitor is working through searches and enquiries, your lender is finalising your full mortgage offer. This is the official confirmation that the bank (or building society) is happy to lend you the money. A mortgage offer typically includes: the loan amount, the interest rate and product type, the term, and any conditions e.g. proof of buildings insurance. Once issued, this is often valid for between 3 to 6 months. Reminder – your solicitor cannot exchange contracts until the mortgage offer is in place so if anything is missing, e.g. payslips, bank statements, ID, send it quickly.
Reviewing and Signing the Contract: The Report on Title
Once enquiries are answered and your solicitor is satisfied with the legal position, they will send you: the contract, the transfer deed (TR1), your completion statement showing all costs, and the report on title which summarises everything you need to know. This is your chance to read everything carefully and your solicitor will highlight anything important but don’t be afraid to ask questions. You will then sign the contract and transfer deed – either electronically or by post – and often told not to date the documents. Signing the contract does not make the purchase legally binding just yet – this happens at exchange.
Buildings Insurance: The Surprising Early Requirement
Most buyers assume building insurance starts on completion day, but lenders require it from exchange of contracts – because that is the moment you become legally responsible for the property. Your solicitor will ask for proof of this and also confirmation the policy meets the lenders requirements.
Exchange of Contracts: The Point of No Return
Exchange is the big moment. It’s when the transaction becomes legally binding for both sides so here’s what happens: both solicitors agree a completion date, you pay your deposit (usually 10%) to your solicitor, contracts are formally exchanged over the phone between the solicitors, and everybody breathes a sigh of relief. Between exchange and completion can range from anywhere between the same day to about two weeks. During this time, your solicitor requests mortgage funds from the lender, for you to transfer any remaining balance, final checks are carried out, and the seller prepares to move out. It’s mostly admin behind the scenes but it’s also when you can start planning your move with confidence.
Completion Day: The Moment You Become a Homeowner
Completion is simply when the money moves and the property legally becomes yours. Basically, your solicitor sends the purchase funds to the seller’s solicitor. Once received, the seller’s solicitor confirms completion, the estate agent (hey it’s us again) gets the call to release the keys and you pick them up and head to your new home. Completion usually takes place between late morning and early afternoon, depending on how busy the banking system is and whether there’s a chain. Today is a day to have your phone on loud!
After Completion: The Final Bits You Don’t See
After you’ve moved in, your solicitor still has work to do. They will be paying the stamp duty (if applicable), registering you as the new owner with Land Registry (don’t be concerned if this takes a long time), and sending you the title documents once registration is complete. Land Registry times vary, it is very normal for registration to take several weeks if not months but don’t panic: you still legally own the property.
