The time it takes from your offer being accepted until you can move into your new house, complete the sale of your current house, or finalise your new mortgage depends on several factors. On average, the conveyancing process takes between 10 and 14 weeks to complete. It usually depends on the other parties in the chain.

For example, if you are a first-time buyer purchasing a new-build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take six weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires a lease extension, this process can take significantly longer; additional charges will also apply.

Individual circumstances vary, but generally, the key stages would be:

• Take your instructions and give initial advice
• Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender's solicitors if needed
• Receive and advise on contract documents
• Carry out searches
• Obtain further planning documentation if required
• Make any necessary enquiries of the seller's solicitor
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Go through the conditions of the mortgage offer with you
• Send final contract to you for signature
• Agree on completion date (the date from which you own the property)
• Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
• Obtain pre-completion searches
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from your lender, and you
• Complete purchase
• Deal with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) (Note: SDLT is payable in addition to any legal fees quoted)
• Deal with application for registration at the Land Registry

How long will it take?

The time it takes from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house depends on several factors. The average purchase conveyancing process is between 10 and 14 weeks. However, this can vary depending on several factors.

For example:-

• If there is a chain (e.g. you are also buying or your buyer is selling a property – which can extend depending on how many people, or "links", are in the chain). All of the key stages outlined above are likely to need completing for each link in the chain.
• If the financing of any link in the chain is complex, for example, remortgaging another property proceeds from a sale being handled as part of a divorce or cashing in investments where a specific period is required to draw down those funds.
• If you are a first-time buyer.
• If you are buying a new build property which is not yet built, the time it takes to complete the transaction will be governed by the timescale for the build, which we cannot estimate without knowing the circumstances of a particular case.

Individual circumstances will, of course, vary, but we would consider the following to be the key stages of this process:-

• Take your instructions and give you initial advice
• Check that finances are in place to fund the purchase and contact lender's solicitors if needed
• Receive and advise on contract documents
• Carry out searches
• Obtain further planning documentation if required
• Make any necessary enquiries of the seller's solicitor
• Give you advice on all documents and information received
• Go through the conditions of the mortgage offer
• Send final contract to you for signature
• Dealing with any issues/processes where the property is within a "relevant building" for the purposes of the Building Safety Act 2022
• Advising on the terms of the lease and any associated fixed or periodic costs
• Reviewing and advising on the contents of the management information pack
• Agree on completion date (the date from which you own the property)
• Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
• Obtain pre-completion searches
• Arrange for all monies needed to be received from the lender, and you
• Complete purchase
• Deal with payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) (Note: SDLT is payable in addition to any legal fees quoted)
• Deal with application for registration at the Land Registry
• Serving of Notices required by the terms of the lease

How long will it take?

The time it takes from your offer being accepted until you can move into your house depends on several factors. The average purchase conveyancing process is between 10 and 14 weeks. However, this can vary depending on several factors.

For example:-

• If there is a chain (e.g. you are also buying or your buyer is selling a property – which can extend depending on how many people, or "links", are in the chain). All of the key stages outlined above are likely to need completing for each link in the chain.
• If the financing of any link in the chain is complex, for example, remortgaging another property proceeds from a sale being handled as part of a divorce or cashing in investments where a specific period is required to draw down those funds.
• If you are a first-time buyer.
• If you are buying a new build property which is not yet built, the time it takes to complete the transaction will be governed by the timescale for the build, which we cannot estimate without knowing the circumstances of a particular case.
• If your purchase requires an extension of the lease (to satisfy the buyer's requirements), this can take significantly longer than the average timescale of 10 to 14 weeks.  In such a situation, additional charges would apply.