What is conveyancing?
If you’re looking for a solicitor to sell your house, you’ll hear the word ‘conveyancing’ a lot. Conveyancing is the legal process involved in transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another. Whether you’re buying or selling, it ensures that the transaction is carried out correctly, safely and in compliance with UK law. It covers all the legal steps involved in the sale, from conducting property searches and checking for restrictions to preparing contracts and managing the transfer of funds.
As a seller, the conveyancing process ensures everything is handled in the right way from beginning to end, from settling the outstanding mortgage to releasing the sale proceeds to you.
Is there a difference between a conveyancer and a solicitor?
A conveyancer specialises in property transactions, whereas a solicitor is a qualified lawyer, specialising in a broader range of law that goes beyond property.
The process of selling your property
There are several important steps when it comes to selling your property, and understanding the process can ensure that it moves forward smoothly. While every sale is different, the typical sequence of stages that most homeowners go through when selling their property is the same. At Fisher Jones Greenwood, we handle around 3,000 transactions every year, and we break the selling process down into five simple steps. Timeframes can vary from sale to sale, but we’ll include an estimate of what you could expect.
Step 1 – Reach out to a conveyancing solicitor
The first step in the process is to contact one of our conveyancing solicitors. At this stage, we’ll explain our fees and make sure you understand exactly what the costs will be.
Once you decide to proceed, we’ll then carry out the relevant identity checks, which typically include looking at your photo ID and a document dated within the last three months, showing proof of address.
This part of the process can take a few days to complete.
Step 2 – Obtaining title deeds and preparing contracts
Following ID checks, our team will obtain the title deeds or official copies of the title register. We’ll then draft contracts and send them, alongside all relevant supporting documents, to the buyer’s conveyancer, as well as the forms you have already shared with us. This gives the buyer a clear picture of what they’re purchasing and helps the sale proceed smoothly.
We’ll send you documents like Fittings and Contents forms, as well as Property Information forms, which you will need to complete.
- A Fittings and Contents Form (TA10) – used to confirm which items will stay in the home after the sale, including appliances, curtains and light fittings.
- A Property Information Form (TA6) – provides key details about the property itself, including boundaries, disputes, services, environmental issues and planning permissions.
This part of the process can take a couple of weeks, between two and four.
Step 3 – Answering pre-contract enquiries and exchanging contracts
The buyer’s conveyancer will review your property contract carefully to make sure everything is in order, carrying out a series of property searches and checking for things like local planning restrictions or environmental issues. They may also raise pre-contract enquiries, which you’ll have to respond to with help from your solicitor.
Once these matters have been addressed, you and the buyer will agree on a completion date, setting the day when the sale will be finalised, before formally exchanging contracts to make the agreement legally binding.
This part of the process can take four to six weeks or more. Usually, it is the longest part of the process and can be prolonged if the searches are complex, your property is part of a chain or how quickly the buyer’s solicitor raises and receives responses to enquiries.
Step 4 – Signing a transfer deed and receiving a completion statement
Once the buyer’s solicitor has prepared the transfer deed for you to sign, we’ll provide a completion statement. This document clearly sets out the final financial details of your sale, showing the amount you’ll receive once the transaction is complete. It takes into consideration any deductions like outstanding mortgage repayments, fees, or other costs that need to be settled before you receive the balance. It’s essential that you review this statement carefully, making sure you know exactly what to expect on completion day and helping to avoid any unwanted surprises.
This part of the process is usually quite quick, around one to two weeks.
Step 5 – Completion and handover
Once we receive the sale proceeds from the buyer, we’ll let you know that the sale has been completed. At this point, you’ll hand over the keys, usually to the estate agent. We’ll then take care of the rest, such as paying any estate agent fees, settling any outstanding mortgage and sending the title deeds and transfer documents to the buyer’s solicitor. Once everything is finalised, we’ll transfer the remaining funds to you.
This part of the process, the completion day, is just a day. You usually set the date two to four weeks after you exchange contracts.
Why choose Fisher Jones Greenwood to sell your house?
For over 40 years, our solicitors have been helping clients navigate property sales across the South East. We’ve been recognised by both The Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners, with an additional accreditation from The Law Society as part of their Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
We understand that every property sale is different, which is why we tailor our advice on a case-by-case basis, always considering your individual circumstances and wishes.
We pride ourselves on providing transparency from start to finish, maintaining clear, straightforward communication and avoiding complex legal jargon, so you always understand what’s happening and what comes next.
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