The short answer
A conveyancer does the legal work that moves a home from one owner to another. For a buyer, that means checking what you're buying is what you think it is. For a seller, it means proving you own it and passing it on cleanly. They also move the money and register the new owner.
What your conveyancer does when you're buying
Most of the work on a purchase is checking. Your conveyancer's job is to find anything that could cost you money or stop you using the home the way you want, and to tell you about it before you're committed.
ID and source of funds
The law requires us to check who you are and where your money comes from. Expect to show ID and bank statements, and to explain any gifted deposit. It can feel nosy, but every conveyancer has to do it.
The contract pack and the title
The seller's conveyancer sends a contract pack: the draft contract, the title, and forms the seller has completed about the property. The title is the official register at HM Land Registry showing who owns the land, where the boundaries roughly sit, and any rights or restrictions attached to it. Your conveyancer reads all of it line by line.
Searches and enquiries
Your conveyancer orders searches with the council, the water company and others. Our guide to conveyancing searches explains what each one checks. Anything unclear in the pack, the title or the results becomes a question for the seller's side. These questions are called enquiries, and our guide to conveyancing enquiries covers the ones that come up most.
Working for your lender
If you have a mortgage, your conveyancer usually acts for your lender too. They check the property meets the lender's rules, confirm the title is good enough to lend against, and request the mortgage money ahead of completion.
Your report, exchange and completion
Once everything is answered, you get a report on the property in plain English, and the contract to sign. Your conveyancer then exchanges contracts, which makes the move legally binding, and on completion day sends the money to the seller's side. Our guide to exchange vs completion explains the difference.
Stamp Duty and registration
After completion, your conveyancer sends the Stamp Duty Land Tax return to HMRC and pays any tax due. Then they register you as the new owner with HM Land Registry, along with your lender's mortgage.
What your conveyancer does when you're selling
- Checks. Your ID, and that you're the person entitled to sell.
- The contract pack. We get your title from HM Land Registry, help you fill in the property information forms, and send it all to the buyer's conveyancer.
- Replies to enquiries. We pass the buyer's questions to you, help you answer them, and send back the replies with any documents.
- Your mortgage. We get a figure from your lender for paying off your mortgage on completion day.
- Exchange and completion. We exchange contracts, confirm when the buyer's money arrives, tell the estate agent to release the keys, pay off your mortgage and send you what's left.
Licensed conveyancer or solicitor?
Both can do the work. A licensed conveyancer is a property law specialist regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. A solicitor is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and may handle other areas of law too. For buying or selling a home, what counts is that whoever you choose is regulated, insured and keeps you informed.
Why it can seem quiet
A lot of conveyancing is waiting on other people. The other side's conveyancer has to reply to enquiries. The council has to return its search. The lender has to issue its offer. A managing agent has to send a management pack for a leasehold flat. None of them can be hurried by your conveyancer alone, so days can pass with nothing visible happening.
What good updates look like
A good update tells you what you're waiting for, who it's with, and what happens next. "We're waiting for the council search, and once it's back we'll raise any questions with the seller's side" is useful. "Still progressing" isn't. If you don't know what's holding your move up, ask.
How to get the most from your conveyancer
- Send back ID, forms and payments the same day if you can.
- Tell us early about any dates you need to hit, like the end of a tenancy.
- Mention anything unusual up front: a gifted deposit, an extension, a shared drive, a dispute with a neighbour.
- Read your report properly and ask about anything that doesn't make sense.
- Keep your estate agent and mortgage broker in the loop too, because they chase from their end.
For a sense of the timeline, see our guide to how long conveyancing takes.
Common questions
Do I need a conveyancer to buy a house?
You can do your own conveyancing in theory, but if you're buying with a mortgage, your lender will insist on a regulated conveyancer or solicitor. Most people use one either way.
Can the same conveyancer act for the buyer and the seller?
It's allowed only in limited situations, because the buyer and seller want different things. Usually each side has its own conveyancer.
When should I instruct a conveyancer?
As soon as your offer is accepted. If you're selling, you can instruct one when you go on the market, so the contract pack is ready the moment you find a buyer.
Is a licensed conveyancer as good as a solicitor?
For buying or selling a home, yes. Licensed conveyancers specialise in property and are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, while solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Why hasn't my conveyancer updated me?
Usually because they're waiting on someone else. It's fair to ask what you're waiting for and who it's with.
How we help
You get a named conveyancer from day one, and updates on WhatsApp that say what's happening and what's next. You pay a small amount to get started, and the rest is due on completion. If your sale or purchase falls through and it's not your fault, we give you a second chance, even if you're buying a different property second time round. We're regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.
