The legal side of buying a home—conveyancing—can feel slow and confusing, but the stages are predictable once you know what to expect. This guide walks buyers through each step in England and Wales, with practical tips to avoid common mistakes and first-time buyer pitfalls.

You will learn:

• What conveyancing actually involves

• The main stages from offer accepted to getting the keys

• Who does what: buyer, seller, lender, and conveyancers

• How to avoid common delays and costly errors

Keep this guide alongside your own timeline and documents.

Table of contents

1. What is conveyancing?

2. Stage 1: Offer accepted and instruction

3. Stage 2: Searches, enquiries, and mortgage offer

4. Stage 3: Exchange of contracts

5. Stage 4: Completion and aftercare

6. Review checks for buyers
   
   

1. What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from one person to another.

In a typical purchase there will be:

• A buyer’s conveyancer – acting for you and often your mortgage lender

• A seller’s conveyancer – acting for the seller

• A mortgage lender – providing funds subject to checks

The aim is to ensure that you receive good title to the property, that your lender’s interests are protected, and that all legal requirements are met.

Common mistake:
Assuming your conveyancer will check everything for you. In reality, you need to read reports, ask questions, and flag anything you don’t understand.

2. Stage 1: Offer accepted and instruction

Once your offer is accepted:

• The estate agent sends a memorandum of sale to both sides.

• You choose and instruct a conveyancer.

Your conveyancer will:

• Send you client care papers, terms, and questionnaires

• Carry out ID checks and confirm how you will own the property

• Request the draft contract pack from the seller’s lawyer

You should:

• Return documents and ID promptly

• Confirm how you are funding the purchase (deposit, mortgage, gifted funds)

First-time buyer error:
Delaying paperwork or not having your deposit ready can slow everything down. If you’re using a gifted deposit, get the paperwork sorted early—lenders and lawyers will want to see proof and may ask for extra checks.

3. Stage 2: Searches, enquiries, and mortgage offer

Your conveyancer will investigate the property and surrounding area.

Typical steps:

• Review title documents – ownership, boundaries, rights of way, restrictions

• Order searches – local authority, water and drainage, environmental, and any extras needed for the area

• Raise enquiries – questions to the seller about the property and any issues

At the same time, you will:

• Arrange a survey if you want one (highly recommended, even for new builds)

• Progress your full mortgage application

Your conveyancer will not usually recommend exchange of contracts until they are satisfied with the replies, search results, and your mortgage offer.

Common issues buyers discover at this stage:

• Short lease terms or unusual ground rent clauses on leasehold properties (can make resale or remortgaging difficult)

• Historic alterations without clear building regulations or planning records (may affect insurance or future sale)

• Planned road schemes or developments nearby (can affect value and enjoyment)

• Flood risk, subsidence, or contaminated land (may affect insurance or mortgage approval)

Nuance:
If you don’t understand a report or a clause, ask your conveyancer for a plain-English explanation. Don’t be afraid to ask “silly” questions—missing something now can cost you later.

4. Stage 3: Exchange of contracts

When everyone is ready and a completion date is agreed:

• Both sides sign identical contracts

• You transfer your exchange deposit to your conveyancer

• Contracts are exchanged by the lawyers (often by phone)

After exchange:

• The agreement to buy and sell becomes legally binding

• You can no longer walk away without serious financial consequences

Your conveyancer will then prepare for completion by requesting funds from your lender and checking final statements.

Common mistake:
Booking removals or giving notice on your rental before exchange. Only make irreversible plans once contracts are exchanged.

5. Stage 4: Completion and aftercare

On completion day:

• Your lender sends funds to your conveyancer

• Your conveyancer sends the purchase price to the seller’s lawyer

• Once funds are received, the estate agent can release the keys

After completion, your conveyancer will:

• Pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) due and file the return

• Register you as owner at HM Land Registry

• Send you copies of key documents once registration is completed

First-time buyer error:
Forgetting to set up utilities, council tax, or insurance for your new home. Make a checklist for moving day and the week after.

Blind spot:
If you discover problems after moving in (e.g., missing fixtures, rubbish left behind, or undisclosed disputes with neighbours), it’s much harder to resolve. Raise any issues with your conveyancer as soon as possible.

6. Review checks for buyers

To stay on top of the process:

• Timeline check: Ask your conveyancer for an outline timetable and key dates.

• Funds check: Confirm you have enough for deposit, fees, and moving costs.

• Document check: Keep copies of all letters, emails, and statements in one place.

• Communication check: Don’t be afraid to chase your conveyancer or ask for updates if things go quiet.

Nuance:
If you’re buying a leasehold, ask for a summary of service charges, ground rent, and any planned major works. These can be hidden costs that catch buyers out.

AI tools can summarise long reports or search results so you understand the main points before you ask follow‑up questions.

Using Caira to read your conveyancing paperwork

If you already have a memorandum of sale, draft contract, mortgage offer or report on title, you can upload it to Caira, an AI‑powered legal assistant for England and Wales.

With Caira you can:

• Upload PDFs, DOCX files, spreadsheets, plans and photos or screenshots of key pages.

• Ask questions like ''What are the main risks in this report?'' or ''How does this lease clause affect me in practice?''.

• Get short, plain‑English explanations and suggested follow‑up questions for your conveyancer.

Caira is privacy‑first and draws on a library of more than 10,000 legal and tax documents for England and Wales, together with your uploads, to give context‑aware answers.

You can try Caira with a free 14‑day trial that takes under a minute to start and does not require a credit card. After that it is an affordable monthly service at £15/month – a relatively cheap way to feel less anxious and more informed during a home purchase.