Are you considering taking a first step onto the property ladder? Perhaps you’re looking to buy or sell a house but are unsure of the people and processes involved.

Rightmove property experts currently estimate that it can take up to 150 days to complete the process of buying or selling a property from the date that a sale is agreed. Obviously, we aim to be as fast and efficient as possible but there are factors outside of our control! During this time, there will be several people involved in the conveyancing process. These include the following:

Mortgage Broker
Surveyor
Conveyancer
Estate Agent
Removers

Purchasing a property is likely to be the biggest investment you’ll make in your lifetime. Therefore it’s worth knowing what each person’s role is, in order to ensure that you feel fully in the know about what is taking place.

What does a conveyancer do?

When buying or selling a property everyone in the UK is required to go through a conveyancing process. This is the legal side of transferring the ownership of a property from one person to another. It’s carried out by lawyers (conveyancers or solicitors) who are specialists in property law and these are the people who will be there for you from when an offer on the property is accepted, right through until the new ownership is registered with the Land Registry.

There are several steps to the conveyancing process, and it starts by finding the right conveyancing specialist for you and instructing them to move forward with your sale or purchase. If selling a property, it’s often a good idea to choose the right conveyancer at around the same time as you choose your estate agent, to help speed up the process.

The conveyancing process

Once you have instructed your conveyancer, depending on whether you are buying or selling the property, here’s a basic guide to some of the following steps you’ll take:

Mortgage and Deposit (if buying)
Completion of the protocol forms (insert link to page that explains them on website? Learn About Our Sales Property Law Services | Jackie Scott) about the property you are selling, including what you intend to include with the sale.
Survey – inspection carried out by surveyor to evaluate the overall condition of the property and highlight any problems from minor defects, to serious structural issues.
Conveyancing Searches – enquiries with various public authorities to find out more about a property and establish whether there are any potential problems, such as risk of flooding.
Contract pack reviewed and enquiries raised and answered.
Exchange of contracts – once both buyer and seller have signed their contracts, their conveyancers will formally exchange each part of the Contract and set a completion date.
Completion – money is transferred, keys handed over and all legal documents are complete.
Post completion actions (such as Land Registry and paying Stamp Duty Land Tax).

In addition to your conveyancing solicitor, here are some details about the other people involved in the process of buying and selling a property.

Mortgage Broker – a person who helps people looking for a mortgage (borrowers) to find the right deal for them, bearing in mind their financial situation. They will speak to several lenders to do so and, once it has been agreed, they will then help to arrange the mortgage.
Estate Agent – the person responsible for assisting you in buying or selling a property. Their roles might include arranging and holding viewings, creating listings to ensure the property is seen by interested parties and communication or negotiation between the buyer and seller.
Surveyor – a suitably qualified Surveyor can be instructed to visit the property being purchased to provide a detailed report on any items that may require rectification. This could include items such as damp, broken fascias and guttering, roof repairs. A survey is an invaluable tool to give you a better overview of the property you are purchasing and could potentially save you a small fortune if any major issues are found.
Removals Firm – the company which will help move your belongings out of your property, once it has been sold, and move them into a new property or a storage facility. Services can include packing up possessions for transportation, if required.

Need an experienced conveyancer?

Jackie Scott is a well-established specialist property lawyer providing a flexible and friendly conveyancing service for people who are buying and selling properties across West Sussex, with offices in Bognor Regis and Steyning.

If you’re looking to sell or buy a property, get in touch with our friendly team of conveyancers today for more details.