Here is a quick guide to the conveyancing process

Conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one owner to another and involves a number of stages as outlined below.

• Check to see if your financial adviser can arrange a solicitor for you or if the mortgage lender has any specific requirements.
  
  
• Choosing your solicitor - Select a solicitor based on your location, best price and customer reviews which should be freely available. Then when you are ready to proceed, instruct the solicitor to act on your behalf - You can obtain & compare quotes here.
  
  
• Client Care Pack – Your solicitor will send you a client care pack. After reading and understanding the process, you will then need to complete and return the client care documentation and then pay the search fees.

• Contract Requested – This involves your solicitor requesting the contract pack from your seller’s (vendor) solicitor and raises the appropriate enquiries.
  
  
• Searches Ordered – Your solicitor orders searches on the chosen property (Local Authority, Water & Drainage, Environmental, etc.).
  
  
• Mortgage Offer Issued – Once you have received a mortgage offer from your lender, make sure your solicitor has a copy.
  
  
• Searches and Replies Received – Once all enquiries have been received and your solicitor is satisfied, you will be asked to check and sign key documents. These include: Transfer deed, Mortgage deed, completion statement, report on title and the contract itself
  
  
• Deposit Required – Your solicitor will then request the mortgage funds from your lender and prepares a completion statement. Once the funds are received, your solicitor transfers them to your seller’s solicitor.
  
  
• Exchange contracts – At this stage both you and your seller are legally bound to complete the buying and selling process and your solicitor will arrange for your Stamp Duty to be paid to the UK Government.
  
  
• Completion – This is the final stage of the process and when the keys are released to you – Time to celebrate!