Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring a property from the seller's name into yours. It covers the paperwork, the checks against the property, the money moving between parties, and…
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring a property from the seller's name into yours. It covers the paperwork, the checks against the property, the money moving between parties, and the final registration of your ownership. As a first time buyer, you're meeting all of this at once, often while juggling a mortgage application and a moving date, which is why it can feel heavier than it needs to.
The journey usually runs like this: your offer is accepted, you instruct a solicitor, your mortgage lender values the property, your solicitor carries out searches (enquiries with the local council and other bodies about the property and land), contracts are drafted and reviewed, questions are raised and answered, you exchange contracts (the point the deal becomes legally binding), and finally you complete, the day you get the keys.
This first time buyer conveyancing guide UK buyers can actually use is written for property purchases in England and Wales. Every legal term will be translated in the same sentence it appears, so nothing is left to guesswork.
Getting Ready Before You Instruct a Solicitor
A little preparation before you instruct a solicitor tends to save weeks later on. Start by gathering proof of ID (passport or driving licence) and proof of address (a recent utility bill or bank statement). These are needed for AML checks, anti-money laundering checks that every conveyancer must carry out by law.
You'll also need source-of-funds evidence, meaning documents that show where your deposit came from: savings statements, an ISA history, or a payslip trail. If parents or family are helping, ask them for a gifted deposit letter, a short signed note confirming the money is a gift, not a loan, along with their own ID and source-of-funds paperwork.
Speaking to a mortgage broker early is worth doing. They can help you secure an agreement in principle (a lender's initial indication of how much they'd lend), which sellers often want to see before accepting an offer.
Think too about tenure. Freehold means you own the property and the land; leasehold means you own the property for a fixed term and usually pay ground rent (an annual charge to the freeholder) and a service charge (a contribution to maintaining shared areas). Lauren Basger notes that the question first time buyers ask her most often is whether choosing the cheapest quote is a false economy, often it is, because thin fees can mean slower responses and surprise costs later.
See our buying service and SDLT first-time-buyer guide.
Instructing a Solicitor and How the Mortgage Fits In
Once your offer is accepted, you formally instruct a conveyancer (the property solicitor handling the legal side of your purchase). You'll be sent a client care letter, which sets out who's handling your file, how they can be contacted, and how complaints are dealt with. Alongside it comes a quote breakdown showing legal fees, plus disbursements, third-party costs like search fees, Land Registry charges and bank transfer fees. Rates change, so figures should be confirmed in writing before you proceed.
Most first time buyers don't realise their conveyancer usually acts for both them and the mortgage lender. Lauren Basger notes this dual role is the point clients most often ask her to explain: the same firm protects your interests and confirms to the lender that the property is suitable security for the loan.
When your mortgage offer is issued, your conveyancer reviews it against the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook (formerly the CML Handbook), a rulebook setting out what lenders require before releasing funds, things like valid buildings insurance, clear title, and satisfactory searches.
You can read more about our approach on our residential [buying service page].
Searches, Enquiries and the Draft Contract Explained
Once your offer is accepted and you've instructed a conveyancer, the seller's solicitor sends over the draft contract pack. This bundle contains the draft contract itself, official copies of the title (the Land Registry record proving ownership), and two forms the seller has filled in: the TA6 and the TA10.
The TA6 Property Information Form is the seller's disclosure about the home, boundaries, disputes with neighbours, alterations, guarantees for building work, damp, Japanese knotweed, and so on. The TA10 Fittings and Contents Form lists what stays and what goes, from curtain poles to light fittings. Read both carefully; anything unclear becomes an enquiry.
Your conveyancer then orders searches. The local authority search reveals planning history, building regulation consents, road schemes and enforcement notices affecting the property. The water and drainage search confirms whether the home is connected to mains water and sewers, and whether public drains run under the building. The environmental search flags contamination, flood risk and subsidence history. Optional searches include a chancel repair search (checking if the property is liable to contribute to local church repairs), plus mining, coal or radon searches depending on location.
Lauren Basger notes that the question first time buyers ask most often is simply: which survey should I pay for? A Level 2 HomeBuyer Report suits conventional properties in reasonable condition; a Level 3 Building Survey goes deeper and suits older, unusual or altered homes. Whatever the surveyor flags, damp readings, roof concerns, unauthorised extensions, feeds directly back to your conveyancer as fresh enquiries to the seller's side before you commit.
See our buying service page and our SDLT first-time-buyer article for the tax side.
Signing, Exchange and Completion Step by Step
Once your searches are back and your mortgage offer is in hand, your solicitor will send you two documents to sign: the mortgage deed (your formal promise to the lender that the property secures the loan) and the TR1 transfer form (the document that officially moves ownership from seller to buyer). You sign these in advance, they are not dated until later.
Around the same time, you transfer your deposit funds to your solicitor's client account. Lenders and firms carry out anti-money-laundering checks on where the money came from, so gift letters from parents or savings statements may be requested. Send funds a few working days early to avoid a last-minute scramble.
Exchange of contracts is the point of no return. Your solicitor and the seller's solicitor read out identical contracts over the phone and commit both sides. The moment they do, your deposit becomes non-refundable, pulling out after this stage means losing it. A completion date is fixed at exchange, agreed between both parties and any chain above or below you. It is usually a week or two later, though timing depends on the chain.
On completion day, your solicitor sends the balance of the purchase price to the seller's solicitor. Once the seller confirms receipt, the estate agent releases the keys. Your job is straightforward: wait for the call, collect the keys, and check the property matches what you agreed to buy. Lauren Basger says the question first time buyers ask most often is whether they can move in the morning, realistically, keys tend to arrive early afternoon.
Read more in our first time buyer conveyancing guide UK and our article on SDLT relief for first time buyers. SDLT thresholds and reliefs change, so verify current figures before you budget.
Costs a First Time Buyer Should Budget For
Beyond the deposit, there are several costs worth planning for early. Legal fees cover the conveyancing work itself (the legal process of transferring ownership), and sit alongside disbursements, payments your solicitor makes to third parties on your behalf.
Search fees pay for local authority, water, drainage and environmental searches, which flag issues like planning history or flood risk. Land Registry fees cover registering you as the new owner, and bank transfer fees apply when funds are sent for completion. These rates change, so Lauren Basger recommends asking for a written quote and checking current figures rather than relying on older estimates.
Your lender will usually require a mortgage valuation, which confirms the property is worth what you're paying. A separate survey, arranged by you, looks at the condition of the building, worth considering on older homes.
Stamp Duty Land Tax may apply, though first-time buyer relief can reduce or remove it within certain thresholds. Bands and reliefs change, so read our SDLT first-time buyer article for current detail.
From exchange of contracts, you're responsible for buildings insurance, even before you move in. Factor in removals, and see our buying service page for how the process fits together.
Solicitor Insight: The Question First Time Buyers Ask Lauren Most Often
The question Lauren Basger hears more than any other from first time buyers is a variation of the same worry: "Why is it taking so long?" Occasionally it arrives as "when is my deposit actually at risk?", and both deserve a straight answer.
On timing, Lauren's honest explanation is that a purchase moves at the speed of the slowest link. If you are in a chain, your transaction depends on every other buyer and seller in that chain sorting their mortgage, searches, and paperwork. One missing management pack from a leasehold seller, or one down-valuation (where the lender's surveyor values the property below the agreed price), can pause things for weeks while the price is renegotiated or a new mortgage offer is issued. Sellers who cannot locate FENSA certificates for windows, building regulations sign-off for an extension, or a copy of a boiler installation notice are another common cause of delay.
On deposit risk: your money is only legally committed at exchange of contracts, the moment both sides sign and the agreement becomes binding. Before that point, either party can withdraw.
To keep things moving, reply to your solicitor's enquiries quickly, chase your mortgage broker, and ask the estate agent to push the seller for outstanding documents. For more on how the purchase works end to end, see our [buying service page] and our [first-time buyer SDLT article].
Next Steps: After Completion and How to Speak to Our Team
Once you have the keys, your solicitor still has work to finish behind the scenes. The Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) return, the tax form filed with HMRC, is submitted, and any tax due is paid from the funds you provided before completion. First-time buyer relief is claimed here where you qualify.
Your ownership is then registered at HM Land Registry, along with your mortgage, so the official record shows you as the new owner and your lender's interest is noted. Once registration is confirmed, the title document is sent to your lender to be held with your mortgage account, and any deeds or related paperwork are stored securely.
You'll receive a copy of the updated title, your completion statement, and a closing letter summarising what was done. Lauren Basger recommends keeping these together with your mortgage offer for future reference.
If you'd like a quote or to talk through your purchase with our residential team, visit our buying service page to get in touch.
Disclaimer: This article provides general information only and does not constitute legal advice on any individual circumstances.