How Long Does Conveyancing Take?
Most of the delay in conveyancing is not caused by the legal work. Here is where the time actually goes, and the parts you can genuinely influence.
The Short Version
- Freehold in England: typically 8–14 weeks. Leasehold: 12–20 weeks or longer
- Scotland often completes faster, with missives concluded early in the process
- The leasehold management pack is the single biggest delay, and no one controls it
- Slow replies, from any party, are the most common cause of delay overall
- Instructing early and returning ID and proof of funds immediately saves two to three weeks
- Be sceptical of speed guarantees: no firm controls search queues or managing agents
Realistic timescales
Averages hide a lot, but as a starting point:
- Freehold house, England: 8 to 14 weeks from instruction to completion
- Leasehold flat, England: 12 to 20 weeks, sometimes longer
- Scotland, standard purchase: 6 to 10 weeks from acceptance to settlement, though conclusion of missives usually happens much earlier
- New build: highly variable: contractual exchange deadlines are often short, but completion may be months away if the property is not yet built
Chains extend everything. A transaction is only as fast as its slowest link, and a chain of four properties has four sets of searches, four lenders and four solicitors to coordinate.
Where the time actually goes
Searches (1–4 weeks)
Local authority search turnaround varies enormously between councils: some return in days, others take weeks. Your solicitor cannot speed this up, but they can order searches promptly, which is why instructing early matters.
The leasehold management pack (2–8 weeks)
This is the single biggest cause of delay in leasehold transactions, and it is largely outside anyone's control. The freeholder or managing agent must supply the LPE1 form and supporting documents. Some respond in a fortnight; some take two months. There is no statutory deadline.
Enquiries (2–6 weeks)
Your solicitor raises enquiries on the title and the seller's replies; the seller's solicitor responds; follow-ups are raised. Each round trip takes time, and the pace is set by whichever side is slower.
Mortgage offer (2–6 weeks)
Running in parallel, but a condition attached to the offer (a retention, a further valuation, an EWS1 requirement) can stop everything.
The seven most common causes of delay
- Slow responses. The most common cause by a distance. Much of conveyancing is waiting for someone else to reply.
- Missing paperwork. ID, proof of funds, guarantees for past works, building regulations certificates.
- Leasehold information. The management pack, service charge accounts, freeholder consents.
- Title problems. Unregistered land, missing rights of way, restrictive covenants, boundary discrepancies.
- Mortgage conditions. Retentions, re-valuations, panel issues.
- Building safety. EWS1 requirements and Leaseholder Deeds of Certificate on taller blocks.
- Chain collapse. One party withdrawing resets the affected portion of the chain.
What you can actually control
Not much of the timeline is in your hands, but the parts that are matter more than people expect:
- Instruct before you need to. As soon as your offer is accepted, or earlier, if you are selling. Your solicitor can open the file and start the sale pack before a buyer is found.
- Get ID and proof of funds in on day one. Anti-money-laundering checks must complete before substantive work begins. This is the most commonly self-inflicted delay.
- Gather your paperwork. FENSA certificates, building regulations approvals, guarantees, planning permissions. If you are selling, assume you will be asked for all of them.
- Reply the same day. A form returned within hours rather than a week can save a fortnight over the course of a transaction.
- Ask for the lease term early. If you are buying leasehold, get the unexpired term before you offer, not at enquiry stage.
- Chase politely and specifically. "What are we waiting for and who is it with?" is a more useful question than "any update?"
Is a faster conveyancer worth paying more for?
Sometimes, yes. The cost of delay is real: a mortgage offer that expires, a chain that collapses, a tax deadline missed. Set against that, a few hundred pounds difference in fee is minor.
But be sceptical of speed guarantees. No conveyancer controls a local authority's search queue or a managing agent's response times. What a good firm controls is its own turnaround, and that is what independent reviews reveal. Look for reviews that mention prompt replies and being kept informed, rather than headline completion times.
A Note on Jurisdiction
Scottish transactions follow a different rhythm. Because missives typically conclude earlier than English exchange of contracts, Scottish buyers commit sooner but often reach settlement faster. The Home Report also removes the survey delay that English buyers face after offer acceptance.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does conveyancing take on average in 2026?
A freehold purchase in England typically takes 8 to 14 weeks from instruction to completion. Leasehold flats commonly take 12 to 20 weeks or longer. Scottish transactions often complete in 6 to 10 weeks from acceptance, with missives concluded earlier in the process. Chains extend all of these figures.
Why is my conveyancing taking so long?
The most common causes are slow responses from another party, a delayed leasehold management pack from a freeholder or managing agent, local authority search turnaround, unresolved title issues, and mortgage offer conditions. Ask your solicitor a specific question: what are we currently waiting for, and who is it with? That usually identifies the bottleneck immediately.
Can I speed up my conveyancing?
You can influence the parts within your control. Instruct a solicitor as early as possible, provide ID and proof of funds immediately, gather guarantees and building regulations certificates in advance, and reply to correspondence the same day where you can. These steps commonly save two to three weeks. Searches and third-party responses are largely outside anyone's control.
How long between exchange and completion?
One to four weeks is typical in England, with two weeks the most common. The gap is negotiable and is fixed on exchange. Same-day exchange and completion is possible where all parties are ready and no chain is involved, but it removes any margin for error. In Scotland the equivalent gap runs from conclusion of missives to the agreed date of entry.
Keep Reading
Related Guides and Pages
What Conveyancing Costs
Fees, disbursements and tax, broken down in full.
Scotland vs England
Why Scottish transactions bind earlier and often complete faster.
Buying a Home
The full conveyancing process from offer to completion, stage by stage.