Residential Conveyancing Checklist for Buying a Home

TL;DR: A residential conveyancing checklist for buying a home helps you track each stage — from instructing a solicitor to collecting your keys – so nothing important slips through the cracks. This guide breaks the process into clear stages, each with its own mini checklist you can follow alongside your solicitor or licensed conveyancer.

Buying a home is exciting, but it can also feel like a blur of forms, emails and unfamiliar terms landing in your inbox all at once. One week you're arranging a mortgage in principle, the next you're being asked to approve a contract you've never seen the like of before. A simple residential conveyancing checklist can make the whole thing feel far more manageable, because you always know roughly what stage you're at and what's meant to happen next.

This article walks through the conveyancing journey for buyers stage by stage, with practical checklists you can tick off as you go. It's designed to sit alongside the updates your solicitor or licensed conveyancer sends you, not replace them — think of it as a way to understand the shape of the process so their emails make more sense.

A quick note before we start: I'm a blogger writing about conveyancing in general terms, not a solicitor or licensed conveyancer, and nothing here is personal legal advice. Every property purchase is different, so for guidance on your own transaction it's always best to speak to a qualified professional directly.

Table of contents

• Before you start: getting ready to buy
• Stage 1: instructing a solicitor or conveyancer
• Stage 2: from accepted offer to draft contract
• Stage 3: searches and enquiries
• Stage 4: mortgage offer and survey
• Stage 5: exchange of contracts
• Stage 6: completion day and moving in
• Stage 7: after completion
• FAQs about the buying conveyancing checklist
• Summary and what to do next

Before you start: getting ready to buy

Before conveyancing formally begins, there's usually a bit of groundwork that makes the rest of the process smoother. Many buyers find it helpful to get their finances and paperwork in order before they even start viewing properties seriously, since this can shave real time off the process later.

What tends to happen at this stage

This is generally about preparation rather than legal work. You're getting your finances lined up, thinking about what you can realistically afford once all the extra costs are factored in, and starting to think about which solicitor or licensed conveyancer you might use.

• Get a mortgage agreement in principle from a lender or broker
• Work out your realistic budget, including deposit, fees and moving costs
• Start researching solicitors or licensed conveyancers so you're not choosing in a rush
• Gather basic ID documents (passport, driving licence, recent utility bills)
• Think about your ideal timescale, including any chain considerations

Stage 1: instructing a solicitor or conveyancer

Once you've had an offer accepted, or sometimes just before, it's time to formally instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. This is the point where the legal side of the purchase officially begins.

What tends to happen at this stage

Your conveyancer will usually send you a client care letter, a quote confirming their fees, and an initial information form to complete. They'll also carry out identity checks, which is a standard anti-money-laundering requirement rather than anything to worry about.

• Confirm instruction in writing and agree the fee quote
• Complete the initial client information and property forms
• Provide ID documents and proof of address for identity checks
• Confirm how the purchase is being funded (mortgage, savings, or both)
• Ask your conveyancer to confirm their expected timeline for updates

Stage 2: from accepted offer to draft contract

With instructions confirmed, your conveyancer will contact the seller's solicitor to request the draft contract pack. This includes the draft contract itself along with supporting title documents and property information forms completed by the seller.

What tends to happen at this stage

Your conveyancer reviews the contract pack for anything unusual, checks the title is in order, and starts drafting a list of enquiries about anything that needs clarifying. This is a good moment to make sure they have everything they need from your side too.

• Wait for the draft contract pack to arrive from the seller's side
• Provide any additional information your conveyancer requests about the purchase
• Ask questions early if anything about the process is unclear
• Confirm details of anyone else who will be a registered owner alongside you

Stage 3: searches and enquiries

Searches are one of the most important parts of buying conveyancing, since they reveal things about the property and area that wouldn't be obvious from a viewing. Typical searches include local authority, drainage and water, and environmental searches, though additional searches may be recommended depending on the property's location.

What tends to happen at this stage

Once the searches come back, your conveyancer reviews the results alongside the answers to their enquiries and raises any follow-up questions with the seller's side. This back-and-forth can take a little time, particularly if answers need to come from the seller themselves.

• Confirm which searches are being ordered and why
• Ask about typical turnaround times for your local authority
• Review search results when they're explained to you, and ask questions about anything unclear
• Keep an eye on enquiry responses, since delays here are a common cause of slower transactions

A common source of delay

Search turnaround times vary a lot between local authorities, and this is often the part of the process buyers have the least control over. Some councils can turn a local authority search around within days, while others regularly take several weeks, particularly during busier periods. It's generally worth asking your conveyancer early on what turnaround they're currently seeing in the relevant area, simply so you know what to expect rather than assuming something has gone wrong if there's no update for a while.

Stage 4: mortgage offer and survey

If you're buying with a mortgage, this stage usually runs in parallel with searches and enquiries. Your lender will need a valuation, and many buyers choose to arrange a more detailed survey of their own to check the property's condition.

What tends to happen at this stage

Your lender's valuation confirms the property is worth what you're paying, but it isn't a detailed structural check. A homebuyer's report or full structural survey goes much further, and can flag issues worth raising with the seller before you commit.

• Confirm your mortgage valuation has been booked
• Decide whether you want a more detailed independent survey
• Review your formal mortgage offer carefully when it arrives
• Pass a copy of your mortgage offer to your conveyancer promptly
• Raise any survey concerns with your conveyancer so they can be reflected in enquiries if needed

Stage 5: exchange of contracts

Exchange of contracts is the point where the purchase becomes legally binding on both sides. Before this happens, your conveyancer will usually run through a pre-exchange checklist with you to confirm everything is in place.

What tends to happen at this stage

Once you and the seller are both happy, and a completion date has been agreed, contracts are formally exchanged. A deposit (commonly 10%, though this can vary) is typically paid at this point, and pulling out afterwards can carry financial consequences.

• Confirm your deposit funds are ready and cleared
• Agree a completion date that works for you, your seller, and anyone else in the chain
• Arrange buildings insurance to start from the exchange date
• Read through the final contract terms one more time before signing
• Ask your conveyancer to confirm exactly what happens between exchange and completion

Why exchange matters so much

It's worth pausing on exchange, because it genuinely changes your legal position. Before exchange, either side can generally withdraw without major financial consequences. After exchange, both sides are legally committed to completing on the agreed date, and pulling out can mean losing your deposit or facing other costs. This is exactly why many buyers choose to have buildings insurance in place from the moment of exchange, since responsibility for the property effectively passes to them from that point onwards, even though they haven't moved in yet.

Stage 6: completion day and moving in

Completion is the day it all becomes real — the remaining funds are transferred, the seller's side confirms receipt, and you get the keys. It's usually a day of waiting on updates rather than doing very much yourself, which some buyers find surprisingly nerve-wracking.

What tends to happen at this stage

Your conveyancer transfers the balance of funds to the seller's solicitor, and once they confirm receipt, the seller's estate agent (or the seller directly) releases the keys. Timing can vary through the day depending on the length of any chain.

• Confirm final funds have been sent to your conveyancer in good time
• Book removals for completion day, allowing some flexibility for delays
• Arrange for utilities and council tax to be set up in your name from completion
• Keep your phone nearby for updates from your conveyancer or estate agent
• Have a plan in case keys are released later in the day than expected

Stage 7: after completion

Conveyancing doesn't quite finish the moment you get the keys. There are still a few administrative steps your conveyancer needs to complete on your behalf.

What tends to happen at this stage

Your conveyancer will typically pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax due and register your ownership with HM Land Registry. These steps can take some weeks to fully process, though this doesn't affect your right to live in the property.

• Confirm Stamp Duty Land Tax has been paid on your behalf, if applicable
• Ask when you can expect confirmation of registration at HM Land Registry
• Keep copies of all final paperwork somewhere safe
• Update your address with banks, employers, and other important contacts

Quick checklist: the whole buying journey at a glance

• Mortgage in principle and budget confirmed before viewing seriously
• Solicitor or licensed conveyancer instructed and ID checks completed
• Draft contract pack received and reviewed
• Searches ordered, reviewed, and enquiries raised
• Survey arranged and mortgage offer received
• Deposit ready and contracts exchanged
• Completion day funds sent and keys collected
• Stamp Duty Land Tax paid and registration confirmed

FAQs about the buying conveyancing checklist

How long does residential conveyancing usually take when buying a home?
It varies considerably, but many straightforward purchases take somewhere in the region of eight to twelve weeks from offer to completion, with chains and leasehold properties often taking longer.

What's the very first step in the buying conveyancing checklist?
Instructing a solicitor or licensed conveyancer as early as possible, ideally around the time your offer is accepted, so the legal work can start without delay.

Do I need a survey as well as a mortgage valuation?
They serve different purposes — a mortgage valuation confirms the property's value for lending purposes, while a separate survey looks at its physical condition in more detail, so many buyers choose to arrange both.

What happens if something goes wrong with searches or enquiries?
Your conveyancer will usually raise follow-up questions or request further information, which can extend the timeline slightly, but it's a normal part of the process rather than a sign something is wrong.

Can I exchange and complete on the same day?
It's possible and sometimes happens, particularly in simpler chains, but many buyers prefer a gap of at least a few days between exchange and completion to arrange removals and finances.

What should I do once I've got the keys?
Focus on practical matters like meter readings, updating your address, and safe storage of your paperwork, while your conveyancer finishes off tasks like Stamp Duty Land Tax and Land Registry work in the background.

Is it normal for completion to happen later in the day than expected?
Yes, this is fairly common, especially where you're part of a longer chain, since funds need to move through each link before the final release of keys at your end.

Summary and what to do next

• Breaking the buying process into stages makes a residential conveyancing checklist far easier to follow
• Preparation before instructing a conveyancer, such as arranging finances and ID documents, can save time later
• Searches, enquiries and survey results are often where timelines flex the most
• Exchange of contracts is the point transactions become legally binding, so read everything carefully beforehand
• Some administrative work, like Stamp Duty and registration, continues after you've moved in

This checklist is intended as general information to help you understand the shape of the process, not as a substitute for advice tailored to your own purchase. Every transaction has its own quirks, so it's always wise to check specific steps and timings with your own solicitor or licensed conveyancer.

Need help or have questions?

We can't give legal advice on this site — we're bloggers, not solicitors or licensed conveyancers — but we're always happy to point you towards more guides if any part of the buying process is unclear.

You can reach us through our contact form on the website using the button below. For advice specific to your own purchase, please speak to a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer directly.

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Reminder: this site is a blog, not a law firm, and nothing in this article is a substitute for professional legal advice. Always get personalised guidance from a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer before making decisions about buying or selling a home.