Conveyancing FAQs

How does the conveyancing process work?

Buying or selling a house or flat is an involved process with several stages, each coming with their own unique challenges and potential pitfalls.

The three main stages are:

1. Offer and acceptance
2. Exchange of contracts
3. Completion

Conveyancing solicitors should be involved from the very start to make sure every stage goes smoothly.

1.     Offer and acceptance

Offer and acceptance (as you may have guessed) is when the buyer makes an offer on a property which is accepted by the seller.

The most important thing to know about this stage is that this initial agreement is not legally binding. Either party can pull out on a whim. Sadly for buyers, this is usually where gazumping happens – where the seller accepts a higher offer and pulls out of the transaction.

However, this stage is also the buyer’s chance to find out more about the property and decide whether they want to go ahead with the purchase. With the help of their solicitor, they will conduct conveyancing searches and make enquiries about things like fixtures and fittings with the seller.

They should also get their own independent survey to check for structural issues (because it’d be a shame if the building fell down after completion).

2.     Exchange of contracts

Once the buyer and seller are both happy to proceed with the sale, they can sign and exchange contracts. This is a momentous moment where the transaction becomes legally binding and neither party can pull out (at least, not without having to pay a lot of money).

3.     Completion

This is where the transaction becomes official. Sometimes, completion can happen on the same day as exchange of contracts. However, if you are in a chain, you may need to wait for other purchases and sales to become ready to complete before you can go ahead.

Once your solicitor has confirmed that the transaction has completed, the buyer can pick up the keys and the seller should move out.

Read more about our top tips for moving home here.

How long does conveyancing take?

On average, a house purchase or sale takes around 8 to 12 weeks, with a whole series of legal steps to complete.

However, it’s impossible to say exactly how long your conveyancing transaction will take. It will depend entirely on the complexity of the transaction and whether any issues arise during the process that could delay things.

That being said, as an experienced department, we have dealt with many property transactions, so you can relax because you are certainly in safe hands. We manage the whole process, and we will keep you informed as we go along. We do not believe anyone should put up with the endless delays you hear about.

Do I have to pay Stamp Duty?

Stamp Duty is a tax that sometimes falls due when you buy a property in England or Northern Ireland. Wales and Scotland have their own equivalent taxes called Land Transaction Tax and Land and Buildings Transaction Tax respectively.

You may not have to pay Stamp Duty when buying a property if:

• The price of the property is below the tax free threshold.
• You are first time buyer – you can get relief from Stamp Duty on the first £300,000 of purchases worth up to £500,000.

As part of our conveyancing service, we can help you calculate whether Stamp Duty is owed and handle the tax return and payment to HMRC.

For specific advice about tax (including other kinds of tax like Income Tax and Capital Gains Tax if you are buying a buy to let property), you should always speak to an independent tax advisor as we cannot provide this advice.

How much does conveyancing cost?

Any legal matter involving property is bound to be expensive, so we are happy to do your conveyancing for a fixed price.

We’ll provide a quote at the beginning of your instruction which includes all anticipated costs. This gives you certainty about how much your property transaction will cost from start-to-finish, allowing you to budget accordingly.

Find out more about how much our conveyancing services cost or get an instant conveyancing quote online.

Should I make a Will after buying a home?

Yes! Read more about making a Will when buying a home here.

What do I need to think about when buying a new build?

Buying a new build may be different to buying an older property. You may be buying off plan or through a government first time buyer scheme such as Help to Buy or Shared Ownership.

You may also have unique rights and responsibilities that you need to consider. For example, many newer homes will come with a 10-year warranty. You may be liable for service charges to pay for upkeep of common areas of a development. If buying a leasehold home, it is vital to get specialist advice about the lease (e.g. to make sure you’re not signing up to expensive and escalating charges on top of your mortgage).

Our conveyancing team have particular expertise handling the purchase and sale of new build properties. We know exactly what risks to look out for, so can make sure you are protected.

Read about our top tips for buying a new build here.

Get in touch with our conveyancing solicitors in Sheffield and Barnsley today

Get in touch with our friendly, expert conveyancing solicitors in Sheffield and Barnsley to get your next home move underway.

We have local offices across Sheffield on Attercliffe Road and in Gleadless and Hillsborough, plus an office in Barnsley.

Give us a call at your nearest branch or fill in our online enquiry form and we’ll give you a call back as soon as possible.