Country guide · United Kingdom
Buying a home in England and Wales
Conveyancer, searches, exchange and completion – the steps between offer and keys.
Updated: 04/10/2026
In brief
- Instruct a conveyancer early; delays in legal work hold up the chain
- Local searches reveal planning, road and environmental risks
- You are legally bound at exchange of contracts, not at completion
- Scotland and Northern Ireland run different procedures and taxes
1. Offer and conveyancer
An offer is made to the estate agent and accepted verbally by the seller; it is not binding at that stage. Instruct a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to open the file and request the seller's property information forms.
2. Searches, survey and mortgage
Your conveyancer orders local authority, water and environmental searches. A building survey can reveal structural issues the searches will not. Your lender issues a mortgage offer and usually requires a valuation.
3. Exchange of contracts
Once enquiries are answered and funds are in place, contracts are exchanged and a deposit – commonly around ten percent – is paid. From this moment the agreement is legally binding.
4. Completion and registration
On completion day the balance is transferred and you collect the keys. Stamp duty land tax is paid and your conveyancer registers you with HM Land Registry.
Common questions
Is a survey necessary?
Mortgage lenders only require a valuation, which protects the lender rather than you. For older or altered properties a RICS-level building survey is usually worth the cost.
How long does the process take?
From offer to completion commonly takes several months. Leasehold purchases take longer because a management pack must be obtained.
Official sources and further reading
National starting points only. State, provincial and territorial rules may add further requirements.
Professionals in United Kingdom
Documented profiles of agents, developers, managers, investors and architects, listed in a neutral order.
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General information, not legal, tax or financial advice.