“Why is this taking so long?!”

It’s the question many homebuyer and seller asks.

In this article, Miranda Mortlock, Director and Head of our respected Residential Conveyancing team, explains why delays happen – and how to help keep your property sale or purchase moving.

Your conveyancing solicitor probably isn’t causing the delay

There’s a common misconception that solicitors “sit” on files to create work or higher fees. In reality, delays are no help to us either:

• We aren’t paid by the hour: Most of our conveyancing work is fixed‑fee
• We only get paid at the end: We don’t receive our fee until you complete
• We’re only paid if you complete: If your sale or purchase falls through for reasons outside your control, our “no sale no fee” guarantee (conditions apply) means that we don’t get paid

Efficiency is in our interest as much as it is yours.

So, where does the time go?

According to recent data from Landmark Information Group, the average property transaction now takes 123 days, or roughly 4 months, from listing with an estate agent to completion.

The “123‑day” average includes the period from when you first list the property with your estate agent and before solicitors are usually involved. The length of this stage of the process greatly depends on how quickly you receive an acceptable offer – and that’s where selecting a good agent and taking their advice is critical to getting your property sale moving.

​The hidden timeline

Once the legal work begins, several factors influence how long conveyancing takes, and many sit outside your solicitor’s control.

• Local Authority Searches
  Some councils return searches in days; others take six weeks or more. Turnaround times vary depending on council backlog and staffing levels.

• Mortgage Offers:
  Lenders must run detailed checks and carry out valuations. Until the mortgage offer is received, the entire legal review is paused. Even after the offer arrives, it may contain conditions that must be satisfied before we can move forward.
• Leasehold:
  Leasehold transactions take longer. We have to obtain a Management Pack (which includes service charge details, building insurance, accounts, and other essential documents) from the freeholder or managing agent, and some can take a lot longer to provide this than others. A delay in the management pack being provided also delays our ability to check the hundreds of additional pages of documentation that don’t exist in freehold matters.
• Chains:
  In the East of England, house sales often feature long property chains, which extends the offer-to-exchange period. Even if you’re ready, someone further up or down the chain who isn’t ready affects everyone. One missing document or delayed survey can cause a knock‑on effect and the whole chain to grind to a halt. You and your solicitor might be ready, but your solicitor has no control over the rest of the chain.
• Onboarding & AML:
  AML (Anti-Money Laundering) checks, proof of funds, and signed documents. If these aren’t returned promptly, the file can’t even leave the starting blocks.

• ​Third-Party & Postal:
  Surveyors, valuers, estate agents, and postal turnaround times can all add days or weeks to the process – largely outside the control of your conveyancing solicitor.

Why one delay affects the entire chain

If just one element is running behind – say, a mortgage offer at the bottom of the chain – it affects everyone. Someone at the top may be ready to exchange but unable to proceed because another part of the chain isn’t aligned.

​The goal is always completion.

Our team works continuously behind the scenes to keep the process moving – chasing lenders, councils, agents, and, where necessary, other conveyancers on your behalf to get you moved.

​Moving soon?

If you’re selling:

• Instruct a conveyancing solicitor early – ideally as soon as you put your property on the market.
  This allows us to prepare documents before you accept an offer, reducing delays.

If you’re buying:

• Prepare your source‑of‑funds documents early.
  Often the most time-consuming (and therefore slowest) part of the process is establishing your source of funds and wealth, especially if you are a savvy saver and transfer funds regularly between accounts.  Covering this off prior to making a purchase could potentially reduce the transaction time by weeks.

For everyone:

• Complete onboarding and ID checks straight away.
• Return documents promptly.
• Provide requested information as soon as possible.
• Keep an eye on your emails so we can progress your matter quickly.

If you’re planning a move, our conveyancing solicitors in Bury St Edmunds are here to keep things running smoothly from start to finish.

Featured image base photo by Kate Darmody on Unsplash