Selling a Property

Selling a property involves more than agreeing a sale price. Whether you are selling your home, an investment property or a leasehold flat, the legal work plays an important role in keeping the transaction moving and ensuring that ownership is transferred correctly.

The role of your conveyancer is to prepare the contract pack, provide evidence of title, complete the necessary legal documentation, deal with enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor and guide you through to exchange and completion.

Many sellers wait until an offer has been accepted before instructing a conveyancer. However, useful work can sometimes begin while the property is being marketed, particularly where the property is leasehold or important documents need to be located.

Why Selling Conveyancing Matters

Delays in property transactions are often caused by missing paperwork, incomplete information or documents that cannot be located when required. Buyers and mortgage lenders frequently need information before they are prepared to proceed, and delays in providing that information can affect the entire chain.

A well-prepared seller is often in a stronger position. Having title documents, mortgage details, guarantees, planning documents and leasehold information available at an early stage can significantly reduce the time between offer and exchange.

The conveyancing process is not simply about producing paperwork. It helps ensure that the buyer receives accurate information about the property and that the sale can proceed as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

How the process usually works

Once instructed, your conveyancer will open the file, complete ID checks, obtain title information and ask you to complete standard property forms. These forms provide information about boundaries, disputes, alterations, guarantees, services and other property matters. The contract pack is then sent to the buyer’s solicitor.

The buyer’s solicitor reviews the papers and raises enquiries. Your conveyancer will help obtain replies and supporting documents. Once both parties are ready, contracts are exchanged and a completion date is set. On completion, the buyer’s money is received, any existing mortgage is redeemed and the balance is dealt with in accordance with your instructions. Our Residential Conveyancing Process page explains each stage in more detail.

Common Issues We Help Sellers Navigate

Property sales do not always proceed exactly as anticipated, and additional information is sometimes required before a buyer is ready to exchange contracts. Common issues include:

Many of these issues can be addressed during the conveyancing process. Where questions or concerns arise, your conveyancer will explain what they mean, advise you on any potential implications and help you work through the available options.

Helping Your Sale Run Smoothly

You can help avoid unnecessary delays by completing property information forms carefully and accurately. If you are unsure how to answer a question, it is usually better to seek advice rather than guess.

It is also helpful to gather relevant documentation at an early stage, including planning permissions, building regulation certificates, guarantees, warranties, lease documents, service charge information and details of any disputes or notices affecting the property.

If the property is leasehold, tell your conveyancer as soon as possible so that any management information can be requested promptly. Obtaining this information often takes longer than sellers expect and can be a common source of delay.

You should also make your conveyancer aware of any deadlines, related purchases or chain issues so that these can be considered from the outset.

How We Can Help

Phillips Solicitors can guide you from the point your property is marketed through to completion. We can prepare the contract pack, deal with enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor, liaise with estate agents, obtain mortgage redemption figures and provide practical advice throughout the transaction.

Our aim is to keep the process moving, explain matters clearly and help you deal with any issues that arise as efficiently as possible.

If you are selling a property and would like a conveyancing quotation or preliminary advice, please contact our Conveyancing Team. We will be happy to discuss your proposed sale and explain the next steps.

This page is intended as general information only. It is not legal advice on any individual transaction. The appropriate advice will depend on the property, title, mortgage lender, contract papers, enquiries, chain, timescales and any issues identified during the transaction.

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