This guide explains the process of buying a house or flat with Judge Law, one stage at a time. You will get an email from us each time your purchase reaches a new stage. Each email links to the matching section of this page, so you can see what has happened, what comes next and whether you need to do anything.
For more background, read our article on the legal steps in buying a home. If a word is unfamiliar, our guide to common property terms explains it.
The 12 stages at a glance
Choose a stage to jump straight to it. The names match the progress emails we send you.
- Step 1 of 12: Instructed
- Step 2 of 12: ID & funds verified
- Step 3 of 12: Draft contract received
- Step 4 of 12: Searches ordered
- Step 5 of 12: Searches received
- Step 6 of 12: Enquiries raised
- Step 7 of 12: Mortgage offer received
- Step 8 of 12: Enquiries answered
- Step 9 of 12: Report to client & signed
- Step 10 of 12: Exchanged (completion date set)
- Step 11 of 12: Completed
- Step 12 of 12: Post-completion
How long buying a house usually takes
A straightforward freehold purchase in a short chain usually takes 10 to 14 weeks from instruction to completion. Freehold means you own the building and the land it stands on. A leasehold purchase usually takes longer, often 14 to 20 weeks. Leasehold means you own the property for a fixed number of years under a lease, while someone else, the freeholder, owns the building or the land. A long chain or a new build can also change the timetable.
These are typical ranges, not promises. Several stages overlap, and the stages below explain what drives each part of the wait.
Step 1 of 12: Instructed
We do not usually send a progress email for this step. Your first email normally arrives at step 2.
What happens
You instruct us, we open your file, and we name the conveyancer who will handle your purchase. We send you our client care letter, which sets out our terms, our fees and who is responsible for your matter.
Why it matters
We cannot contact the seller’s solicitor or order anything on your behalf until you have formally instructed us.
How long it usually takes
Usually a few days. It mostly depends on how quickly the signed documents come back to us.
What we need from you
- Your signed client care letter and terms. Why: our professional rules require us to give you clear information about our terms and costs before we start work.
- A payment on account, which goes towards your searches and comes off your final bill. Why: search fees have to be paid up front when we order them.
What can slow it down
Documents that are not returned. If anything in the client care letter is unclear, ask your conveyancer before you sign.
Step 2 of 12: ID & funds verified
What happens
We check your identity, and we check where the money for your purchase is coming from. This second check is often called “source of funds”.
Why it matters
- The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require these checks on every purchase, and we cannot exchange contracts without them.
- Your lender requires them too.
- They also protect you, because they make it harder for someone to buy or borrow in your name.
How long it usually takes
Often a few days to two weeks. Proof of funds is the most common hold-up.
What we need from you
- Photo ID and proof of address, through our secure online ID check, which you can complete from home.
- Evidence for every source of the money you are putting in:
- savings: full bank statements, usually covering at least the last 6 months;
- a gift from family: a signed gift declaration, plus ID and bank statements from the person giving it. Our article on gifted deposits explains what is involved;
- the sale of another property: if we are handling your sale, we confirm this ourselves;
- an inheritance: evidence from the estate, such as a letter from the solicitor dealing with it.
Why: the law requires us to show where every pound comes from. Missing or partial statements are the most common reason we have to ask twice.
Tip: send everything at once, in full. Please send full statements, downloaded as PDFs or as paper originals. Screenshots and edited statements are not usually accepted.
What can slow it down
- Statements with gaps, or large payments in that we cannot explain from the documents.
- Gifted money where the person giving it has not yet sent their evidence.
If anything is missing, we aim to tell you everything we still need in one list.
Step 3 of 12: Draft contract received
What happens
The seller’s solicitor sends us the draft contract, the title and the seller’s property information forms, and we start reviewing them. The title is the official record of who owns the property and of any rights or restrictions that affect it.
Why it matters
This is our first real look at what you are buying, including the boundaries, any rights of way (other people’s rights to cross the land) and any restrictions on how the property can be used.
How long it usually takes
Often 1 to 3 weeks after the sale is agreed. This part is in the seller’s solicitor’s hands.
What we need from you
Nothing at this stage, unless the paperwork raises a question only you can answer, such as how you plan to use the property.
What can slow it down
- The seller has not yet instructed a solicitor, or has not completed their forms.
- For a leasehold property, the seller has not yet ordered the management pack, the information about the building that the freeholder or managing agent provides (see buying a leasehold property).
We chase the seller’s solicitor and tell you if the papers are slow to arrive.
Step 4 of 12: Searches ordered
What happens
We order your searches. Searches are reports from the local council and other organisations about things you cannot see on a viewing. A typical set includes:
- a local authority search, covering planning history, roads and council notices that affect the property;
- a drainage and water search, showing whether the property is connected to the public sewer and mains water;
- an environmental search, covering flood risk, ground contamination and similar risks;
- other searches where the location calls for them, such as a mining search in a former mining area.
Why it matters
- Searches can reveal problems that affect the property’s value or your plans for it.
- Most lenders require them before they will lend.
How long it usually takes
Usually 2 to 6 weeks. Some councils take longer than others.
What we need from you
Nothing at this stage, unless we have asked for your payment on account and have not received it.
What can slow it down
Council backlogs. This is the most common wait outside anyone’s control. We track each search and tell you if one is taking unusually long. To find out more, read our articles on the role of searches in conveyancing and how property searches are completed.
Step 5 of 12: Searches received
What happens
All the search results are back, and we review them.
Why it matters
Anything significant goes into our report to you, so you know about it before you sign.
How long it usually takes
Usually a few days to review the results.
What we need from you
Nothing, unless a result needs your view.
What can slow it down
A result that needs more enquiries, such as building work with no building regulations sign-off (the council’s confirmation that the work met building standards). This is often resolved with an indemnity policy, a one-off insurance policy that covers a specific legal risk. We explain the options if this affects you.
Step 6 of 12: Enquiries raised
What happens
We send our questions about the property and the paperwork to the seller’s solicitor. These questions are called enquiries.
Why it matters
This is how we protect you from surprises after you have committed to buy.
How long it usually takes
This is often the longest stage, commonly 2 to 6 weeks. It depends on the seller and their solicitor, and it often goes quiet while we wait for replies.
What we need from you
Nothing at this stage. We may come back to you if a reply affects you. If you noticed anything on a viewing that you would like us to ask about, such as an extension or a shared driveway, tell us now.
What can slow it down
- Slow or partial replies, which mean we have to ask follow-up questions.
- Missing documents, such as building regulations certificates or guarantees.
- For a leasehold property, replies needed from the freeholder or managing agent.
We chase replies regularly and keep you informed.
Step 7 of 12: Mortgage offer received
If you are buying without a mortgage, this stage does not apply to you.
What happens
Your lender issues your mortgage offer, and we check its conditions against the property and the contract.
Why it matters
We cannot exchange until your offer is in place and we can meet its conditions.
How long it usually takes
Usually 2 to 4 weeks from your application, after the lender’s valuation. This part is between you, your broker and your lender, and it often runs at the same time as the searches and enquiries.
What we need from you
- Read your copy of the offer carefully.
- Tell us straight away if anything in it is wrong, or if your circumstances have changed since you applied, such as your job, your income or the deposit you are putting in. Why: a change can affect the offer.
- Tell us who your broker is, so we can work together.
What can slow it down
- A down-valuation. This is when the lender’s valuer decides the property is worth less than the price, so the lender may offer to lend less.
- The lender asking for more information.
- The offer expiring before completion, because offers are valid for a limited time.
Step 8 of 12: Enquiries answered
What happens
We now have satisfactory replies to our enquiries. We prepare our report on the property, the contract and anything you should know before you commit.
Why it matters
Everything comes together here, so you can make an informed decision.
How long it usually takes
About 1 to 2 weeks to prepare the report.
What we need from you
Nothing yet. Your conveyancer will contact you to go through the report and arrange signing.
What can slow it down
A late reply that raises a new question, or a search result or mortgage condition that is still outstanding. We tell you what is outstanding and who we are waiting on.
Step 9 of 12: Report to client & signed
What happens
We have reported to you. You sign the contract, the transfer deed and, if you are borrowing, your mortgage deed. The transfer deed, called a TR1, is the document that transfers ownership to you. The mortgage deed gives your lender security over the property.
Why it matters
With these documents signed, we can exchange as soon as everyone in the chain is ready.
How long it usually takes
Usually a few days, depending on when you are available to sign.
What we need from you
- The signed documents, witnessed correctly. Why: the witness must be an independent adult who is not a family member, your partner or anyone else involved in the transaction. We will tell you if your lender has extra requirements. A deed that is witnessed incorrectly has to be signed again, which delays exchange.
- Your deposit, as cleared funds, before exchange. Cleared funds means money that has arrived in our account and is available to use. Why: we pay the deposit to the seller’s solicitor on exchange.
- Before you pay, call us on the number you already have for us to confirm our bank details.
What can slow it down
- Waiting for other people in the chain to be ready.
- Funds that have not cleared in time.
Step 10 of 12: Exchanged (completion date set)
What happens
We exchange contracts with the seller’s solicitor. Exchange is the point where your purchase becomes legally binding and the completion date is fixed. Completion is the day the money is paid, the property becomes yours and you get the keys.
Why it matters
From now on, pulling out has serious financial consequences for either side.
How long it usually takes
The gap between exchange and completion is agreed by everyone in the chain. It is often 1 to 4 weeks, and it can be the same day.
What we need from you
- Book your removals.
- Arrange buildings insurance from the date of exchange. Why: you are committed to buying from exchange, so we recommend cover from that date. Your lender will require cover from completion at the latest.
- Pay the balance shown on your completion statement, as cleared funds, in good time before completion, usually at least two working days before. Your conveyancer will confirm the date. The completion statement is our account of the money needed to complete. Check with your bank about daily transfer limits, and call us on the number you already have for us to confirm our bank details first.
What can slow it down
Your balance not reaching us in time, or a problem further up the chain. Our completion day guide explains what to do between now and moving day.
Step 11 of 12: Completed
What happens
The money has reached the seller’s solicitor, the property is yours, and the estate agent releases the keys.
Why it matters
This is the day you move in.
How long it usually takes
Completion happens on the agreed day. Many completions take place around midday to early afternoon, depending on how the money moves through the chain.
What we need from you
Nothing for the legal steps. The completion day guide covers the practical side.
What can slow it down
Money moving slowly through the chain. Our guide explains what happens if completion is delayed.
Step 12 of 12: Post-completion
What happens
- We pay your Stamp Duty Land Tax and file the return. The return is due within 14 days of completion. For property in Wales, Land Transaction Tax applies instead, and its return is due within 30 days.
- We apply to HM Land Registry to register you as the owner, together with your lender’s charge. A charge is the lender’s legal claim over the property until the mortgage is repaid.
Why it matters
Registration makes your ownership official on the public record.
How long it usually takes
We file the Stamp Duty return within the 14-day legal deadline. Registration at HM Land Registry can take weeks or many months. HM Land Registry publishes its current processing times.
What we need from you
Nothing. When registration is complete, we send you a copy of the updated title and close your file.
What can slow it down
Land Registry backlogs, or questions from HM Land Registry about the application, called requisitions. We answer them for you. Our article on what happens after completion explains this stage in more detail.
If you are buying a leasehold property
Most of the stages are the same, but a leasehold purchase involves extra checks and usually takes longer.
- The management pack. The freeholder or managing agent provides information about the building, the service charge, the ground rent, any planned works and the rules in the lease.
- The lease. We check how many years are left, what the lease allows and prevents, and what you will have to pay. Some lenders will not lend on a lease below a certain length.
- Consent. Some leases require the freeholder’s consent to the sale, or require you to sign a document agreeing to the lease terms.
Why it takes longer: management packs commonly take 2 to 6 weeks to arrive, and most of that time is outside our control and the seller’s.
If you are buying a new build
- Developer deadlines. Developers often set a deadline to exchange, commonly 28 days from the reservation. That can leave little time to arrange your mortgage and sign.
- The warranty. We check that the property has a new-home warranty, such as one from NHBC, which covers certain defects for a set period.
- Estate charges. Some new developments charge owners for the upkeep of shared roads and green spaces.
- The completion date. If the property is not finished at exchange, the completion date may depend on building progress. The developer then serves a “notice to complete”, which gives you a short period to complete once the home is ready.
Read more in our article on buying a new build.
If you are buying and selling at the same time
- Your sale and your purchase are linked. They usually exchange and complete on the same day.
- The money from your sale pays for your purchase, so we cannot complete one without the other.
- Together with other linked sales and purchases, they form a chain. A chain moves at the pace of its slowest link, so one delay anywhere can hold up everyone.
- We handle both completions together on the day.
Our selling guide explains the stages of your sale.
What we need from you: the full checklist
Every item has a reason. Sending each one complete and on time helps keep your purchase moving.
- Signed client care letter and terms. Our professional rules require us to give you clear information about our terms and costs before we start work.
- Payment on account for searches. Search fees have to be paid up front when we order them.
- Photo ID and proof of address, through our online ID check. The Money Laundering Regulations 2017 require it, and it protects you from identity fraud.
- Proof of funds: full bank statements, and for any gift, a signed gift declaration with the giver’s ID and statements. The law requires us to trace every source, and lenders require it too.
- Your mortgage details and your broker’s contact details, and news of any change in your circumstances. Your lender’s conditions must be met before exchange.
- Signed contract, transfer deed and mortgage deed, witnessed correctly. We need them to exchange, and a wrongly witnessed deed has to be signed again.
- Your deposit, as cleared funds, before exchange. We pay it to the seller’s solicitor on exchange.
- Buildings insurance from exchange. You are committed to buying from exchange, and your lender will require cover by completion at the latest.
- The balance from your completion statement, in good time. Completion can only happen when all the money is in place, and banks may have daily limits.
- Quick answers to our questions. Every unanswered question pauses your purchase.
Always call us on the number you already have for us to confirm our bank details before sending any money. We will never change them by email, text or phone.
Why things take longer than expected
Most of the waiting in a purchase happens outside our office: at the seller’s solicitor, the council, the managing agent, your lender and, after completion, HM Land Registry. A chain moves at the pace of its slowest link, and a reply to one question can raise another. That is normal, and it protects you.
These stages often go quiet for a while, and that usually means we are waiting on someone else:
- Draft contract received, while the seller’s solicitor prepares the papers;
- Searches ordered, while the council and other organisations work through their queues;
- Enquiries raised, while the seller and their solicitor prepare replies;
- Post-completion, while HM Land Registry processes the registration.
We chase regularly, we email you at every key stage, and we tell you if something is taking unusually long and why. Our conveyancing overview explains the common causes of delay, and our article on why a property sale can take so long goes into more detail.
Further reading
- Our property purchase checklist
- Our guide for first-time buyers
- GOV.UK’s Stamp Duty Land Tax calculator and, for property in Wales, the Welsh Government’s Land Transaction Tax calculator
Frequently asked questions
How long does buying a house take?
A straightforward freehold purchase in a short chain usually takes 10 to 14 weeks from instruction to completion. A leasehold purchase, a new build or a long chain can take longer. The stages that most often decide the timetable are the searches, the enquiries and your mortgage offer. Each stage above shows how long it usually takes, and your conveyancer can tell you where your own purchase stands.
Why haven’t I heard from you for a while?
Some stages, such as waiting for searches or for replies to our enquiries, can go quiet for a few weeks while we wait on other people. That is normal, and it does not mean nothing is happening. We email you each time your purchase reaches a new stage and tell you if something is taking unusually long. If you would like an update in between, reply to any email from us.
When do I pay my deposit?
You pay your deposit to us before exchange of contracts, as cleared funds, and we pay it to the seller’s solicitor when we exchange. Your conveyancer will tell you the amount and when we need it. Before you send any money, call us on the number you already have for us to confirm our bank details. We will never change them by email, text or phone.
Do I need a survey as well as searches?
A survey and searches do different jobs. Searches are reports on the property’s legal and environmental position, which we order. A survey is a physical inspection of the building by a surveyor, which you arrange separately. Your lender’s valuation is not a survey: it is for the lender’s benefit. Whether to have a survey, and which kind, is your decision. If a survey raises a legal question, tell us and we will look into it.
Can I pull out after exchange?
Exchange makes the purchase legally binding, so pulling out after exchange has serious financial consequences, including the possible loss of your deposit. Before exchange, either side can usually withdraw without a legal penalty. If you have any doubt about going ahead, tell your conveyancer before you sign, and we will explain your position.
Who pays the Stamp Duty, and when?
As the buyer, you pay Stamp Duty Land Tax if it is due. We usually include it in your completion statement, pay it to HMRC for you and file the return after completion. The amount depends on the price and your own circumstances, so we do not quote rates here. GOV.UK’s calculator gives an estimate, and we confirm the figure for your purchase.
What happens if my mortgage offer expires?
Mortgage offers are valid for a limited time. If yours is close to expiring before completion, tell your broker and us straight away. Your lender may extend it or ask for updated information, which can take time. We check the expiry date when your offer arrives and will tell you if it could become a problem.
When do I get the keys?
You get the keys on completion day, once the money has reached the seller’s solicitor and they have confirmed it. The estate agent usually releases them. Timing depends on the chain, so it can be later in the day than you expect. Our completion day guide explains how the day works.
Do I need to come into your office?
In most cases, no. We can usually handle everything by phone, email and post, and we check your identity through our secure online ID check. Your deeds must be signed in front of a suitable witness, but the witness does not need to be at our office.
How to reach us
- Your conveyancer's name and contact details are in every email we send you. Replies to those emails go straight to them.
- We aim to reply within one working day. Our office is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.
- Our Windsor office: 01753 770 775. You can also find all our contact details.
- If you are unhappy with our service, please tell your conveyancer first. Our complaints procedure explains what happens next.
Questions about your own purchase?
Reply to any email from us, or call your conveyancer on 01753 770 775.
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