Selling a home
Conveyancing When You Sell a House
Selling a property needs a conveyancer just as buying does. Your conveyancer proves you own the property, supplies the information the buyer's solicitor needs, agrees the contract, and on completion day pays off your mortgage and sends you what's left.
Instructing a conveyancer early, ideally when you put the property on the market, is one of the simplest ways to keep a sale moving.
What your conveyancer does when you sell
- Checks your identity and confirms you own the property, using the title at HM Land Registry.
- Sends you the standard property information forms to fill in: usually the Property Information Form (TA6), the Fittings and Contents Form (TA10), and the Leasehold Information Form (TA7) if it's leasehold.
- Prepares the draft contract and sends it, with the title and your forms, to the buyer's solicitor.
- Answers the buyer's solicitor's enquiries, checking with you where needed.
- Gets a redemption figure from your mortgage lender.
- Exchanges contracts, at which point the sale becomes legally binding.
- On completion, receives the buyer's money, pays off your mortgage, pays the estate agent if you've asked them to, and sends you the balance.
What to get ready
Having these to hand before you sell saves weeks of back-and-forth:
- Photo ID and proof of address.
- Your mortgage account details.
- Guarantees and certificates: replacement windows, boiler servicing, electrical work, damp-proofing or other treatments.
- Planning permissions and building regulations sign-off for any extensions or alterations.
- If the property is leasehold: the lease, and the managing agent's contact details.
What selling a house costs in conveyancing
A sale is usually simpler than a purchase on the money side, because the seller doesn't pay for searches or Stamp Duty. Those are the buyer's costs. A seller's quote is mainly the firm's legal fee, plus smaller third-party costs such as official copies of the title, identity checks and bank transfer fees.
The main extra to plan for is leasehold. If you're selling a leasehold property, you'll usually need to buy a management information pack from the landlord or managing agent for the buyer's solicitor. Its price is set by them, so no conveyancer can include it in a fixed fee. On Conveyancing Network it's flagged on the quote rather than left for you to discover later.
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Get selling quotesHow long selling takes
The timetable is largely set by the buyer's side: their searches, their mortgage offer and their own chain. Many sales complete within two to three months of an offer being accepted, but chains can make it longer. Where you can help is by returning your forms quickly and answering enquiries promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do sellers pay for searches?
No. Searches are ordered and paid for by the buyer's solicitor, on the property being bought.
When should I instruct a conveyancer to sell my house?
When you put the property on the market, or as soon as you accept an offer. Instructing early lets your conveyancer prepare the contract pack in advance, so it's ready the moment a buyer is found.
How is my mortgage paid off when I sell?
Your conveyancer asks your lender for a redemption figure before completion, then pays the lender directly from the sale money on completion day and sends you the balance.
Do I pay Stamp Duty when I sell?
No. Stamp Duty Land Tax is paid by the buyer, not the seller.
Does selling a leasehold property cost more?
Often, yes. There's more information to supply, so some firms charge a leasehold supplement, and the seller usually pays for a management information pack from the landlord or managing agent, at a price they set.
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