Buying, selling, remortgaging or transferring equity? Crestfield matches you with regulated, fixed-fee conveyancing solicitors across England — completely free and with no obligation to proceed.
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of property from one person or entity to another. It covers everything that happens between a buyer and seller agreeing a price and the legal completion of the transaction — when ownership formally changes hands and keys are handed over.
In England, conveyancing must be carried out by a licensed conveyancer or solicitor who is regulated either by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC). Attempting to manage your own conveyancing without professional legal representation is not something most mortgage lenders will permit, and the risks involved in mishandling property title, searches or contract terms make professional instruction essential for virtually all transactions.
A conveyancing solicitor acts as your legal representative throughout the property transaction. On the buyer's side, they investigate the title to the property, raise enquiries with the seller's solicitor, order and review property searches, advise on the results of those searches, report to your mortgage lender, negotiate and exchange contracts, and ultimately complete the transaction — registering your ownership at HM Land Registry. On the seller's side, they prepare the contract pack, respond to buyer enquiries, deal with any existing mortgage redemption, and manage the transfer of sale proceeds.
Conveyancing is one of the most important professional services involved in any property transaction, and yet it is frequently selected on price alone. The quality of your conveyancing solicitor can make the difference between a smooth transaction and a stressful, delayed one — which is why Crestfield only matches you with regulated, experienced conveyancing solicitors across England.
Whether you're buying your first home, selling an investment property, or remortgaging — our panel covers every conveyancing transaction type across England.
Full conveyancing for buyers of residential property — from first-time buyers to experienced investors and downsizers.
Your solicitor investigates the title, orders all required searches, reviews the contract and transfers deed, raises enquiries with the seller's solicitor, reports to your mortgage lender if applicable, exchanges contracts, arranges the transfer of your deposit and mortgage funds on completion, pays Stamp Duty Land Tax on your behalf, and registers your ownership at HM Land Registry. A thorough, professionally managed purchase is essential to protect your investment and ensure you take title free of unexpected legal problems.
Most CommonLegal representation for sellers of residential property — managing the full sale process from instruction to completion.
Your solicitor prepares the contract pack, obtains official copies of your title from HM Land Registry, drafts the Transfer deed, responds to the buyer's pre-contract enquiries, liaises with your mortgage lender to obtain a redemption statement, exchanges contracts, and manages the transfer of sale proceeds on completion — including redeeming any existing mortgage and transferring the net proceeds to you. For leasehold sales, the solicitor also obtains a Management Information Pack from your managing agent or freeholder.
SellingConveyancing for residential remortgages — switching to a new lender, releasing equity, or changing mortgage terms.
Remortgage conveyancing is typically simpler and faster than a full purchase transaction, as there is no property sale involved. Your solicitor verifies the title to your property, reviews the new lender's offer and instructions, investigates any title issues that need to be resolved before the new mortgage is registered, arranges redemption of your existing mortgage on the completion date, and registers the new charge at HM Land Registry. Many lenders will accept the borrower's solicitor acting for both parties on a standard remortgage — reducing costs.
RemortgageLegal transfer of a share in a property — adding or removing a person from the title without a full sale.
A transfer of equity is required when you wish to add a partner or family member to the legal title of your property, remove a co-owner (for example, following a separation or divorce), or transfer ownership to a family member as a gift or for tax planning purposes. If the property is mortgaged, the mortgage lender's consent is required and they will usually instruct a solicitor to act on their behalf. Stamp Duty Land Tax may be payable depending on the circumstances of the transfer.
TransferSpecialist conveyancing for buyers of new-build homes — with experience of developer contracts, Help to Buy, and off-plan purchases.
New-build conveyancing is a specialist area. Developer contracts are typically prepared by the developer's solicitors and heavily weighted in the developer's favour. An experienced new-build conveyancing solicitor will review these contracts carefully, negotiate amendments, advise on the implications of the new-build warranty (NHBC Buildmark or similar), manage any Help to Buy or shared ownership arrangements, deal with the reservation agreement, and ensure exchange takes place within the developer's required exchange deadline. Off-plan purchases involve additional complexity around completion timescales.
New BuildSpecialist conveyancing for leasehold properties — including flats, maisonettes, and leasehold houses.
Leasehold conveyancing is more complex than freehold, requiring investigation of the lease itself, the service charge accounts, ground rent provisions, management company details, and any ongoing disputes or planned major works. For purchases, your solicitor reviews the lease, raises enquiries with the freeholder and managing agent, and obtains a Management Information Pack. For sales, they obtain the same information from your managing agent to include in the contract pack. Understanding the remaining lease term is critical — leases below 80 years are significantly harder to mortgage and more expensive to extend.
LeaseholdConveyancing for shared ownership purchases — buying a percentage share in a property with a housing association.
Shared ownership conveyancing involves both a purchase of a share in the property and a lease granted by the housing association. The conveyancing is therefore leasehold in nature and requires review of the shared ownership lease, the housing association's requirements, any restrictions on the property, and the mortgage offer. Your solicitor manages both the share purchase and the lease simultaneously, liaising with the housing association's solicitor throughout. Staircasing — purchasing additional equity shares — requires a separate conveyancing transaction each time.
Shared OwnershipConveyancing for landlords purchasing residential property as a buy-to-let investment — whether in personal names or through a limited company.
Buy-to-let conveyancing is similar to a standard residential purchase but involves additional considerations — including confirmation that the property is suitable for letting, review of any existing tenancy agreements if the property is tenanted, advice on the Stamp Duty Land Tax surcharge for additional dwellings, and (for limited company purchases) the additional steps required when the buyer is a corporate entity rather than an individual. Our panel includes solicitors experienced in both personal and limited company buy-to-let acquisitions.
InvestmentLegal assistance for leaseholders extending the term of their lease — either by informal agreement with the freeholder or through the statutory route under the Leasehold Reform Act.
Lease extensions are a critical piece of legal work for flat owners with short leases. A lease with fewer than 80 years remaining is significantly harder to sell and more expensive to mortgage — and the cost of extending increases substantially as the lease falls below this threshold. Leaseholders who have owned their flat for at least two years have the legal right to extend their lease by 90 years under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. Your solicitor manages the statutory process, negotiates the premium with the freeholder, and registers the extended lease at HM Land Registry.
Lease ExtensionUnderstanding each stage of the conveyancing process helps you know what to expect — and where delays can occur. Here is a full step-by-step guide for buyers.
Once your offer is accepted by the seller, you instruct a conveyancing solicitor. Your solicitor sends you a client care letter, terms of engagement, and anti-money laundering identification requirements. The seller's solicitor prepares the contract pack.
At this stage your solicitor will also confirm whether you have a mortgage in principle, and whether you require a survey — which should be arranged in parallel with the conveyancing. Crestfield can help you arrange both your conveyancing and your survey simultaneously.
Week 1–2Your solicitor receives the draft contract pack from the seller's solicitor — including the title documents, the property information form (TA6), the fittings and contents form (TA10), and for leaseholds, the leasehold information form (TA7). Your solicitor orders property searches simultaneously.
The TA6 form contains important information about the property including disputes, notices received, alterations, planning permissions, and the property's boundaries. Your solicitor reviews this carefully and raises pre-contract enquiries where clarification is needed. Searches typically take 1–4 weeks to return depending on the local authority.
Week 2–3Your mortgage lender instructs a valuation (and potentially a survey). Once satisfied, they issue a formal mortgage offer. Your solicitor reviews the mortgage offer and confirms their instructions from the lender. Meanwhile, search results return and are reviewed.
Your solicitor reports to you on the results of the searches, title investigation, and pre-contract enquiries — flagging any issues that need to be resolved before exchange. If the search results reveal any significant concerns (flood risk, planning notices, contamination), your solicitor will advise you on the implications and whether further investigation is needed.
Week 3–6Your solicitor produces a Report on Title — a comprehensive summary of the property, its legal title, the results of searches, the terms of the contract, and any matters requiring your attention. You review this, raise any remaining questions, and sign the contract and Transfer deed.
You also pay your deposit to your solicitor at this stage (typically 5–10% of the purchase price), ready for exchange of contracts. It is important to have your buildings insurance in place from the date of exchange — as legal responsibility for the property passes to the buyer at exchange.
Week 5–8Exchange of contracts is the point at which the transaction becomes legally binding. Both parties' solicitors exchange signed contracts simultaneously over the telephone. Your deposit is transferred to the seller's solicitor. A completion date is agreed and confirmed in the contract.
Once contracts have exchanged, neither party can withdraw without significant financial penalties. The seller cannot accept a higher offer from another buyer (gazumping) and you cannot reduce your offer or withdraw without losing your deposit. The period between exchange and completion is typically 1–4 weeks, though it can be longer for onward chains.
Exchange DayOn the agreed completion date, your solicitor transfers the remaining purchase funds (including your mortgage funds) to the seller's solicitor. Once funds are received, the seller's solicitor confirms completion — and the seller vacates and releases the keys.
Your solicitor then pays Stamp Duty Land Tax to HMRC on your behalf (this must be done within 14 days of completion) and registers your ownership at HM Land Registry. Registration can take several weeks or months for straightforward transactions, and longer for complex ones — though you are the legal owner from the date of completion regardless of when registration is completed.
Completion DayAfter completion, your solicitor pays your SDLT liability to HMRC, submits the application to register your ownership at HM Land Registry, and sends you your title documents once registration is complete.
You should receive your official title register and title plan from HM Land Registry once registration is complete — confirming that you are the registered proprietor of the property. Keep these documents safely, along with any other key documents relating to the property (planning permissions, building regulations certificates, warranties, guarantees etc.).
Post-CompletionConveyancing costs are made up of two parts: the solicitor's professional fee, and disbursements — third-party costs that your solicitor pays on your behalf.
Fixed fees from our panel — approximate guide prices only. Always get a full quote.
The fees above are approximate guide prices only. The exact fee will depend on the purchase price, property type, transaction complexity, and the individual solicitor. Use our free quoting service to receive accurate, itemised quotes from solicitors in your area.
Disbursements are third-party costs paid by your solicitor on your behalf as part of the conveyancing process. They are separate from the solicitor's professional fee and are passed on to you at cost — your solicitor makes no profit on disbursements. A reputable solicitor will itemise all anticipated disbursements clearly in their initial quote.
An official search of the register at HM Land Registry — protecting you against registrations that may be made between exchange and completion.
Reveals planning decisions, enforcement notices, road adoption, and other matters held by the local council affecting the property.
Confirms whether the property is connected to public sewers and water mains, and whether any public sewers run beneath the property.
Reviews historical land use data for contamination risk, flood risk, and other environmental hazards in the vicinity of the property.
The fee to register your ownership and (if applicable) your mortgage at HM Land Registry. Calculated on the purchase price on a sliding scale.
A government tax on property purchases above £250,000 (standard rate). Rates vary depending on buyer status — first-time buyers, second home buyers, and limited companies all have different thresholds and rates.
The fee charged by your solicitor's bank for the telegraphic transfer of funds on completion day.
Property searches are investigations made by your solicitor into specific aspects of a property and its surrounding area. Some are mandatory for mortgage purposes; others are recommended depending on the location and type of property.
Checks planning history, enforcement notices, tree preservation orders, road adoption status, compulsory purchase orders, and other entries held by the local council. Essential for understanding what is recorded about the property and nearby planned developments.
MandatoryConfirms whether the property is connected to public sewers and the mains water supply. Critically, it identifies whether any public sewers or water mains cross the land — which could restrict development and require a build-over agreement for any works.
MandatoryReviews environmental databases for contaminated land risk, flood risk from rivers and surface water, proximity to landfill sites, and other environmental hazards. If the results flag significant risk, a more detailed specialist report may be recommended.
MandatoryA detailed search confirming the status of drainage infrastructure serving the property and the adoption status of roads, footpaths, and public open spaces. Confirms who is responsible for the maintenance of highways adjacent to the property.
MandatoryEssential in areas with a history of coal mining — particularly the Midlands, North East, Yorkshire, and South Wales areas of England. Identifies whether the property is at risk of mining subsidence and whether any mine entries are recorded nearby.
Location-DependentAn optional additional local authority search covering matters such as road proposals, listed building notices, conservation area designations, smoke control orders, and other planning-related matters not included in the standard local authority search.
OptionalA historical liability that can affect properties near medieval churches — requiring the landowner to contribute to the cost of chancel repairs. Though rare, the liability can be substantial. A search confirms whether any risk is registered and insurance is available.
RecommendedA detailed assessment of flood risk from multiple sources — rivers, surface water, groundwater, and coastal flooding. More detailed than the flood risk element of a standard environmental search. Increasingly important for mortgage lenders and insurers.
Recommended for Risk AreasUnderstanding the difference between freehold and leasehold is essential before buying a property in England. They have very different legal characteristics and obligations.
When you buy a freehold property, you own the building and the land it sits on outright — indefinitely. There is no time limit on your ownership and no ground rent or service charge to pay to a separate landlord or freeholder (unless there is a residents' management company). The vast majority of houses in England are sold freehold.
When you buy a leasehold property, you are buying the right to occupy the property for the remaining term of the lease — typically 99, 125 or 999 years from a historical grant date. You do not own the building or land outright; instead, you hold a long lease from the freeholder (also called the landlord). Most flats in England are sold leasehold.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 made significant changes to the leasehold system in England, including restricting new ground rent obligations, making it easier and cheaper to extend a lease or buy the freehold, and strengthening leaseholder rights in relation to service charges and management. The law in this area continues to evolve — our panel solicitors are up to date with the latest leasehold reform legislation and will advise you on how it affects your transaction.
Any time legal ownership of a property changes hands in England — or a new mortgage is registered — conveyancing is required by law.
Buying your first home is likely the largest transaction of your life. A good conveyancing solicitor will guide you through the process clearly, explain every document, and ensure your interests are fully protected from offer to completion.
Moving to a new property involves simultaneous sale and purchase conveyancing — often within a chain. An experienced solicitor who communicates proactively is essential to keeping the transaction on track and avoiding delays at critical moments.
Buy-to-let and portfolio investors need solicitors who understand investment property — including SDLT surcharge calculations, limited company acquisitions, tenancy considerations, and the additional searches relevant to investment properties.
Switching mortgage lender, releasing equity, or changing the mortgage terms on your existing property all require conveyancing to register the new mortgage at HM Land Registry and redeem the old one.
Transferring property to a spouse, partner, parent, or child — whether as a gift, for tax planning, or following a relationship breakdown — requires a formal transfer of equity and, where there is a mortgage, the lender's consent.
Sellers need a conveyancing solicitor to prepare the contract pack, respond to buyer enquiries, redeem any existing mortgage, and transfer the legal title to the buyer on completion. An efficient seller's solicitor can significantly reduce transaction timescales.
New build purchases have unique complexities — including developer-drafted contracts, exchange deadlines, Help to Buy schemes, snagging lists, and building warranties. A solicitor with new-build experience is strongly recommended.
Leaseholders extending their lease — whether by informal negotiation with the freeholder or through the formal statutory route — need specialist conveyancing solicitors with direct experience of leasehold enfranchisement and lease extension work.
There are dozens of ways to find a conveyancing solicitor. Here's why using Crestfield delivers a better experience than going it alone.
Our matching service costs you nothing. Solicitors on our panel pay a referral fee — you pay zero to receive and compare quotes.
Every solicitor and licensed conveyancer on our panel is regulated by the SRA or the CLC — fully insured and authorised to carry out conveyancing in England.
All quotes from our panel are fixed-fee — meaning the professional fee you're quoted is the fee you pay, with no unexpected extras at the end.
Many solicitors on our panel offer no-sale no-fee conveyancing for buyers — meaning if your purchase falls through before exchange, you pay nothing in legal fees.
Regulated conveyancing solicitors covering every county and major city across England — from Cornwall to Cumbria.
Crestfield is unique in providing free quotes for both your conveyancing and your property survey — so you can coordinate both from one place.
We match you with up to 3 solicitors so you can compare fees and service levels before committing to any instruction.
Receiving quotes through Crestfield does not obligate you to instruct any solicitor. Compare freely and decide in your own time.
"As a first-time buyer, the whole conveyancing process felt daunting. Crestfield matched me with a brilliant solicitor who explained everything clearly at every stage. I had three quotes within 24 hours, chose the best value option, and the transaction completed smoothly. Would absolutely recommend."
"We had a complicated leasehold purchase — short lease, complex service charge history, and a chain of four. The solicitor Crestfield recommended had extensive leasehold experience and kept everything moving. They flagged an issue with the lease that saved us a significant amount in potential future costs. Exceptional."
"I used Crestfield for both my survey and my conveyancing on the same purchase. Having both arranged through one service was genuinely convenient — and the fact that the surveyor's report highlighted a roofing issue meant my solicitor could raise it formally as a pre-exchange enquiry. Really joined-up service."
Every solicitor on our panel is regulated by the SRA or CLC
The fee you're quoted is the fee you pay — no hidden extras
Many panel solicitors offer no-sale no-fee for buyers
Conveyancing solicitors in every county across England
Our matching service costs you nothing
Crestfield is the only service that provides free quotes for both your conveyancing solicitor and your property survey in one place. Getting both arranged together means your solicitor can reference your survey findings formally in pre-exchange enquiries — and you have a joined-up picture of the property before you commit.
Tell us what you need when you submit your enquiry — we'll arrange quotes for both simultaneously.
Everything you need to know about the conveyancing process, costs, timescales, and using Crestfield to find your solicitor.
The average residential conveyancing transaction in England currently takes 12–16 weeks from offer to completion, though this varies significantly depending on the complexity of the transaction, the length of the chain, and the responsiveness of all parties involved. Simple freehold purchases with no chain can complete in 6–8 weeks. Leasehold transactions, new builds, and long chains can take 4–6 months or more.
The most common causes of delay are slow local authority searches, late mortgage offers, complex leasehold enquiries, and parties in the chain who are not ready to proceed. A proactive solicitor who chases all parties regularly is one of the most effective ways to keep a transaction moving.
Exchange of contracts is when both parties sign identical contracts and swap them — making the transaction legally binding. Once contracts are exchanged, neither party can withdraw without significant financial penalties (the buyer forfeits their deposit; the seller may be sued for specific performance). A completion date is fixed in the contract at the time of exchange.
Completion is when the remaining purchase funds are transferred and legal ownership changes hands. Keys are released by the seller and the buyer can move in. The gap between exchange and completion is typically 1–4 weeks, but can be longer if the parties require it.
Conveyancing in England is now almost entirely conducted by email, online portals, and post — so there is no requirement to use a local solicitor. You can instruct a conveyancing solicitor anywhere in England regardless of where the property is located. Many buyers use online or regional solicitors offering competitive fixed fees.
That said, there are some situations where local knowledge can be beneficial — particularly in areas with specific local land charges, mining searches, or other location-specific considerations. Our panel includes both local and national solicitors, and we'll match you with the most appropriate option for your transaction.
No-sale no-fee conveyancing (also called no-completion no-fee) means that if your property purchase falls through before exchange of contracts — for any reason — you do not pay the solicitor's professional fee. You may still be liable for disbursements already incurred (such as search fees), but the solicitor's fee itself is not charged.
No-sale no-fee is a very useful protection for buyers, as a significant number of property transactions fall through before exchange. Many solicitors on our panel offer this as standard. When receiving quotes, always check whether they are no-sale no-fee and what disbursements would be retained if the transaction does not proceed.
A property chain is a sequence of linked property transactions where each purchase depends on the completion of the one before it. For example: you are buying a property from someone who is simultaneously buying another property, whose seller is also buying elsewhere — creating a chain of three or more transactions that must all complete simultaneously.
Chains are one of the main causes of delay and stress in residential conveyancing. If any party in the chain encounters a problem — a slow search, a mortgage issue, a failed survey — it can delay or collapse the entire chain. Shorter chains (or chain-free transactions such as new builds or purchases from estates) tend to complete more quickly and reliably.
You should instruct a conveyancing solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted. Some buyers go further and identify and instruct a solicitor before making an offer — so they are ready to proceed immediately once an offer is accepted. This can help demonstrate to a seller that you are a serious buyer and reduce the risk of being gazumped.
Delaying the instruction of a solicitor after your offer is accepted unnecessarily extends the transaction timeline and can frustrate the seller. Obtaining conveyancing quotes through Crestfield before your offer is accepted costs nothing and means you are ready to move immediately.
Stamp Duty Land Tax is a government tax on property purchases in England. The rates and thresholds depend on the purchase price, whether you are a first-time buyer, and whether you own any other properties. As of 2025, the main residential rates are: 0% on the first £250,000; 5% on £250,001–£925,000; 10% on £925,001–£1.5m; and 12% above £1.5m.
First-time buyers benefit from a higher nil-rate threshold (up to £425,000 on properties priced up to £625,000). Buyers of additional residential properties (buy-to-let investors, second home buyers) pay a surcharge on top of standard rates. The government's SDLT calculator on gov.uk is the most reliable source for an accurate calculation for your specific circumstances.
In the vast majority of cases, no. SRA rules prevent solicitors from acting for both the buyer and the seller in a residential property transaction where there is a conflict of interest — and there almost always is, since buyer and seller have fundamentally opposing interests in the negotiation of terms. There is a narrow exception for conveyancers who are established clients with no conflict, but this is rarely applicable in practice.
Buyer and seller must each instruct their own independent conveyancing solicitor. Each party then pays their own legal costs. Using the same firm as the seller is not something we would recommend, and most solicitors will decline to act in this situation.
If your property survey (HomeBuyer Report or Building Survey) identifies significant defects, you have several options. You can proceed without any change; you can renegotiate the purchase price to reflect the cost of remedial works; you can ask the seller to carry out the works before exchange; or in extreme cases you can withdraw from the transaction entirely (before exchange, at no legal cost).
Your conveyancing solicitor can raise any survey findings formally as pre-contract enquiries with the seller's solicitor — putting issues on the legal record and requiring the seller to respond. This is one of the key reasons why commissioning a survey and using Crestfield for both services can be particularly valuable — your solicitor is already engaged and can act on survey findings immediately.
Indemnity insurance is a one-off insurance policy that protects a buyer (and their lender) against specific legal defects in the property's title or compliance history — such as missing planning permission documentation, absent building regulations certificates, breach of restrictive covenant, or lack of a formal right of way. Rather than resolving the underlying issue (which may not be possible for historical matters), indemnity insurance provides financial protection against any future loss arising from the defect.
Indemnity insurance is routinely used in residential conveyancing to resolve minor defects that would otherwise hold up a transaction. Premiums are typically modest for standard policies (£50–£200 as a one-off payment) and the policy runs with the land — so future owners are also covered. Your solicitor will advise on whether indemnity insurance is appropriate for any specific issue that arises in your transaction.
Yes, completely free for clients. Our matching service operates on a referral model — solicitors on our panel pay a referral fee when they are matched with a client and successfully instructed. You pay nothing to receive quotes, compare solicitors, or use our service in any way.
There is no obligation to instruct any solicitor from the quotes you receive. You are free to use the information from our quotes to inform your decision — whether you ultimately instruct one of our panel solicitors or choose to go elsewhere.
Yes — and this is one of our key advantages over other referral services. Crestfield provides free quotes for both your conveyancing solicitor and your property survey from the same form, matched simultaneously. You can indicate in your enquiry that you need both, and we will arrange quotes for both a RICS-accredited surveyor and a conveyancing solicitor in one go.
Having your survey and conveyancing coordinated through a single service means your solicitor is already engaged when your survey report arrives — and can immediately raise any significant survey findings as formal pre-contract enquiries with the seller's solicitor, adding legal weight to any renegotiation.
Fill in the form and we'll match you with regulated, fixed-fee conveyancing solicitors in your area — typically within 24 hours. Up to 3 quotes, completely free.
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Our service costs you nothing. Receive up to 3 quotes from regulated conveyancing solicitors and compare freely — no pressure to instruct.
All quotes from our panel are fixed-fee — the professional fee you're quoted is the fee you pay, with no unexpected extras at completion.
Many solicitors on our panel offer no-sale no-fee for buyers — meaning if your purchase falls through before exchange, you pay nothing in legal fees.
Tick the survey option above and we'll arrange survey quotes at the same time — HomeBuyer Reports, Building Surveys, or Mortgage Valuations.
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