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Last Updated: October 13th, 2026
If you’re selling a property in the UK, you’ll need to instruct a conveyancer to work on your behalf during the sale process.
In short, a conveyancer handles the legal side of your sale. They prove you own the property, prepare the contract pack, answer the buyer’s solicitor’s questions, exchange contracts and, on completion day, pay off your mortgage and send you the balance. In 2026 that work also includes the new version of the TA6 property information form, which became mandatory on 30 March 2026.
A conveyancer is a legal expert who handles the sale of property and looks after all parties’ interests. The seller’s conveyancer will work with the buyer’s conveyancer to ensure that all legal and financial aspects of the sale are dealt with properly.
Conveyancers help sellers to sell properties by taking on all of the legal and technical aspects of the sale to make sure that it’s done properly. But what exactly does this mean, and what does a conveyancer’s fee cover? Here are nine key tasks that a conveyancer carries out when working on behalf of a seller.
A conveyancer is hired by a seller to support the sale of their property and guide them through the legal process of selling. They’re there to answer any questions that the seller might have about the process and ensure that the sale goes smoothly by chasing up the buyer’s solicitor when necessary.
The best time to do this is before your home goes on the market. Our guide on when you should instruct a conveyancing solicitor explains why instructing early can take weeks off a sale.
Conveyancers carry out an identity check on the seller in order to meet anti-money laundering regulations, and confirm that the seller is the registered owner with the legal right to sell. They also check that the buyer’s solicitor is a genuine, regulated firm before any documents or money change hands. The buyer’s own conveyancer verifies the buyer’s identity and where their funds come from, so both sides of the transaction are protected. These checks are one of the most effective ways to protect yourself from property fraud.
If you’re selling a house, there’s a lot of paperwork involved in the transaction. Conveyancers obtain the title deeds of the property as well as the details of all mortgages secured on the property. They gather information on both the seller and the buyer and send along relevant documents, such as the fittings and contents form, to the buyer’s conveyancer.
The most important of these is the property information form. If you sold a property before spring 2026, you will notice the paperwork looks different, and our guide to the new TA6 form and what sellers must disclose explains the changes. Your conveyancer will also ask for supporting documents such as your Energy Performance Certificate, building regulations sign-off for any alterations and a FENSA certificate for replacement windows and doors. Gathering these early is one of the easiest ways to avoid delays.
The seller’s conveyancer negotiates the terms of the contract with the buyer’s conveyancer, for example negotiating a day for exchange and a completion date. The seller’s conveyancer then uses this information to draft a contract for both the seller and the buyer to sign.
If you are buying another home at the same time, your conveyancer will coordinate these dates with everyone else involved. Our guide to property chains explains how this works.
On the date of exchange, the seller’s conveyancer and the buyer’s conveyancer exchange contracts usually over the phone, checking that both parties have signed identical contracts and how much deposit has been paid. They also carry out calculations to work out how much, if anything, the seller owes on their mortgage and any other charges or payments that need to be made on completion of the sale.
At this stage your conveyancer will also approve the transfer deed prepared by the buyer’s solicitor, usually a TR1 form, and arrange for you to sign it. Once contracts are exchanged, the sale is legally binding, which is why it pays to understand what happens if a purchase falls through after exchange.
Once the buyer’s solicitor reviews the contract pack, they will almost always raise a specific set of questions known as ‘additional enquiries’. Your conveyancer plays a vital role here by filtering these queries; they will answer the technical legal points directly and guide you on how to answer practical questions regarding boundaries, disputes, or planning permissions to ensure you don’t accidentally expose yourself to future liability.
If paperwork for older works cannot be found, your conveyancer may suggest an indemnity policy so the sale can carry on. If the buyer’s survey raises issues, they can also advise you on any request to renegotiate the price.
If you are selling a leasehold property (such as an apartment), the legal workload is significantly higher. Your conveyancer acts as the liaison between you and your freeholder or management company to obtain the ‘Management Pack’ (LPE1 form). This document is essential for the buyer, as it details service charges, ground rent, and insurance, and the sale cannot proceed without it.
For flats in taller buildings, buyers’ lenders will also want evidence on cladding and fire safety, which our guide to the Building Safety Act and EWS1 forms covers. If your lease is getting short, a lease extension before or during the sale can protect its value.
On completion day, the conveyancer does more than just check the bank account. They are responsible for receiving the purchase funds and distributing them correctly. This includes paying off your existing mortgage (redeeming the charge), paying the estate agent’s fees, and finally transferring the remaining balance (the equity) to your personal bank account.
If you bought with a Help to Buy equity loan, that must be repaid from the sale proceeds too, as explained in our guide to repaying a Help to Buy equity loan when you sell. You can find out more about the day itself in completion day and how to prepare for it.
The conveyancer’s job does not end when the keys are handed over. They confirm that your mortgage lender has removed its charge from the title, and on a leasehold sale they serve notice on the freeholder or managing agent and settle any service charge apportionments. Only then is your file closed.
Most sales take between two and four months from accepting an offer to completion, although chains, leasehold properties and slow responses to enquiries can push this out. Our guide to how long selling a house really takes breaks down each stage.
Most firms charge a fixed fee for a sale, with extra costs for leasehold properties and items such as official copies of the register. You can see our conveyancing fees for selling a house on our pricing page, and it is worth asking any firm the questions in our conveyancing checklist before you instruct them.
Do I need a conveyancer to sell my house? You are not legally required to use one, but almost all buyers’ lenders expect a regulated solicitor or conveyancer to act on the sale, and the risks of acting alone are significant.
Can the buyer and seller use the same conveyancer? It is rare and generally not advisable, because their interests conflict. Each side should have their own conveyancer.
What is the difference between a conveyancer and a conveyancing solicitor? Both can handle a sale. A conveyancing solicitor is a qualified solicitor, while a licensed conveyancer specialises only in property. Our article on what a conveyancing solicitor does for the buyer covers the other side of the transaction.
Conveyancers do all this and so much more for property sellers in the UK. If you’re looking for an expert conveyancer to help you sell your home, visit our solicitors for selling a property page or contact us today at 0161 930 5350.
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