Why Is Conveyancing Taking So Long?

If your solicitor seems to be doing nothing while weeks tick by, you're not alone. This is the most common complaint buyers have—and it's almost never your solicitor's fault.

The truth is, conveyancing involves waiting for third parties who operate on their own timelines. Here's what's actually happening behind the scenes, and when you should genuinely be concerned.

What's Normal (Even Though It Feels Slow)

Let me set expectations first. These delays are standard and don't indicate problems:

Expected Timescales

In my experience as a conveyancer, 7-10 days of silence is completely normal. Your solicitor is waiting on responses from others. There's nothing they can chase that would help.

Local Authority Search Delays

This is the single biggest variable in conveyancing timescales (per Land Registry guidance), and neither you nor your solicitor has any control over it.

Why Councils Are Slow

Local authority searches check planning history, building control records, road schemes, and more (per gov.uk Building Regulations). Councils handle thousands of these requests with limited staff.

Some councils have invested in digital systems and turn searches around in days. Others are severely understaffed and take weeks.

How Times Vary

Here's the reality across England and Wales:

Your solicitor knows which councils are slow. If they warn you at the start that searches will take time, believe them.

Can You Speed This Up?

Mostly, no. Some options:

• Personal searches: Private companies search council records directly. Faster, but some mortgage lenders don't accept them.
• Search insurance: Skip certain searches and insure against problems. Some lenders accept this; many don't.

Your solicitor will advise whether these are viable for your purchase.

Seller Enquiry Delays

Enquiries are questions your solicitor sends to the seller's solicitor about the property. Slow responses here are incredibly frustrating—and common.

What's Being Asked

Typical enquiries include:

• Who built the conservatory and was it signed off?
• What guarantees exist for the new windows?
• Has there ever been a boundary dispute?
• What's the arrangement for the shared driveway?

These aren't bureaucratic box-ticking. They're genuine questions that affect what you're buying.

Why Sellers Delay

The seller's solicitor can't answer these questions—they need information from their client. Delays happen when sellers are:

• Busy with work or life
• Away on holiday
• Disorganised (can't find paperwork)
• Elderly or unwell
• Divorcing and not communicating
• Simply not prioritising the sale

What Your Solicitor Can Do

They can chase. They do chase. But they can't force someone to respond.

After reasonable chasing, your solicitor may suggest:

• Asking the estate agent to apply pressure
• You contacting the agent directly
• Accepting the sale may be slow
• In extreme cases, reconsidering the purchase

What You Can Do

Ask your estate agent to help. Agents have different relationships with sellers and can sometimes get information flowing when solicitors can't.

Be patient but persistent. Weekly chasing is reasonable. Daily calls are counterproductive and won't speed things up.

Mortgage Delays

Your mortgage lender is another party your solicitor can't control.

Valuation Booking

The lender needs to value the property before confirming your mortgage. Valuation firms have limited surveyors, especially during busy periods.

In peak buying season, valuation appointments can take 2-3 weeks to arrange.

Underwriting Process

After valuation, your application goes through underwriting—detailed checking of your finances. This typically takes 5-10 working days but can be longer if:

• Your income is complex (self-employed, multiple sources)
• You're close to affordability limits
• The property has unusual features
• Additional documentation is needed

Condition Satisfaction

Mortgage offers often come with conditions:

• Evidence of deposit source
• Buildings insurance confirmation
• Satisfactory survey (if they require one)

Until conditions are satisfied, the offer isn't confirmed. Your solicitor coordinates this, but it takes time.

Communication Between Parties

Your solicitor, lender's solicitor (sometimes separate), and broker all need to communicate. Each handoff takes time.

Chain Delays: The Multiplier Effect

If you're in a chain, every link adds potential delay.

How Chains Cause Delays

Imagine your chain:

1. First-time buyer (you) → buying from
2. Couple upsizing → buying from
3. Family relocating → buying from
4. Elderly downsizer → buying new build

If the new build completion date slips, the elderly downsizer can't move. If they can't move, the family can't buy. If the family can't buy, the couple can't sell. If the couple can't sell, you can't buy.

Everyone waits for the slowest link.

Where You Are Matters

Bottom of chain (first-time buyer): You wait for everyone above you. You're ready, but dependent on others.

Middle of chain: You're waiting for your purchase AND your buyer is waiting for you. Double pressure.

Top of chain (moving to empty property): You control your own timing, which helps the whole chain.

What's Not in Your Control

• Other buyers' mortgage applications
• Other sellers' solicitor responsiveness
• Other parties' survey results
• Other buyers' deposit availability

You can do everything right and still be delayed by strangers.

What You Can Actually Do

Despite the limited control, these actions genuinely help:

Respond to Requests Immediately

When your solicitor asks for something—documents, decisions, signatures—respond the same day if possible. Every day you delay is a day added to your timeline.

Keep your:

• ID documents accessible
• Bank statements downloadable
• Diary flexible for signing

Chase Appropriately

A weekly email asking for a status update is reasonable. Your solicitor should be able to tell you:

• What they're waiting for
• Who they've chased
• What happens next

If they can't answer these questions, that's a problem.

Communicate with Your Estate Agent

Agents can apply pressure that solicitors can't. They have commercial relationships with sellers and a financial incentive to complete.

If seller responses are slow, ask your agent to help. They often can.

Stay in Contact with Your Solicitor

Don't go silent for weeks, then panic when nothing has happened. Regular (weekly) check-ins keep your file active and show you're engaged.

Most solicitors handle many cases. Engaged clients tend to get slightly faster service—not because others are neglected, but because engagement keeps momentum.

When to Be Concerned

Not all delays are normal. Watch for these warning signs:

Your Solicitor Isn't Responding

If YOUR solicitor takes days to respond to emails or can't tell you what's happening, that's a problem. Chase them, escalate to a partner/manager, or consider whether you've chosen poorly.

Weeks Without Any Progress

Some waiting is normal. But if nothing has moved forward in 3-4 weeks—no searches returned, no enquiry responses, no mortgage progress—ask specifically why.

The Same Issue Keeps Being Raised

If your solicitor keeps asking the same question and the seller keeps not answering, something is wrong. The seller may not have the information, may be hiding something, or may not be committed to selling.

Changed Behaviour from Other Parties

If the seller suddenly goes quiet, the agent becomes evasive, or the other solicitor stops responding, something may have changed. Trust your instincts.

Questions to Ask

If you're concerned, ask your solicitor directly:

• "What specifically are we waiting for?"
• "When did you last chase?"
• "Is this delay normal or unusual?"
• "Is there anything that concerns you about this transaction?"

A good solicitor will be honest about whether delays are routine or worrying.

The Uncomfortable Truth

The honest reality: much of conveyancing is waiting.

Your solicitor wants to complete as much as you do. They don't get paid until completion. They're not delaying things deliberately.

But they can't make councils process searches faster. They can't force sellers to find paperwork. They can't speed up mortgage underwriting.

What they CAN do is:

• Chase appropriately
• Prepare everything they control
• Keep you informed
• Raise genuine concerns

Patience is unfortunately required. But understanding why you're waiting makes it more bearable.

How long should conveyancing actually take?

8-12 weeks from offer acceptance to completion is typical. Straightforward purchases with no chain can complete in 6-8 weeks. Complex purchases or long chains may take 16+ weeks. If you're significantly outside these ranges, ask your solicitor why.

Can I pay to speed up searches?

Sometimes. "Priority" or "expedited" searches exist but cost extra and aren't always faster. Personal searches are quicker but not all lenders accept them. Ask your solicitor what options are available for your specific situation.

Should I chase my solicitor more often?

Weekly updates are reasonable. More frequent contact rarely helps and can slow things down if your solicitor is spending time on calls rather than casework. If they're not responsive to weekly requests, that's a separate problem.

What if I need to complete by a specific date?

Tell your solicitor immediately. Some deadlines are hard (end of rental contract, job relocation). They can prioritise and be realistic about whether the date is achievable. Don't wait until the last minute to mention time pressure.

Understanding the Wait

Silence usually means your solicitor is waiting for third parties they can't control. Understanding this transforms frustration into patience. The weeks of waiting aren't wasted time—they're time spent on tasks entirely outside your solicitor's control, progressing steadily towards completion.