The process of conveyancing is the legal transfer of a property from one person to another. Anyone who is selling or buying a residential property in the UK will need to work with a conveyancer.

The property can be leasehold or freehold. On behalf of the buyer, the solicitor or licenced conveyancer must ensure that he or she obtains 'title' to the land; i.e., that the person selling the property has the right to sell with no factors that would obstruct a mortgage or a re-sale.

The seller's solicitor will also collect and prepare property information to be provided to the buyer's solicitors. It is best to get several quotes from conveyancing solicitors.

Once you have exchanged house contracts and are legally committed to buying a property, you move onto to completion. This is the day money is transferred and you get your new keys. The time between these two milestones is usually 1-2 weeks, but it can take up to a few months. For some it is shorter and it might even be possible to exchange and complete on the same day.

The time between exchange and completion can be quite hectic, so if you can take some time off, it can be really helpful. Another big help and time saver between exchange and completion is using professional moving services, especially if they will pack for you and your items will be insured during the moving process. This allows you to focus on moving into your new home and all the jobs you will have to do in between.