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Conveyancing

Conveyancing in London

Fixed fees, live case tracking, No Completion No Fee

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London conveyancing handled through Homemove

London brings a very mixed conveyancing picture, with leasehold flats in E8, terraced homes in NW6, and larger houses across SW1, SW3, and TW9. That mix changes the legal work from one street to the next. Our panel of regulated conveyancing solicitors handles the searches, contract checks, title review, and the paperwork needed to move a sale or purchase forward. We instruct your solicitor, and you can follow progress online from start to finish.

The London boundary also brings extra checks that do not crop up everywhere else. Many properties sit in conservation areas such as Soho, Mayfair, St. James's, Kensington Gardens, Clapton Square, and parts of the City of London, while older stock on London Clay can raise subsidence questions in NW, N, W, and SE postcode areas. We keep the process plain, fixed-fee, and clear. No Completion No Fee comes as standard on qualifying cases.

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London housing mix at a glance

54%

Flats, Maisonettes or Apartments

Detached Houses or Bungalows

50%

Homes Built Before 1945

21%

One-Bedroom Homes

Using listing data from home.co.uk and property data from homedata.co.uk

Conveyancing in London - What's Involved

Buying or selling in London starts with the title and the seller's paperwork. The usual searches are Local Authority, Drainage and Water, Environmental, and often a flood report because 15% of London sits in a floodplain. That matters as much in a basement flat in Hackney as it does in a house off the South Circular. A solicitor will also check whether the property sits in a conservation area, whether planning permission was needed for past works, and whether the lender wants any extra title protection.

Leasehold brings another layer. A flat in Westminster or Kensington may need the management pack, service charge accounts, ground rent statements, and a check of the lease term. If the lease is short, or the freeholder is slow to respond, the timetable stretches. London has over 1,000 Conservation Areas across 35 Local Planning Authorities, so title review often includes restrictions on windows, façades, roof alterations, or even external pipework. One unreturned landlord reply can hold up exchange for days.

London Clay keeps appearing in search results, survey reports, and solicitor enquiries because it drives subsidence risk. One in 50 houses in London and the South East has suffered from subsidence, and the pressure is highest in South-East London, NW, N, and W postcode areas. There is not a broad mining issue across the city, so the focus is usually on clay shrinkage, shallow foundations, basement conversions, and old drainage. A good conveyancer will pick up those points before you commit to the contract.

Local Authority search
Drainage and Water search
Environmental search
Flood risk report
Lease review

The Conveyancing Timeline

A freehold sale or purchase in London often takes 8-12 weeks. Leasehold takes longer, usually 12-16 weeks, because the solicitor needs landlord replies, management information, and a proper read of the lease. A flat in Clapton Square or a Victorian conversion in Camden can move quickly, then stall for one missing document. That is normal, not a warning sign.

Chains matter too. A straight cash purchase in SW1 can be brisk, but a long chain running through Richmond, Hackney, and Greenwich can drag matters out. Missing deeds, an unresponsive managing agent, and last-minute lender queries are the usual hold-ups. If the property has had alterations, the solicitor may also want evidence of consent before exchange.

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DIY vs licensed conveyancer vs solicitor

Route	What they can do	When to use it
DIY	You can read the paperwork yourself, but you still need a regulated legal professional for searches, contract work, and Land Registry registration	Only for very simple admin, not a normal London purchase or sale
Licensed conveyancer	CLC-regulated property specialist for standard sales, purchases, remortgages, and leasehold work	A flat in Hackney, a house in Waltham Forest, or a straightforward London sale
Solicitor	SRA-regulated lawyer who can handle conveyancing plus disputes, shared ownership, lease extensions, probate, or unusual title issues	Best when a London property has boundary problems, missing paperwork, or a tricky lease

How Homemove's Conveyancing Process Works

Quote

Tell us about the London property, the price, and whether it is freehold or leasehold. We show fixed-fee options from £495, with the work and standard SDLT submission included.

Instruction

Choose the quote that suits your move, then we instruct your solicitor and open the case. You can log in and track progress online, so you are not left chasing updates by email.

Searches

Your solicitor orders the Local Authority, Drainage and Water, and Environmental searches, then checks the title, lease, and lender requirements. In London, flood and conservation checks are often just as important as the contract itself.

Report and enquiries

You receive a clear report on title, plus replies to enquiries on things like loft conversions, basement works, service charges, or ground rent. If anything in a Kensington, Camden, or Greenwich title looks off, your solicitor raises it before exchange.

Exchange

Once both sides are ready, contracts are exchanged and the completion date is fixed. After that point, the deal is legally binding, so the last round of checks has to be right.

Completion and after

Money moves, the keys are released, and your solicitor finishes the post-completion registration work. If SDLT is due, they submit it. If the property is leasehold, notices to the freeholder or managing agent may also follow.

Get your quote before you offer

London chains can move fast, especially around flats near Canary Wharf or houses in SE10. Having a conveyancing quote ready before you offer means you can instruct quickly if your bid is accepted. It also helps when a seller wants proof that your legal work is already under way. No Completion No Fee gives you a clearer exit if the chain breaks.

Local Considerations in London

London is unusually flat-heavy. According to the 2021 Census, 54% of households live in a flat, maisonette, or apartment, while only 6% live in a detached house or bungalow. That means a large share of conveyancing here is leasehold, from service-charge checks in Kensington and Chelsea to ground-rent clauses in Westminster. It also means more managing agents, more management packs, and more chances for a transaction to wait on someone else.

The age profile matters just as much. More than a quarter of London homes were built pre-1919, and another one in five between 1919 and 1944. Those older properties in Camden, Islington, and parts of Hackney often have shallow foundations, original timber floors, and old alterations that need a solicitor's eye as well as a surveyor's. If a seller cannot produce consent for a loft conversion or rear extension, the buyer's solicitor will ask for the paperwork before exchange.

Flood and conservation issues sit close together across the capital. East London boroughs such as Tower Hamlets, Newham, and Hackney face surface water and sewer risk on former marshland, while places like Soho, Mayfair, St. James's, and the City of London carry strong conservation-area controls. A house in Kensington Gardens or a building near Fenchurch Street Station may need extra checks on windows, façades, or roof works before a buyer signs. Two in five Londoners have experienced damp or mould, so survey and title questions often overlap.

London Stock brick
Portland stone
London Clay
Victorian drainage
basement conversions

Costs Beyond the Solicitor's Fee

Our standard conveyancing quotes start from £495 for a purchase or sale, and from £895 for a sale and purchase. Leasehold work usually adds £150-£250, while new-build work adds £100-£200. SDLT submission is included. If you are buying a second home in SW1, the surcharge adds 5%, and non-resident buyers pay an extra 2%.

There are still disbursements to budget for. Land Registry fees are scaled by price and usually fall somewhere around £20-£910, while Local Authority searches are often £100-£300 depending on the council. SDLT itself sits at 0% to £250k, 5% from £250k to £925k, 10% from £925k to £1.5M, and 12% above £1.5M. First-time buyers get 0% to £425k, 5% from £425k to £625k, with no relief above £625k. On leasehold flats in Westminster or Southwark, a management pack or deed of covenant fee can be an extra line on the bill.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does conveyancing take in London?

A freehold sale or purchase in London usually takes 8-12 weeks. Leasehold often takes 12-16 weeks because the solicitor needs management information, landlord replies, and a proper read of the lease. A flat in Hackney can be ready quickly, then wait on one missing pack from the managing agent.

What usually slows a London property transaction down?

Leasehold paperwork is the biggest hold-up, especially in boroughs like Westminster, Camden, and Kensington and Chelsea. Missing deeds, short leases, chain length, and unanswered enquiries on loft or basement works can all add time. Flood checks and conservation-area questions can also slow things if the title is older.

Do London homes need special surveys?

Many do, especially older houses in NW, N, W, and SE where London Clay creates shrink-swell risk. A RICS Level 3 survey in London commonly costs £1,000-£1,500+ because the property stock is older and more complex. That sort of survey is often sensible for a Victorian terrace, a converted townhouse, or a property with visible cracking.

How much do leasehold extras usually cost?

The solicitor's fee is only part of the bill. Leasehold properties in London can attract management-pack fees, notice fees, deed-of-covenant fees, and sometimes share-certificate charges, and those vary by freeholder or managing agent. A flat in Chelsea or Southwark may have several separate line items before completion.

When should I instruct a solicitor?

As early as you can, ideally before your offer is accepted or immediately after. That gives your solicitor time to open the file, order searches, and spot anything awkward in the title of a house in Waltham Forest or a flat in Canary Wharf. Early instruction also makes it easier to move when the seller is ready to exchange.

What happens if the chain breaks?

If the chain collapses, your transaction may stop before exchange or after some of the work has been completed. No Completion No Fee means you are not paying the full legal bill if the move does not reach completion. Your solicitor can close the file, keep the paperwork safe, and explain what has already been done.

What happens after completion?

After completion, your solicitor submits SDLT if it is due, registers the transfer, and registers any mortgage charge with the Land Registry. If the property is leasehold, they may also send notices to the freeholder or managing agent. You should receive the updated title documents once registration is finished.