Most UK sellers underestimate their own conveyancing workload until the contract pack request lands on day three of the transaction. A well-prepared seller can shave 2-4 weeks off the typical timeline and avoid the most common deal-killers. This guide walks through the seller's legal responsibilities, the documents you need, typical costs, how long things take, and the common delays that catch sellers out.

What a seller's conveyancer actually does

Your conveyancer takes responsibility for the legal side of transferring ownership: producing a contract pack, answering the buyer's solicitor's enquiries, agreeing exchange and completion dates, redeeming your mortgage (if any), transferring the title at the Land Registry, and accounting for the sale proceeds. The buyer's side runs the searches and the survey; you're on the document and enquiry side.

For background on the wider transaction shape, see what conveyancing solicitors do and our how long conveyancing takes guide.

Seller responsibilities — the full list

1. Instruct a conveyancer at offer accepted — ideally same day. Slow instructions are the single most common cause of avoidable delay.
2. Complete the property information forms — TA6 and TA10 — fully and accurately.
3. Supply supporting documents — EPC, FENSA, building regs, planning permission for any past works, gas safety records.
4. Order the leasehold pack early — if leasehold, this takes 4-6 weeks.
5. Respond to buyer's enquiries promptly — typically within 5-10 working days.
6. Agree exchange and completion dates — coordinating with the chain.
7. Vacate by completion — including removing all items not on the TA10 fittings list.

Typical timescales

Freehold sale, no chain

Offer accepted to completion: 8-10 weeks. Cleanest path is cash buyer with no chain. Sellers who have TA6, TA10, and EPC ready at offer can sometimes complete in 6-7 weeks.

Freehold sale, normal chain

8-14 weeks depending on chain length. Each chain link adds typical 1-2 weeks to the longest case. The slowest link drives the chain.

Leasehold sale

10-16 weeks. The freeholder or managing agent's leasehold pack (LPE1, accounts, ground rent statement, building insurance) takes 4-6 weeks to arrive and often triggers follow-up enquiries that add another 2-3 weeks.

Sale with simultaneous purchase

Your sale and purchase complete on the same day, so the transaction takes as long as the slower side. Use a chain management spreadsheet (or your conveyancer's portal) to track progress on both sides.

Seller costs in 2026

Selling is cheaper legally than buying — no SDLT, no search pack, no Land Registry transfer fee on the seller's side. But the legal fee, leasehold pack, estate agent commission and removal costs still add up.

Cost item	Typical 2026 range
Conveyancing legal fee (freehold)	£800-£1,400 + VAT
Leasehold supplement (if applicable)	£250-£500 + VAT
Bankruptcy search	£4
Official copies of title	£12-£18
Bank transfer fees (TT)	£30-£90
LPE1 management pack (leasehold)	£250-£400
Mortgage redemption fee (if any)	£0-£200
Early repayment charge (if remortgaging out of a fix)	0-5% of balance
Estate agent commission	0.8-1.8% of sale price + VAT
EPC (if expired or never issued)	£60-£120
Removals	£500-£2,500

For the full moving-day cost picture see the moving costs calculator. Many sellers are simultaneous buyers — if so, you'll also be paying SDLT (SDLT calculator) on the purchase side.

Documents you'll be asked for

ID and address verification

Photo ID (passport or driving licence) plus a proof of address dated within 3 months (utility bill or bank statement). Required upfront under anti-money-laundering rules.

TA6 property information form

Wide-ranging form covering disputes, notices, alterations, building works, environmental matters, utilities, parking, complaints, and known defects. Roughly 6-8 pages. Answer fully — withholding material information can lead to misrepresentation claims post-completion.

TA10 fittings and contents form

Itemises what stays and what goes. Carpets, curtains, blinds, white goods, light fittings, garden plants — everything. Lazy completion of TA10 is a common cause of last-minute disputes. Walk every room with the form and tick each line carefully.

EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)

Must be valid (within 10 years) and ordered before marketing. Most agents arrange this — confirm yours is on file and shows the current property layout.

FENSA / CERTASS certificates

Replacement windows and external doors fitted since 2002 should have a FENSA or CERTASS certificate. Without one, the buyer's conveyancer may require a building regulations indemnity policy (£25-£150) or refuse to proceed.

Building regulations / planning approvals

Any extension, loft conversion, or structural alteration should have completion certificates. Missing certificates frequently force indemnity policies or retrospective applications, both of which delay.

Gas safety / electrical reports (rented out previously)

If you've let the property out, the buyer will ask for recent gas safety records and EICR certificates. Have these to hand.

Leasehold management pack (LPE1, lease, accounts)

If leasehold, your conveyancer requests the LPE1 form from the managing agent — this contains service charge accounts (last 3 years), ground rent statement, buildings insurance certificate, fire risk assessment, and any planned major works. The freeholder typically charges £200-£400 for issuing the pack and takes 4-6 weeks. Order at instruction, not when the buyer's solicitor asks.

Common seller delays — and how to avoid them

Slow enquiry responses

The single most common avoidable delay. The buyer's conveyancer sends an enquiry pack within 1-2 weeks of contract issue, typically 15-30 questions. Aim for a written response inside 7-10 working days. Two-week response cycles can stretch a 9-week transaction to 16 weeks easily.

Missing FENSA / planning paperwork

Buyers' conveyancers routinely require evidence of compliance for past works. Track these down before listing — apply for retrospective FENSA self-cert or arrange indemnity policies in advance so they don't surface mid-transaction.

Leasehold pack delays

Managing agents commonly take 4-6 weeks to issue the LPE1. If you list a leasehold flat without ordering the pack at instruction, you've baked a delay into the transaction.

Mortgage redemption hold-ups

Your lender produces a redemption statement showing the exact payoff figure. Most lenders issue inside 5 working days but some take 10-14. Ask your conveyancer to request this early.

Buyer's mortgage decline

Not your fault but you bear the delay. If the buyer's AIP is declined at full underwriting (typically 3-6 weeks into the transaction), you restart the marketing cycle. Vetting buyer mortgage status before accepting the offer is the seller's defence — see our AIP guide and mortgage offer guide.

Survey downwards

Buyer's survey flags structural issues, damp, subsidence, or roof concerns. Common renegotiation points include £1,500-£15,000 price reductions, or sellers contributing to repair costs. A pre-marketing condition survey costs £400-£900 and can stop nasty surprises.

Chain wobble

Someone above or below your chain pulls out. Estate agents and conveyancers chase the gap — if it isn't filled within 4-6 weeks, the chain typically breaks. Backup buyer lists kept by the agent reduce risk.

How to make your sale fast

1. Instruct your conveyancer at offer accepted, ideally same day.
2. Have TA6, TA10 and EPC ready before listing.
3. Order the leasehold pack the day you instruct.
4. Locate FENSA, building regs, and planning paperwork before listing.
5. Respond to enquiries inside 5-7 working days.
6. Stay in touch with your buyer via the agent — chain pressure is reduced by relationships.
7. Confirm completion date 2 weeks before exchange to lock removal vans.

What happens at exchange and completion

Exchange of contracts

Contracts are formally swapped, deposit lodged (usually 10%), and the completion date becomes binding. From this point neither side can withdraw without forfeiting the deposit and being liable for damages.

Completion

Buyer's funds arrive at your conveyancer. Your lender is paid off, estate agent commission settled, and the net equity transferred to you — usually same day or next working day. You vacate; the buyer collects keys.

Tax implications for sellers

Sellers of their main residence pay no Capital Gains Tax because of Private Residence Relief. Sellers of buy-to-let or second homes pay CGT on the gain — 18% (basic rate taxpayer) or 24% (higher rate taxpayer) on residential property gains, after the annual exempt amount. See our additional property tax guide for context. Your conveyancer will not file your CGT — that's your accountant's job, due within 60 days of completion.

Communication with your buyer

Sellers rarely communicate with buyers directly during the transaction — the estate agent acts as a buffer. But occasional direct contact can break logjams: confirming flexibility on a completion date, agreeing the fittings list face-to-face, or settling small condition queries. Where the agent is constructive, run the relationship through them; where the agent is unresponsive, polite direct contact via the agent's permission is acceptable.

Selling and buying at the same time

Most movers do both. The two transactions complete on the same day, with your sale funds flowing into the purchase. Your conveyancer handles both sides — confirm they have sale-and-purchase experience and ask for the simultaneous-completion discount, typically £200-£400 off the combined legal fees. Use the conveyancing comparison calculator to total both sides cleanly.

Frequently asked questions

How much does conveyancing cost when selling?

£800-£1,400 + VAT for a freehold; leasehold adds £250-£500. Disbursements (bankruptcy search, official copies, bank transfers) typically £80-£180 total.

What documents do I need to sell a house?

Photo ID, proof of address, TA6, TA10, EPC, FENSA certificates, building regs and planning permission for past works. Leasehold needs LPE1 management pack and the lease.

How long does selling a house take legally?

8-12 weeks on a freehold; 10-16 weeks on a leasehold. Chain length and seller prep are the biggest variables. Having TA6, TA10 and LPE1 ready at offer shaves 2-4 weeks.

What's a seller's pack and when do I need it?

The bundle your conveyancer sends to the buyer's side — TA6, TA10, draft contract, title plan, official copies, EPC. Issued in week one of the transaction shaves 2-3 weeks off the total.

What are the most common seller delays?

Slow enquiry responses, missing FENSA or building regs, leasehold pack delays (4-6 weeks), chain wobbles upstream, declined buyer mortgages, surveys flagging issues.

Do I have to disclose problems with the house?

Yes. TA6 requires you to disclose disputes, notices, alterations, defects. Withholding material information can lead to misrepresentation claims post-completion.

Can I sell without a solicitor?

Technically yes for an unregistered freehold cash sale, but no UK lender will accept a mortgage without a regulated conveyancer on the buyer's side. In practice every realistic sale needs one.

What happens to my mortgage when I sell?

Conveyancer obtains a redemption statement from your lender. On completion, buyer's funds pay off the mortgage first; remaining equity is forwarded to you.

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Last reviewed: 23 June 2026.