By Kreston Solicitors · 29 June 2026
Finding the right property is an exciting moment. Whether you are buying your first home, moving to a larger property, purchasing an investment property or relocating to a new area, having your offer accepted can feel like a major step forward.
However, agreeing the purchase price is only the beginning. Once your offer has been accepted, the legal process begins. This process is known as conveyancing, and it is one of the most important stages of buying a property.
Conveyancing helps ensure that the property can legally be transferred to you, that the seller has the right to sell it, that searches and checks are carried out, that the contract is reviewed, and that the purchase completes properly.
This is where Kreston Solicitors can help. If you have found a property to buy, their residential conveyancing team can guide you through the legal process from instruction to completion.
Why You Need a Solicitor When Buying a Property
Buying a property is not simply a private agreement between buyer and seller. It involves legal ownership, land registration, mortgage requirements, searches, contract terms, title checks, funds transfer, Stamp Duty Land Tax considerations and completion formalities.
A conveyancing solicitor helps protect your interests throughout the transaction. Their role is to investigate the legal position of the property, identify potential issues, communicate with the seller’s solicitor, report to you on the key legal points, liaise with your mortgage lender if applicable, and help complete the purchase safely.
Without proper legal checks, a buyer may discover problems after completion. These could include boundary disputes, rights of way, restrictions on use, leasehold problems, planning issues, service charge concerns, missing permissions or defects in title.
A good solicitor does not simply process paperwork. They help you understand what you are buying.
What Happens After Your Offer Is Accepted?
Once your offer is accepted, you should instruct a conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. The sooner your solicitor is instructed, the sooner they can begin the legal work.
The estate agent will usually request your solicitor’s details so that a memorandum of sale can be issued. This document confirms the basic details of the transaction, including the buyer, seller, property address, agreed price and the solicitors involved.
Your solicitor will then open your file, complete client checks, request information from you, contact the seller’s solicitor and begin reviewing the legal documents once they are received.
At this stage, you should also progress your mortgage application, arrange a survey if needed and make sure your deposit funds are available.
The Key Stages of Residential Conveyancing
Every property purchase is different, but most residential conveyancing transactions follow a similar structure.
Initial Instruction and Client Checks
The first stage involves formally instructing your solicitor. You will usually be asked to provide identification, proof of address, source of funds information and details about your purchase.
These checks are important because solicitors must comply with anti-money laundering requirements. Your solicitor will also need to understand whether you are buying with a mortgage, buying jointly, purchasing as a first-time buyer, buying a leasehold property or purchasing as an investment.
Providing information quickly at the start can help reduce delays later in the process.
Reviewing the Contract Pack
The seller’s solicitor will prepare and send the contract pack. This may include the draft contract, title documents, property information forms, fittings and contents form, leasehold information where relevant, planning documents, guarantees and other supporting papers.
Your solicitor will review these documents carefully. The purpose is to check whether the seller has good title to the property and whether there are any legal issues that need to be clarified before you exchange contracts.
If anything is missing, unclear or concerning, your solicitor can raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor.
Property Searches
Searches are an important part of the buying process. These are checks carried out with public bodies and other organisations to identify matters that may affect the property.
Common searches can include local authority searches, drainage and water searches, environmental searches and other searches depending on the property and location.
Searches can reveal important information, including planning matters, building control entries, road schemes, drainage connections, environmental risks or restrictions that may affect the property.
Some buyers are tempted to treat searches as an administrative formality. That is a mistake. Searches can reveal issues that may affect your decision to proceed, your mortgage lender’s requirements, or the long-term suitability of the property.
Raising Enquiries
After reviewing the contract pack and search results, your solicitor may raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor.
These enquiries may relate to title, boundaries, planning permission, building regulations, guarantees, lease terms, service charges, ground rent, rights of way, disputes, restrictions, fixtures and fittings, or anything else that requires clarification.
This stage is important because it gives the buyer an opportunity to resolve legal questions before becoming legally bound to purchase the property.
Mortgage and Lender Requirements
If you are buying with a mortgage, your lender will also have requirements. Your solicitor may act for both you and the lender, depending on the circumstances.
The solicitor will need to check the mortgage offer, confirm that the property title is acceptable to the lender, and ensure that any lender conditions are satisfied before completion.
Mortgage-related delays can occur if documents are missing, if the lender requires additional information, or if the property has legal issues that need to be resolved. Having an experienced conveyancing solicitor can help manage this process properly.
Reporting to You Before Exchange
Before exchange of contracts, your solicitor should report to you on the legal position. This may include explaining the title, search results, replies to enquiries, contract terms, mortgage conditions and any remaining matters.
This is your opportunity to ask questions and make sure you understand the legal implications of the purchase.
You should not feel pressured to exchange contracts until you are comfortable with the legal position, your mortgage is in place, your deposit is ready, and all important enquiries have been dealt with.
Exchange of Contracts
Exchange of contracts is the stage where the transaction becomes legally binding. Once contracts are exchanged, both buyer and seller are committed to completing the transaction on the agreed completion date.
Before exchange, your solicitor will usually request your authority to proceed. You may also need to transfer your deposit to your solicitor’s client account.
After exchange, withdrawing from the transaction can have serious financial consequences, so it is important that the legal work is properly completed before this stage.
Completion
Completion is the day ownership transfers to you. Your solicitor sends the purchase funds to the seller’s solicitor, and once completion is confirmed, the keys can usually be released through the estate agent.
After completion, your solicitor will deal with post-completion formalities. These may include paying Stamp Duty Land Tax where applicable and registering your ownership with HM Land Registry.
Once registration is completed, you will be formally recorded as the legal owner of the property.
Why Buyers Choose Kreston Solicitors
Property transactions can be stressful, especially when there are deadlines, mortgage conditions, chains, leasehold issues or last-minute enquiries. Choosing the right solicitor can make the process easier to understand and more manageable.
Kreston Solicitors are conveyancing solicitors based in Enfield, North London, assisting clients with residential property matters. Their team can help buyers understand the process, deal with the legal documents, communicate with the other side and work towards a smooth completion.
Whether you are buying a freehold house, leasehold flat, family home or investment property, having professional conveyancing support can help protect your position.
Common Property Purchase Issues a Solicitor Can Help With
A residential property purchase can involve many possible issues. These may include delays in receiving searches, missing planning documents, leasehold service charge questions, short lease terms, unclear boundaries, restrictive covenants, rights of way, building regulation concerns, mortgage conditions, gifted deposit requirements and title defects.
A solicitor can help identify these issues and advise on the next steps. In some cases, the issue may be resolved through further documents, indemnity insurance, clarification from the seller, lender approval or amended contract terms.
The important point is that problems should be identified before completion, not after you have already bought the property.
Do Not Leave Conveyancing Until the Last Minute
Once you have found a property, speed matters. Delays in instructing a solicitor can slow down the entire transaction.
If you are serious about buying, you should instruct your solicitor promptly, provide requested documents quickly, respond to questions, arrange your mortgage and survey, and make sure funds are ready when needed.
Good communication between buyer, solicitor, estate agent, mortgage broker and lender can help the transaction move forward more smoothly.
Contact Kreston Solicitors
If you have found a property to buy and need help with the legal process, Kreston Solicitors can assist with residential conveyancing.
Their team can help you with the key stages of your property purchase, including reviewing the contract pack, raising enquiries, checking searches, dealing with mortgage requirements, preparing for exchange and completing the transaction.
To request a conveyancing quote or speak to the team, contact Kreston Solicitors using the details below:
Kreston Solicitors 44 London Road
Enfield
London
EN2 6EF
Telephone: 020 3793 0862 Conveyancing Quote
Email: [email protected]
General Email: [email protected]
Website: our website
If you have had an offer accepted on a property, instructing a solicitor early can help the purchase process begin without unnecessary delay.
Ergun Eren
Director / Licensed Conveyancer