People often hear that conveyancing takes 8–12 weeks. Some chain-free freehold purchases do finish in that window. It is a possible timescale, not a typical one.
Third-party data for 2026 puts the average much longer. Rightmove’s 31 July 2026 press centre figures show a Great Britain average of 154 days (~22 weeks) from sale agreed to completion. That is a market average, not an Ethical target, and it measures a different clock from “the day you instructed a solicitor”.
This page is general information for England and Wales, last reviewed on 30 August 2026. Scotland runs on a different legal process (see below). Nothing here is a promise of a completion date.
How we work. Ethical Conveyancing is an introducer, not a regulated law firm. Panel solicitors regulated by the SRA do the legal work. We cannot make the other side’s solicitor, the local authority or a lender move faster than they will — we can keep our side of the file moving.
Buying? Get a purchase quote. Selling too? Sale and purchase. Remortgaging? Remortgage quote. Fixed legal fees from £400 on a sale or purchase, from £230 on a remortgage — no hidden extras on that fee.
The 2026 numbers, labelled
Two clocks get mixed up. They are not the same.
| Clock | 2026 figure | What it measures | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sale agreed → completion (GB average) | 154 days | From the offer being accepted to keys | Rightmove, 31 July 2026 — third-party |
| Listing → completion (GB average) | 216 days | 62 days to find a buyer + 154 to complete | Same Rightmove release |
| London, sale agreed → completion | 174 days | Regional | Same |
| North East, sale agreed → completion | 141 days | Regional | Same |
| Wales, sale agreed → completion | 155 days | Regional | Same |
| Scotland, sale agreed → completion | 98 days | Different legal system (missives) | Same |
| Instruction → completion (often quoted) | ~120–123 days | From solicitor instruction, not from sale agreed | Multiple 2026 industry / comparison pieces — third-party, not official |
| Straightforward chain-free freehold (possible) | ~8–12 weeks | Best-case, not “most” | Achievable on a clean file |
| Leasehold / long chain | 16–20+ weeks common | Extra parties and packs | Industry consensus, not official |
| Remortgage to a new lender | Ethical average this year ~3 weeks (not a promise) | No chain of buyers and sellers | First-party: Ethical 2026 year-to-date. Market often 4–8 weeks (third-party) |
| Traditional auction, hammer → completion | ~28 days | Hammer is usually exchange | Typical RICS Common Auction Conditions |
Rightmove’s 154 days includes every sale that was agreed: chains, leaseholds, delayed local-authority searches, buyers who instruct a solicitor a fortnight after the offer, and files that sit quiet. It is why 8–12 weeks can be true for one purchase and misleading as a headline for “how long conveyancing takes”.
Possible, typical, slow
| Scenario | Possible | More typical in 2026 | What usually stretches it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chain-free freehold, both sides instructed early, searches back quickly | 8–12 weeks | Often longer than that even when “straightforward” | Local authority search queues; mortgage offer timing |
| Freehold in a chain | — | Around the GB average, or more | Waiting for every link |
| Leasehold flat | — | 16–20+ weeks is common | Management pack, landlord replies, notices |
| New build (completed plot) | Similar to a purchase once the plot is ready | Developer can still move the date | Build delays; mortgage offer expiry |
| New build (off-plan) | Months to years from reservation | Completion is on notice, not on a 12-week clock | See buying a new build |
| Traditional auction | — | ~28 days after the hammer | Only if finance and the pack were ready before bidding |
| Remortgage (new lender) | Ethical average this year ~3 weeks | Market often 4–8 weeks | Leasehold; transfer of equity at the same time; lender delays. Not a promise |
| Sale only, buyer already in situ | Can be quicker than a purchase | Still tied to the buyer’s chain | Management pack if leasehold |
What the stages look like (England and Wales)
A fuller walk-through sits on the conveyancing process. In outline:
- Instruction — ID, client care, and the protocol forms (sellers) or memorandum of sale (buyers).
- Searches — local authority searches in particular can take two to six weeks depending on the council, sometimes more. See property searches.
- Enquiries — questions on the title, the forms, and the search results. Slow replies are one of the most common sources of “dead time”.
- Mortgage offer — many lenders take two to four weeks after valuation; offers also expire, which matters when the average wait is 154 days.
- Exchange — the point a typical sale becomes legally binding. Deposit is often about 10%. Buildings insurance is typically arranged from exchange.
- Completion — funds, keys, SDLT return (usually within 14 days — SDLT guide), Land Registry application.
The gap between exchange and completion is often one to four weeks on a standard sale. Auction and some cash purchases run on a shorter fuse.
What actually slows a file
Chains. Every extra household is another solicitor, lender and moving date. One slow link holds everyone.
Leasehold. The seller’s management pack, landlord consents, and post-completion notices add weeks. See leasehold costs and extra charges.
Search times. Some local authorities turn searches around quickly; others do not. Ordering early helps; it does not create a faster council.
Mortgage timing. Offers that arrive late, or expire before a 154-day average completes, force a re-application.
Missing papers. ID, proof of funds, planning documents, building-regulations certificates, and leasehold service-charge accounts.
The other side. A file can be ready on one side and idle on the other. Regular chain updates from the estate agent are how most people see that, not a daily legal bulletin.
Remortgage, sale-only and auction are different jobs
Remortgage (new lender). There is usually no chain of buyers and sellers. So far this year, remortgages through Ethical have averaged around 3 weeks. That is our experience, not a promise. Industry guides often quote 4–8 weeks from offer — third-party context, not our typical. Leasehold, a transfer of equity at the same time, or lender delays can take longer. Same-lender product transfers sometimes need little or no conveyancing. Remortgage quote — legal fees from £230.
Sale only. The seller’s solicitor is often waiting on the buyer. A sale can still be delayed by a leasehold pack the seller has not ordered. Sale quote.
Traditional auction. Completion is often about 28 days from the hammer, because the hammer is typically exchange. That only works if the legal pack was reviewed before bidding. See buying at auction.
Scotland is not the England and Wales process
Rightmove’s Scotland figure (98 days sale-agreed to completion) sits on a different legal system: missives, not English exchange. Tax is LBTT, not SDLT. Treating “UK conveyancing” as one timeline is misleading. See Scotland conveyancing.
How this sits with a quote
A quote is a price, not a completion date. Fixed legal fees from £400 on a sale or purchase, from £230 on a remortgage, with no hidden extras on that fee; the engine gives the figure for your file. Instructing early — as soon as an offer is accepted, or before an auction — is what gives the solicitor a chance to use the time the market actually takes.
Why people instruct through Ethical
Ethical Conveyancing is an introducer, not a regulated law firm. Panel solicitors do the legal work. What you get with us:
- Fixed legal fees — from £400 on a sale or purchase, from £230 on a remortgage. The legal fee we quote is the legal fee you pay. Disbursements (searches, Land Registry, and the like) sit on top.
- No Move, No Legal Fee — if the transaction does not complete, you do not pay our legal fee. Disbursements already incurred are still payable.
- A highly rated solicitor on our panel — not a call-centre file. Rated 4.9/5 or higher on review sites.
- A dedicated support manager and an online portal so you can track the file without chasing.
- A clear quote in under 60 seconds. We are not always the cheapest headline on a five-quote shop. We sell a fixed, itemised legal fee and a file you can actually follow.
Purchase quote · Sale quote · Both · Remortgage
Frequently asked questions
Is 8–12 weeks still realistic in 2026?
It can be, for a chain-free freehold with searches back promptly and a mortgage offer in hand. It is not a fair description of “most” purchases. Rightmove’s July 2026 GB average from sale agreed to completion is 154 days.
Why is sale-agreed-to-completion longer than instruction-to-completion?
Sale agreed is the estate agent’s clock. People often instruct solicitors days or weeks later. Industry “instruction to completion” figures around 120–123 days are a different measurement. Both are third-party, not our SLA.
How long after exchange is completion?
On a standard England and Wales sale, often one to four weeks. The date is agreed when the parties exchange. Traditional auctions often complete about 28 days after the hammer, because that hammer was the exchange.
Do leaseholds always take longer?
Not always, but extra parties and a management pack mean they often do. 16–20+ weeks is commonly reported.
How long does a remortgage take?
So far this year, remortgages through Ethical have averaged around 3 weeks. That is our experience, not a promise. The market is often quoted at 4–8 weeks (third-party). Leasehold, a transfer of equity at the same time, or lender delays can take longer. Either way, it is not the 8–12 week (or 154-day) purchase figure.
Will instructing you make it take 8–12 weeks?
No introducer or solicitor controls the chain, the council or the other side. What we can do is match you with a panel solicitor, quote a fixed legal fee, and keep our side of the file moving. See the process.
Does a cash purchase skip the wait?
Cash buyers do not wait for a mortgage offer, which removes one dependency. Searches, enquiries and any chain still take time.
Last reviewed 30 August 2026. Rightmove figures are a third-party snapshot from 31 July 2026 and will move.
Also useful: FAQs · Knowledge Hub