Conveyance is the legal work involved in the transfer of ownership of a piece of property or land, usually carried out by an attorney or licensed consignor.

While a property inspection will identify any potential structural problems, it will not uncover problems that may affect the property and the land on which it is built. It is for these reasons that a professional conveyance attorney or licensed conveyancer is needed.

Issues such as leases, use restrictions, access to services such as water and electricity, rights-of-way, and land leases can affect the home, your purchase or sale, and your ability to successfully complete the transaction.

Your conveyance attorney will be responsible for checking these to ensure you are aware of all issues affecting the property before committing to buy or sell. Your attorney will also draft the paperwork necessary to transfer legal title to a property from one party to another.

Typical duties of a transporter include:

Verify legal title documentation (for example, contract and Land Registry information) and make inquiries to clarify any information provided in the contract package.

Conducting searches with various authorities to determine if there are flood risks, financial liabilities, boundary disputes, potential building developments.

Provide the buyer customer with a detailed report of legal title, contract and supporting documents provided by the seller

Submit a tax return and pay the required stamp duty land tax to HM Revenue & Customs.

Drafting contracts detailing what is included in the transaction such as accessories, accessories and content.

Submit the documentation relating to the transfer of ownership to the Land Registry.

Advice on additional costs such as stamp duty, lease notification fees, land registry fees and other mandatory expenses

Request the mortgage down payment from your lender.

Liaise with mortgage lenders to ensure funds are available when needed

Produce the transfer documents required for the purchase or sale of a house to process

Perform all final checks before contract exchange, after which neither party can withdraw without incurring significant costs

Exchange of contracts, bringing the day of completion one step closer

Contact the seller’s attorney to receive a contract package

Manage the presentation of the transmission in the property registry

Request and obtain a copy of your mortgage offer.

Arrange payment of all related fees.

You should appoint an attorney/conveyor as soon as you consider selling or buying a property, even before you have made an offer on a home (or someone has made an offer to you), as this can help speed up the process by bringing them in early on board.

If you are buying a home, you can expect the contract exchange to take place within 6-8 weeks of receipt of the contract package. However, keep in mind that if you are in a long chain of transactions, the delays in the chain will have an impact on your own completion. Each home is individual and the transfer process reflects this.

How much will it cost?

The cost of streaming services depends on the value of the property you’re buying, although there isn’t necessarily more legal work involved with buying a £2.5m house than there is with a £150,000 flat.

However, the conveyance required for the purchase of an average UK property usually costs around £800-£1000.

This amount includes the expenses of time, calls and letters from the assignor, as well as the fees of the municipal registries and registration in the Land Registry.

You may be able to save money by opting for an online transporter, some of which only charge as little as £500.

DIY transportation is possible. However, it is a complicated and time-consuming business that could end badly.