Why Is My Property Purchase Taking So Long?
You've had your offer accepted, you've started picturing where the sofa will go, and then... nothing seems to happen for weeks. If that sounds familiar, you're not alone. "Why is it taking so long?" is the question our conveyancing team hears more than any other.
The honest answer is that a property transaction involves far more people than most buyers realise. Your solicitor is one part of it. So are the seller and their solicitor, your mortgage lender, the local authority, estate agents, and often every other buyer and seller in the chain.
Much of the work is also invisible from the outside. Behind the quiet weeks, your solicitor is investigating the legal title, checking the searches, satisfying your lender's requirements and making sure you aren't inheriting someone else's problem. Understanding what's going on makes the process far less frustrating.
First, why an accepted offer isn't a done deal
In England and Wales, an accepted offer isn't legally binding. Either side can still walk away until contracts are exchanged.
Exchange of contracts is the point of no return. Both parties sign identical contracts, the buyer usually pays a deposit (often 10% of the price), and a completion date is fixed. Pulling out after exchange can mean losing that deposit and facing a claim for further losses.
Completion is the day the money moves, ownership passes and you collect the keys.
Because exchange is binding, everything that might affect your decision to buy has to be checked before it happens. That's why most of the work, and most of the waiting, sits before exchange.
The most common causes of delay
The chain. If your seller is buying another property, and their seller is buying another, everyone needs to be ready to exchange on the same day. One delayed mortgage offer or missing document at the far end can hold up every transaction in the chain, including yours.
Searches. We order a local authority search, a drainage and water search and an environmental search, plus others where the location calls for them. The local search reveals planning history, building control records, road adoption and enforcement notices. Most searches return quickly, but council turnaround times vary and can take several weeks.
Title issues. We check the registered title for anything that could affect your use or value of the property. Common examples are restrictive covenants, missing rights of access, or a boundary that doesn't match what's on the ground. Some are resolved with a deed or a simple explanation; others need indemnity insurance or further negotiation.
Your mortgage offer. Your lender needs a valuation and must complete its own underwriting. We also act for most lenders, so we must meet their requirements under the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders' Handbook. If the lender asks for more payslips or bank statements, the clock stops until they're provided.
Source of funds checks. Under the Money Laundering Regulations, we must verify where your money comes from. If parents or relatives are gifting part of your deposit, we'll need their ID, evidence of their funds and a signed gift declaration too. This is the stage buyers most often underestimate.
Enquiries. After reviewing the contract, title and searches, we raise questions with the seller's solicitor. These might cover a missing building regulations certificate for an extension, an old dispute with a neighbour, or works carried out without consent. We won't recommend that you exchange until we're satisfied with the answers, because this is exactly the stage that protects you.
Leasehold information. If you're buying a flat, we need a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent, covering service charges, major works, ground rent and building insurance. Some respond in days, others take weeks. For taller buildings, building safety information under the Building Safety Act 2022 may also be required. We'll also check the remaining length of the lease, as a short lease can affect both your mortgage and the property's future value.
Probate sales. If the property is being sold by executors after someone's death, the sale generally can't complete until the Grant of Probate has been issued. Our private client team deals with probate every day, so we can tell you quickly whether that's likely to affect your timetable.
What you can do to help
- Return your ID, forms and source of funds evidence as soon as you receive them
- If someone is gifting money towards your purchase, let us know at the start, not near exchange
- Apply for your mortgage early, and answer your lender promptly
- Book your survey quickly after your offer is accepted
- Reply to our questions as soon as you can, even if it's just to say you're finding out
If you're selling, you can help too. Dig out guarantees, planning and building regulations paperwork and any leasehold documents early, so your buyer's questions can be answered quickly.
What we do on your behalf
We can't control the council's workload or another firm's inbox. What we can do is make sure nothing is ever held up at our end. That means ordering searches promptly, reviewing documents as soon as they arrive, and chasing others in the chain firmly but courteously.
Just as importantly, we keep you informed. You'll know what we're waiting for, who we're waiting on, and what happens next. We'd much rather you hear "we're still waiting for the council, and we chased again this morning" than hear nothing at all.
Every transaction is different, and we treat it that way. If there's a deadline that matters to you, such as the end of a tenancy, a new school term or a job start date, tell us early. We'll let you know honestly whether it's realistic and do what we can to work towards it.
Buying or selling in Bournemouth or across Dorset? Speak to our property team on 01202 802807 or email office@solomonslaw.co.uk.