Most property sales in England take 12–16 weeks from offer to completion. Most of that time is spent waiting on solicitors. The good news: you can make your file move faster. The bad news: you'll have to push for it. This guide tells you how — without being a nightmare client, and without paying a penny more than you have to.
How to use this guide
Skim it once now. Bookmark it. When something happens — silence from your solicitor, a search result that doesn't look right, your buyer's lawyer asking for something odd — come back to the relevant section and use the template.
1How conveyancing actually works
Conveyancing (the legal process of transferring property ownership) is mostly admin and waiting. Here's the timeline a well-run sale follows. If your file is materially behind this at any stage, ask why.
- Week 0Offer accepted. Both sides instruct solicitors. The seller's solicitor draws up the draft contract pack (title, plans, fittings list, leasehold info if applicable).
- Week 1–2Contract pack sent to buyer's solicitor. Buyer's solicitor reads it and raises enquiries. Buyer's mortgage application progresses in parallel.
- Week 3–5Searches ordered. Local authority search, water and drainage, environmental, sometimes chancel-repair and flood. These come back in 2–4 weeks (faster if paid for express).
- Week 4–7Enquiries answered. The seller's solicitor responds to enquiries; often a second round of follow-up enquiries follows. This is where files stall.
- Week 6–9Mortgage offer issued. Buyer's lender confirms in writing.
- Week 8–11Exchange of contracts. Both sides sign; deposit (typically 10%) is transferred. The deal is now legally binding.
- Week 9–13Completion. Balance transfers, keys exchanged. You move in.
Reality check
Government data puts the average sale at 22 weeks. The difference between 12 weeks and 22 weeks is almost always (a) a stuck enquiry no one is chasing, or (b) a leasehold issue that wasn't flagged early. Both are preventable.
2The five things that go wrong most often
- Silence. Your solicitor doesn't reply for 7+ working days. Usually because the file has been re-assigned, or because one specific enquiry is parked waiting on a third party (lender, freeholder, council) and no one is chasing.
- Leasehold info pack delays. The freeholder or managing agent takes 6–12 weeks to send their pack (ground rent, service charges, building insurance, planned works). Legally there's no deadline. Push hard, early.
- Search results raising new questions. A nearby planning application, an old indemnity policy missing, a flood-risk flag. Each one needs an answer; each one adds 1–2 weeks if not handled briskly.
- Mortgage valuation comes in low. The lender values the property below the agreed price. The buyer either tops up the deposit, renegotiates, or walks. A good agent (Maalems included) earns their fee here.
- Chains breaking. One link in the chain falls through. The whole thing pauses or collapses. Your only protection is to push for fast exchange so a wobble higher up doesn't kill your deal.
3Email templates you can copy and send
Polite, specific, and dated. These are the four emails that move files. Copy, paste, change the bold parts, send.
Use after 7 working days of silence
1. The status-update chaser
Subject: [Your property address] — status update please
Dear [solicitor's name],
I haven't had an update on my file since [last date you heard from them]. Could you let me know by return:
1. What is the current stage of the transaction?
2. What is currently outstanding, and who are we waiting on?
3. What is your best estimate for exchange?
If there is anything you need from me to move things forward, please flag it now.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Reference: [your file ref if known]
Use when one specific enquiry has stalled
2. The unblock-the-bottleneck email
Subject: [Your property address] — chasing on [the specific item]
Dear [solicitor's name],
You mentioned on [date] that we were waiting on [the specific item — e.g. the freeholder's information pack, the local authority search, the lender's instructions]. It is now [X] days since.
Please could you:
1. Confirm when you last chased this in writing?
2. Send me a copy of that chaser email so I have it for my records?
3. Confirm what the next chase will be, and when?
If there is an escalation route — a more senior partner at the other firm, or a complaints procedure with the third party — I would like to use it now rather than wait another fortnight.
Thank you,
[Your name]
Use when responses are sluggish or low-quality
3. The "I'd like to speak to the supervising solicitor" email
Subject: [Your property address] — request to speak with supervising partner
Dear [solicitor's name],
I would like to arrange a brief call this week with the partner who supervises this file. My concerns are:
1. [Specific concern 1 — e.g. response times have been longer than expected]
2. [Specific concern 2 — e.g. I am not clear on what is outstanding]
I am not looking to make a formal complaint at this stage. I would simply like to understand the plan to get this file to exchange.
Could you let me know the supervising partner's name and arrange a 15-minute call within the next 5 working days?
Thank you,
[Your name]
Use only when the above has failed
4. The formal complaint email
Subject: [Your property address] — formal complaint
Dear [firm name],
I am writing to make a formal complaint about the handling of my file [file reference].
The specific issues are:
1. [Issue 1 — with dates]
2. [Issue 2 — with dates]
3. [Issue 3 — with dates]
Please:
1. Acknowledge this complaint within 7 days, per your firm's complaints procedure.
2. Send me a copy of your written complaints procedure.
3. Provide a written response within 8 weeks.
I am aware that I may refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman if the response is unsatisfactory or not received within 8 weeks.
Thank you,
[Your name]
4Red flags — when your file is going wrong
None of these are guaranteed disasters. All of them are reasons to ask a question now, not later.
| What you notice | What it usually means |
|---|
| 10+ working days of silence | The file has been re-assigned internally, or your case worker is on leave with no proper cover. Send template 1. |
| Emails get one-line answers with no detail | Whoever is handling the file is overloaded. Time to ask for the supervising partner — template 3. |
| "We're just waiting on the other side" | Often true. Often also: no one is actively chasing. Ask to see the most recent chaser email (template 2). |
| Leasehold info pack still not received at week 6 | Real risk. Push the seller's agent and solicitor hard. This single thing causes half of all SW London delays. |
| An indemnity policy is suggested for "something old" | Often the right answer for genuinely minor historic issues. But ask what the policy actually covers and what it costs. Don't just sign. |
| Lender valuation comes in below offer | Real. Either you top up the deposit, renegotiate the price, or walk. Talk to your agent first — they may have leverage. |
| "We need an EWS1 form" | Building safety. Applies mainly to flats in blocks over 11m. Can take months. If you're buying a flat in a block, ask about EWS1 (External Wall System fire-safety form, post-Grenfell) at week 1, not week 8. |
| Ground rent rises sharply at a future date | Could make the flat unmortgageable in future. Push back. The freeholder may be willing to vary the lease — or you may need to walk away. |
5How to escalate (the right way)
Escalating doesn't mean being rude. It means moving up the chain in clear, dated steps so that if it ever ends up in front of an ombudsman or a regulator, the paper trail is on your side.
Step 1: Your solicitor
Use template 1 or template 2. Give 5 working days for a substantive reply. Keep it polite.
Step 2: The supervising partner
Use template 3. You're entitled to know who supervises your file and to speak with them. A reputable firm will arrange a call within a week.
Step 3: The firm's formal complaints procedure
Every Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA — the body that licenses and regulates solicitors in England and Wales) regulated firm must have a written complaints procedure. Ask for it (use template 4). The firm has 8 weeks to respond.
Step 4: The Legal Ombudsman
If the firm's response is unsatisfactory, or you don't get one within 8 weeks, you can refer the matter to the Legal Ombudsman — the independent body that resolves complaints about lawyers. Free to use. Takes 6–12 months. They can order compensation up to £50,000.
Website: legalombudsman.org.uk · Phone: 0300 555 0333
Step 5: The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)
The SRA handles serious misconduct — dishonesty, conflicts of interest, failure of integrity. Not for slow files. Reserve this for actual professional wrongdoing.
Website: sra.org.uk · Phone: 0370 606 2555
Most cases never need escalation
90% of slow files speed up after template 1 alone. Another 7% sort themselves after template 3. The formal complaints route exists for the rest — but you'll know if you're in that small group.
6SW London leasehold landmines
The flats and ex-council stock of Wandsworth, Lambeth and Battersea carry a specific set of problems Maalems has seen for 25 years. None are dealbreakers if you know about them early.
Short leases (under 80 years remaining)
Once a lease drops below 80 years, the cost of extending it rises sharply — the "marriage value" kicks in. Below 70 years, many lenders won't mortgage the flat. Always check the unexpired lease term at offer stage. If it's borderline, the seller should extend before sale, or you should negotiate the price down to reflect the cost.
Share of freehold flats — out-of-sync leases
Many SW London flats are "share of freehold" — you own a share of the building's freehold alongside the other flat owners. Common problem: the underlying leases haven't been kept in sync. One flat extends, others don't. Some have ground rent, some don't. Ask your solicitor specifically: "Are all leases in the building on identical terms?"
Wandsworth Council leases
Ex-council flats sold under Right to Buy in the 80s and 90s often have unusual lease clauses around major works (the £30,000 bill from the council that lands a year after you move in). Ask for a section 20 history — every consultation the freeholder has issued on planned works in the last 5 years.
Building safety (post-Grenfell)
For any flat in a block over 11m, the lender may require an EWS1 form (External Wall System fire-safety form). These can take 6+ months to obtain if not already in place. Ask the seller's agent on day one.
Cladding and remediation contributions
Under the Building Safety Act 2022, leaseholders in qualifying buildings are protected from most cladding remediation costs. But there are exceptions, and the protections only apply if certain certificates exist. Specialist conveyancing question — make sure your solicitor has handled buildings like this before.
7Loft demise — the issue no one mentions until completion
"Demise" means the parts of the building included in your lease — i.e. what you actually own. A loft demise issue means the loft space above your flat may or may not be yours.
Why this matters
If you buy a top-floor flat planning to convert the loft, you need the loft to be inside your demise — and you need lease permission to do work to it. Three common scenarios:
- Loft is in your demise, lease allows works. Best case. Get planning, do the conversion. Common in older share-of-freehold buildings.
- Loft is in your demise, lease silent or restrictive on works. You may need a lease variation or licence from the freeholder. Costs a few thousand to negotiate. Doable if the freeholder is reasonable.
- Loft is NOT in your demise — it sits with the freeholder. You'd need to buy the airspace from the freeholder before you can convert. In SW London this can run £30k–£150k+ depending on what the loft is worth as a saleable conversion.
If you're buying with loft conversion in mind
Ask the seller's agent and solicitor in week 1: "Is the loft inside the flat's demise, and does the lease permit conversion subject to consent?" Get the answer in writing before you spend money on searches. This single question, asked at week 1, can save you 8 weeks of wasted conveyancing.
If you already own and want to convert later
Check your lease today — search for the words "demise", "loft", "roof", "airspace". If unclear, instruct a property solicitor to give a written opinion. £300–£600. Far cheaper than starting a build and discovering you can't.
8Quick reference — pin this above your desk
The five-second checklist
- Day 1 of any sale: Get a single line of communication open with your solicitor — name, direct email, direct phone. No general inboxes.
- Every Friday: Email your solicitor for a one-line status update. Make it routine.
- Week 1 for any leasehold: Ask "When was the leasehold info pack requested, and what's the chase plan if it's not back in 4 weeks?"
- Week 1 for any flat over 11m: Ask about EWS1 — External Wall System fire-safety form. Don't wait.
- Week 1 for any top-floor flat: Ask about loft demise and any restrictive lease clauses.
- After 7 days of silence: Send template 1.
- After 14 days of slow responses: Send template 3 — ask for the supervising partner.
- After 8 weeks of unresolved formal complaint: Refer to the Legal Ombudsman.
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About Maalems
Maalems is an independent estate agency that has served Earlsfield, Tooting, Balham, Clapham, Wimbledon, Wimbledon Park and the surrounding SW London streets since 2000. Twenty-five years on the same square mile. We've watched thousands of conveyancing files — the ones that flew through in 9 weeks, the ones that limped in at 30, and the ones that fell over at week 7 because someone didn't ask the right question at week 1. This guide is the distilled version of that.
This guide is general information about how conveyancing works in England and Wales, distilled from 25 years of estate-agency experience. It is not legal advice and is not a substitute for instructing your own solicitor. For decisions on your specific property and lease, take advice from a regulated solicitor or licensed conveyancer. Maalems accepts no liability for losses arising from reliance on this guide.