What does a solicitor do when you are buying a house?

When you are buying a house, your solicitor or conveyancer plays one of the most important roles in the process.

They are there to handle the legal side of the purchase, check important information about the property, raise questions with the seller’s solicitor, organise key parts of the transaction and help get you safely to exchange and completion.

But from the outside, it can sometimes feel unclear what they are actually doing.

You may hear things like “we are waiting for searches”, “enquiries have been raised” or “we are reviewing the contract pack” — without always knowing what that means or whether anything is moving forward.

This guide explains what a solicitor does when you are buying a house, why their work matters, and what you may need to do along the way.

Solicitor or conveyancer: what is the difference?

When buying a house, you may use either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer.

Both can handle the legal process of buying a property. A solicitor may also deal with wider legal issues, while a licensed conveyancer specialises in property transactions.

You will often hear people use the word “solicitor” as shorthand, but the person handling your purchase may be a solicitor, licensed conveyancer or conveyancing executive.

The important thing is that they are properly qualified, regulated and experienced in the type of property you are buying.

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer.

For a buyer, this usually starts after your offer has been accepted and continues until after completion, when the property is registered in your name.

Your solicitor or conveyancer’s job is to check the legal position, manage the paperwork, deal with the seller’s solicitor, communicate with your mortgage lender if you have one, and make sure the purchase can complete properly.

What information will your solicitor ask for?

At the start of the process, your solicitor will need information from you.

This may include:

  • unanswered legal enquiries

  • mortgage offer delays

  • search delays

  • leasehold management information

  • survey issues

  • missing documents

  • slow responses in the chain

  • disagreement over the completion dateproof of identity

  • proof of address

  • details of the property you are buying

  • the agreed purchase price

  • how you are funding the purchase

  • whether you have a mortgage

  • where your deposit is coming from

  • whether you are also selling a property

  • whether you are buying alone or with someone else

  • your preferred timescale

  • whether you plan to do building work

  • whether the property is freehold or leasehold

This can feel like a lot of admin, but it is an important part of the process. Your solicitor needs to confirm who you are, understand the transaction and meet legal and anti-money laundering requirements.

They review the draft contract pack

Once the seller’s solicitor has prepared the initial paperwork, your solicitor will receive the draft contract pack.

This usually includes the draft contract and key information about the property.

Your solicitor will review the paperwork to understand what is being sold, who owns it, whether there are any restrictions or issues, and whether anything needs to be clarified before you can safely proceed.

This is one of the reasons the early part of conveyancing can feel slow. There may be a lot to check before your solicitor can give you clear advice.

They check the title

The title is the legal record of ownership and rights relating to the property.

Your solicitor will check that the seller has the legal right to sell the property and that the property you think you are buying matches the legal title.

They may look at things such as:

  • who owns the property

  • property boundaries

  • rights of way

  • restrictions or covenants

  • access rights

  • charges or mortgages registered against the property

  • whether the property is freehold or leasehold

If anything is unclear, your solicitor may raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor.

They organise property searches

Searches are checks carried out to find important information about the property and the surrounding area.

Your solicitor or conveyancer will usually organise the main searches after your offer has been accepted.

These often include:

  • a local authority search

  • a water and drainage search

  • an environmental search

Depending on the property and location, your solicitor may also recommend additional searches, such as mining, flood risk, chancel repair or other location-specific searches.

Searches are not the same as a survey. A survey looks at the physical condition of the property. Searches look at legal, environmental, planning and local information that could affect the property.

They raise enquiries

Enquiries are formal questions your solicitor asks the seller’s solicitor.

These questions are raised after reviewing the contract pack, searches, title documents and other information.

Enquiries might cover things like:

  • missing certificates

  • planning permission

  • building regulations approval

  • guarantees or warranties

  • boundaries

  • rights of way

  • disputes or complaints

  • works carried out at the property

  • fixtures and fittings

  • leasehold information

  • service charges

  • ground rent

  • management company details

This is one of the biggest waiting stages in the buying process.

Your solicitor may raise enquiries quickly, but they then have to wait for the seller’s solicitor, the seller, management company, freeholder or other third parties to respond.

They review your mortgage offer

If you are buying with a mortgage, your solicitor will usually also act for your mortgage lender.

This means they need to check that the property meets the lender’s requirements and that any conditions in the mortgage offer are dealt with before completion.

Your solicitor may need to:

  • receive and review the mortgage offer

  • check the lender’s instructions

  • make sure the mortgage funds can be requested in time

  • confirm any special conditions have been satisfied

  • report anything important to the lender if required

This is why your solicitor may sometimes seem cautious. They are not only protecting you; they may also have duties to your lender.

They report to you before exchange

Before exchange of contracts, your solicitor will usually report to you on the property.

This means they summarise the important legal information and explain anything you need to know before you commit to buying.

Their report may include information about:

  • the contract

  • the title

  • searches

  • enquiries

  • mortgage conditions

  • leasehold details if relevant

  • fixtures and fittings

  • completion arrangements

  • any risks or unusual points

This is your opportunity to read carefully and ask questions if anything feels unclear.

You do not need to understand every legal phrase. But you should feel comfortable that you know what you are buying and what you are agreeing to.

They prepare you for exchange of contracts

Exchange of contracts is the point where the purchase usually becomes legally binding in England and Wales.

Before exchange can happen, your solicitor will usually need to make sure that:

  • the legal checks are complete

  • searches have been reviewed

  • enquiries have been answered

  • your mortgage offer is in place

  • your deposit is ready

  • you have signed the necessary documents

  • the completion date has been agreed

  • everyone in the chain is ready

Your solicitor will usually ask for your authority before exchanging contracts.

Once exchange happens, you are legally committed to buying the property on the agreed completion date.

Check out our guide: What does exchange of contracts mean? for more useful information

They handle completion day

Completion is the day ownership changes hands and you can usually collect the keys.

On completion day, your solicitor will transfer the purchase money to the seller’s solicitor. GOV.UK explains that, once funds are transferred and the legal steps are completed, the seller moves out, you get the keys and you own the property.

In a chain, the money may need to move through several linked transactions. This is why completion can sometimes happen later in the day.

Your solicitor will let you know when completion has happened. The estate agent is usually then authorised to release the keys.

Check out our guide: What happens on completion day? for more useful information.

They register the property after completion

Your solicitor’s work does not always finish the moment you collect the keys.

After completion, they may need to:

  • pay any Stamp Duty Land Tax due in England, or Land Transaction Tax in Wales

  • register you as the new owner with HM Land Registry

  • register the mortgage against the property if you have one

  • send you confirmation once registration is complete

This part usually happens after you have moved in, so it can be easy to forget about. But it is still an important part of the legal process.

What does your solicitor not do?

It is also useful to understand what your solicitor is not responsible for.

Your solicitor does not usually:

  • inspect the physical condition of the property

  • tell you whether you are paying the right price

  • arrange removals

  • manage your packing

  • chase your mortgage adviser unless it relates to legal completion

  • guarantee that the whole chain will move quickly

  • make decisions for you

  • chase your buyers or vendors for minor updates (use your estate agent for this)

  • handle any supplementary agreements around items for sale (fridge-freezers, washing machines etc)

They can advise you on legal issues, but they cannot remove every risk or make the process completely certain.

That is why buyers often also need a surveyor, mortgage adviser, estate agent and their own system for staying organised.

Why does it feel like my solicitor is not doing anything?

This is one of the most common frustrations when buying a house.

Sometimes it feels like nothing is happening because the work is not visible from your side.

Your solicitor may be reviewing documents, waiting for search results, checking lender requirements, raising enquiries or waiting for replies from the seller’s solicitor.

The difficulty is that the process often involves several other people and organisations. Your solicitor may be able to chase, but they cannot always force an instant response.

That said, you should still expect clear communication, updates and explanations of what is outstanding.

What should you keep track of yourself?

Even with a good solicitor, it helps to keep your own record of the purchase.

Useful things to track include:

  • your solicitor’s contact details

  • estate agent details

  • mortgage adviser or lender details

  • searches ordered

  • enquiries raised

  • documents requested

  • survey booking and results

  • mortgage offer progress

  • deposit arrangements

  • exchange target date

  • completion date

  • questions you want to ask

  • things you are waiting for

You should not have to manage the legal process yourself, but keeping a clear overview can help you feel much more in control.

Check out our guide "How to keep track of everything when buying a house" for more useful information.

Questions to ask your solicitor when buying a house

If you are not sure what is happening, it is reasonable to ask clear, specific questions.

You could ask:

  • Have the searches been ordered?

  • Have the search results come back?

  • Have enquiries been raised?

  • Are we waiting for replies from the seller’s solicitor?

  • Are there any legal issues I need to understand?

  • Has my mortgage offer been received?

  • Is there anything you need from me?

  • Are we close to being ready to exchange?

  • What still needs to happen before exchange?

  • What completion dates are being discussed?

Simple questions can make the process feel less mysterious.

Final thoughts

When you are buying a house, your solicitor or conveyancer is responsible for the legal side of the purchase.

They check the property title, organise searches, raise enquiries, review the contract, deal with your mortgage lender, prepare you for exchange, handle completion and register the property after you move.

A lot of this work happens behind the scenes, which can make the process feel slow or unclear.

But understanding what your solicitor is doing can help you feel calmer, ask better questions and keep your move moving in the right direction.

Disclaimer: This guide is for general information only and mainly applies to buying property in England and Wales. It does not replace advice from your solicitor, conveyancer, mortgage adviser or estate agent.

How Settli can help

Settli helps you keep your side of the house-buying/selling process organised.

Your solicitor handles the legal work, but there are still lots of things for you to remember, track and follow up.

Settli gives you one calm place to keep your tasks, contacts, dates, documents and outstanding questions together, so you can see what is happening, what is waiting and what may need chasing.

It helps you stay informed without trying to carry the whole move in your head.

Setlli Logo

Stay on top of your move, from key tasks to awkward chasers.

Resources

Copyright 2026. Settli. All Rights Reserved.