Buying a house in the UK: the step-by-step process
From accepted offer to keys in your hand, a UK house purchase typically takes 12 to 16 weeks. Here is what happens in each step, what tends to slow it down, and what you can do to keep it moving.
1. Get your finances in order (before you view)
Get an agreement-in-principle from a mortgage lender or broker. Estate agents will ask. It does not commit you to anything, but it confirms what you can realistically offer. Save the document — you will be asked for it again.
2. View, shortlist, score
Most buyers see between 10 and 30 properties before offering. Use a structured approach: viewing checklist, custom questions, weighted scores. By the time you offer, you should be able to articulate why you chose this one over the others. See our comparison guide.
3. Make an offer
Offers are made through the estate agent (verbally, then confirmed in writing). Negotiation is normal — most successful offers in 2024 went through 11–15% below the original asking price in many regions, much closer to asking in others. Make your offer subject to survey and conveyancing.
4. Offer accepted: appoint your conveyancer
You need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal work. Get quotes from three. Cheapest is rarely best — responsiveness matters far more than the £100 you save.
5. Mortgage application
Submit the full mortgage application within a few days of acceptance. The lender will commission a valuation (not a survey — see next step). This typically takes two to four weeks; have your payslips, ID and bank statements ready in PDF form.
6. Choose a survey
The lender’s valuation is for them, not you. You should commission your own:
- Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report): Standard for newer, conventional homes. £400–£700.
- Level 3 (Building Survey): For older, listed, extended or unusual properties. £600–£1,500. Worth every penny if there is any doubt.
7. Conveyancing in parallel
While the survey happens, your conveyancer raises enquiries with the seller’s side: title, searches (local authority, drainage, environmental), planning history, restrictions, easements. This is the longest step — typically four to eight weeks — and the biggest source of delays. Reply to your conveyancer the day they ask, every time.
8. Mortgage offer
Once the lender is satisfied with the valuation and your finances, they issue a formal mortgage offer (valid 3–6 months). Send it to your conveyancer.
9. Exchange of contracts
You and the seller sign matching contracts and exchange them via solicitors. At this point you are committed. You pay your deposit (usually 10% of the price). Insure the building from this date.
10. Completion
Usually one to four weeks after exchange. The balance moves between accounts, the keys are released, and the property is yours. Stamp duty land tax is paid by your conveyancer within 14 days.
How long the whole thing actually takes
The official median is around 12 weeks. The reality is that the chain length is the single biggest determinant. A first-time buyer with a vacant possession purchase can complete in 8 weeks. A four-link chain can drag past six months.
What slows it down
- Slow conveyancers — yours or the other side’s.
- Unanswered enquiries — chase weekly, in writing.
- Local authority searches taking 6+ weeks (some councils are notorious).
- Mortgage paperwork: missing payslip, missing ID, an unexplained gift deposit.
- Chain breaks — usually a buyer further down dropping out.
Stay organised
Keep every email, every quote, every receipt in one folder. Track every property you considered and why you chose this one — it makes the whole process feel less chaotic. SeenHouse keeps it all in one place.