When buying a house, people frequently lament the length of time the process takes, and naturally ask why. The answer is that all sorts of interested parties (buyer, seller, lender, solicitors, local and national government agencies etc) are involved and several different areas of the law (contract, land law, insurance, tax, planning) are covered.

Every check, every signature, every exchange means time - and paperwork. Probably the best advice that can be given to first-buyers who wish the process to be as smooth as possible is to place their affairs in the hands of genuine professional property lawyers with extensive local knowledge.

A good local solicitor will have the contacts on the ground, as well as the legal expertise, to ensure swift completion. Once you have secured the mortgage the solicitor will contact your lender, preparing and legal-checking all contracts, supervising the mortgage transfer and dealing with necessary local authority checks. Meanwhile you will arrange for a survey, buy insurance and appoint a removals company. Again, a practised local solicitor will usually be able to advise on these services, or arrange directly on your behalf.

After all the appropriate documents have been checked and signed by relevant parties, contracts can be exchanged. At this point your mortgage advance will be released by your lender, who will receive a title certificate, final checks and searches will be made and a deposit lodged with the sellers’s representatives. You will detail your insurance cover to be activated and confirm removals arrangements.

Your solicitor will prepare a financial statement and you can arrange with the estate agent to collect the keys, subject to date of completion. Your lender will transfer the balance of the mortgage to your solicitor, which is advanced to the seller’s solicitor, who returns title deeds once monies have cleared. You will receive any surplus funds you are due under the terms of your mortgage. All being well, you now collect the keys and move in, with your solicitor tying up loose ends such as paying stamp duties and registering ownership with the Land Registry.

All done: you’re a homeowner.

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