How to avoid conveyancing delays
A practical guide for UK buyers, brokers and conveyancers. The six blockers that cause most missed completion dates — and the early action that clears each one.
Why transactions stall
The average UK residential transaction now takes 18–22 weeks from offer accepted to completion. Most of that delay is concentrated in a handful of recurring blockers that are visible — or at least flaggable — from day one. The goal is to surface them before the first letter is written, not after the buyer's mortgage offer expires.
Short leases (under 80 years)
Leases under 80 years trigger marriage value and most lenders won't fund them. Check the lease length on the title register before instructing. Start a statutory lease extension early — it can take 3–6 months and the seller must own the property for two years to qualify.
Missing FENSA / building regulations certificates
Replacement windows, extensions, and electrical work all need building regs sign-off. If the seller cannot produce a FENSA, GasSafe, or local authority completion certificate, instruct indemnity insurance early instead of waiting for the solicitor's enquiry round.
Probate not granted
If the seller is an executor, contracts cannot exchange until the grant of probate is issued. Confirm at instruction whether probate has been applied for, granted, or is outstanding — typical delay is 8–16 weeks.
Restrictive covenants and easements
Restrictions on use, alterations, or rights of way frequently surface in local searches. Order the official copies and filed plan day one, flag covenants to the buyer's lender, and budget for indemnity if the covenant is historical and unenforceable.
Leasehold management pack delays
LPE1 packs from freeholders and managing agents routinely take 4–8 weeks. Order the pack the day you're instructed; chase weekly. Pack fees of £300–£800 are normal — get the buyer to authorise the spend up front.
Local authority search backlogs
Some councils still take 6+ weeks for the official LLC1/CON29. Use a personal search where the lender allows it (most do), or order the official search immediately and run the title check in parallel.
How IPropIQ helps
IPropIQ runs every property through a UPRN-keyed Master Record on instruction, pulling lease length, EPC, planning history, flood risk, and HM Land Registry data in seconds. Predicted blockers are surfaced with confidence scores and recommended actions, so your team chases the right pack on day one — not week six.