Buying a Property
Conveyancing support to help you move forward with confidence
Buying a property is one of the biggest financial commitments you will make. Whether you are buying your first home, moving house, or investing in property, there is often a lot happening behind the scenes — and it is not always obvious what is causing delays or whether any issues have arisen.
Many buyers feel frustrated by:
- Poor communication
- Delays that are difficult to explain
- Long periods with little visible progress
- Pressure from chains and moving deadlines
- Unexpected legal or survey issues
- Uncertainty about when exchange or completion will happen
At Ellis-Fermor & Negus, we help you stay informed throughout the transaction so you understand:
- what is happening;
- what is still outstanding;
- what decisions may need to be made; and
- what could affect your timescales.
Our role is to manage the legal side of your purchase carefully and efficiently while helping reduce uncertainty and avoid unnecessary delays.
We will identify potential problems early, explain your options in straightforward terms, and keep the transaction moving wherever we can. If something needs your attention, we will tell you what it means and what you need to do next.
Have a question? Jump to our FAQs ↓
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‘I’ve dealt with Rob and the team for conveyancing for around 10 years on several properties. They are professional and deliver on what they promise. I can’t recommend this team enough, they are fantastic in every single way.’
Robert Meredith
Director and Head of Residential Property
Why choose Ellis-Fermor & Negus?
Direct Access to the conveyancer handling your transaction – no call centres.
Longstanding relationships with estate agents and property professionals across the region, helping us to maintain momentum and reduce delays.
Part of a full-service law firm, giving clients access to specialist advice in other areas of law where required or appropriate.
Thousands of residential property transactions completed every year.
Regular updates throughout your matter, so you’re not left wondering what is happening next.
Meet the team
Robert Meredith
Rob is a Director and Head of our Residential Conveyancing Department and has over 12 years’ experience in Residential Conveyancing work. Rob has been working in the area since he qualified and has helped thousands of families and individuals with their property needs. Rob qualified as a Solicitor in September 2006, having originally been born…
01159 725 222
r.meredith@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Robert Meredith is based at our Long Eaton Office.
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Giles Tyas
Giles is a Director and Head of the Residential Conveyancing Team at our Belper Office. Giles has over 10 years’ experience in Residential Conveyancing. Giles was born in Kent and attended at St Lawrence College before studying Law at the University of Plymouth and then completing his postgraduate studies at the University of Exeter. Giles…
Emma Mrvik
Moving home can be a stressful time, Emma provides a friendly service to make this time as stress-free as possible. Emma is Head of our Conveyancing Department at our Beeston office.
Claire Ryland
Claire qualified as a Solicitor in September 2015 after studying Law and Criminology LLB and the Legal Practice Course (PgDip) at the University of Sheffield. She completed her Training Contract at this firm and has completed several professional development courses in the areas of Property Law and Client Care. Claire represents a wide range of…
0115 972 5222
claire.ryland@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Claire Ryland is based at our Long Eaton Office.
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Sonja Kelly
Sonja qualified as a Solicitor in 1999 after studying Law and undertaking a Legal Practice Course at the University of Sheffield. Since qualification Sonja has worked primarily in Residential Conveyancing, with a short spell mixing this with Wills & Probate during her early career. Sonja has worked as a Residential Conveyancer for almost 20 years…
01773 744 744
sonja.kelly@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Sonja Kelly is based at our Ripley Office.
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Jane Warren
Jane Warren is an experienced Conveyancer with over 30 years experience in the sector. Jane joined Ellis-Fermor & Negus in November 2018 to work in our growing Residential Conveyancing department. Jane began working in Residential Conveyancing in Beeston in 1988 and went on to qualify as a Legal Executive in 1998. Over the years, Jane…
01156 977 254
j.warren@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Jane Warren is based at our Long Eaton Office.
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Rachel Brooking
Rachel is a Conveyancer currently studying towards the Licensed Conveyancing module accredited by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers. Rachel has 11 years’ experience in the legal sector with 9 years’ particular experience in Conveyancing. Prior to this Rachel has many years of experience working in different areas of Customer Services. Rachel joined the Residential Conveyancing…
01773 744 744
rachel.Brooking@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Rachel Brooking is based at our Ripley Office.
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Kellie Bilbie
Kellie is an experienced Conveyancer in our Residential Conveyancing Department. Kellie qualified as a Fellow of The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives in 2012. After leaving school and originally working for a house builder in the Nottingham area, in 1999 she came to work for a Solicitor in West Bridgford, Nottingham where she began her…
0115 9725 222
kellie.bilbie@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Kellie Bilbie is based at our Long Eaton Office.
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Lauren West
Lauren is a Residential Conveyancer with over 10 years’ experience working in both Private Client Services and Residential Conveyancing. She is based in the West Bridgford office having joined the firm in February 2025. Since graduating from the University of Lincoln in 2013, Lauren was originally based in the thriving City of Lincoln initially working…
0115 896 3390
lauren.west@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Lauren West is based at our West Bridgford Office.
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Joanna Merriman
Joanna started working as a paralegal within a large national firm in Nottingham after studying a BA in Economics and Law at Leicester University. She went on to qualify into Commercial Property in 2013 after completing the Legal Practice Course part time whilst working as a Litigation Executive. In 2014 she realised that her heart…
0115 972 5222
joanna.merriman@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Joanna Merriman is based at our Long Eaton Office.
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Bethan Duckworth
Bethan Duckworth joined our Belper Residential Property team in July 2023 as a Conveyancer. Bethan has worked in the Residential Property sector for over 5 years and is currently part way through her studies towards the Licensed Conveyancing Module accredited by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers. Bethan hopes to complete her qualification over the next…
01773 821 665
bethan.duckworth@ellis-fermor.co.uk
Bethan Duckworth is based at our Belper Office.
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Reviews, what our clients are saying…
Frequently Asked Questions
Most purchases take between 8 and 12 weeks, but this can vary depending on the circumstances of the transaction. A straightforward purchase with no chain may complete more quickly, whereas transactions involving multiple linked sales can take longer.
The timing often depends on how quickly information is provided, whether any issues arise during the legal review, and how many parties are involved. It is common for timelines to shift slightly during the process, particularly where other buyers and sellers are involved.
Delays are often caused by factors outside your direct control. One of the most common is the property chain, where several transactions need to progress together.
Other causes include slow responses from the seller or their solicitor, delays in mortgage approval, or issues that come to light when reviewing the legal documents. Sometimes additional enquiries are needed to clarify matters, which can extend the timeline.
While some delays are unavoidable, knowing what is causing them can make the process easier to manage.
You should instruct a solicitor as soon as your offer is accepted. This allows the legal work to begin straight away and avoids unnecessary delays at the outset.
If there is a gap between your offer being accepted and legal work starting, it can slow down the overall transaction, particularly if other parties are ready to move forward.
Yes, you can withdraw from the purchase at any point before exchange of contracts. This allows you time to consider the information provided and decide whether you are comfortable proceeding.
Once contracts are exchanged, however, the transaction becomes legally binding. If you withdraw after that stage, you may lose your deposit and could face additional financial consequences.
If the seller decides not to proceed before exchange of contracts, the transaction will come to an end. Unfortunately, there is usually no legal remedy available in this situation, even if you have already incurred costs.
This is a known risk in the conveyancing process, which is why exchange of contracts is such an important milestone.
A deposit of around 10% of the purchase price is typically required when contracts are exchanged. This forms part of the overall purchase price rather than an additional cost.
In some cases, a lower deposit may be agreed, particularly where funds are being carried forward from a related sale. However, you may still be liable for the full 10% if the transaction does not complete after exchange.
Contact Us
If you are buying a property and want to understand where you stand at each stage of the process, we can help you move things forward.
Phone:
0115 972 5222 (Long Eaton)
0115 896 390 (West Bridgford)
0115 922 1591 (Beeston)
01773 821665 (Belper)
01773 744744 (Ripley)
Email: infomation@ellis-fermor.co.uk