Your mortgage application has been submitted, everyone is working for you in the background, but what are they doing?
By the end of this chapter you’ll understand:
✓ What your solicitor does
✓ Why searches are carried out
✓ The difference between a valuation and a survey
✓ What enquiries are
✓ Why this stage can take time
Estimated Reading Time: 12 minutes
Once your mortgage application has been submitted, you may feel as though everything has gone quiet. In reality, this is often one of the busiest stages of your home-buying journey.
While you’re waiting, your mortgage adviser, lender, solicitor, estate agent and the seller’s solicitor are all working together behind the scenes. Although you might not receive daily updates, a great deal of important work is taking place to make sure everything is ready before contracts are exchanged.
Patience is often the hardest part of buying a home, but understanding what’s happening can make the waiting much easier.
What does my solicitor actually do?
Your solicitor (or conveyancer) is responsible for the legal side of buying your home. Their role is to make sure everything is legally correct before you become the owner of the property.
Some of the work they carry out includes:
Think of your solicitor as the person making sure there are no legal surprises after you’ve moved in.
One of the first things your solicitor will usually do is order a number of property searches.
These searches provide important information that isn’t always obvious when you view a property.
Common searches include:
Local Authority Search – This checks information held by the local council, including planning decisions, road schemes and other matters that may affect the property.
Water & Drainage Search – This confirms whether the property is connected to the public water supply and sewerage system, together with other drainage information.
Environmental Search – This looks at factors such as historic land use, flood risk and potential environmental issues affecting the property.
Depending on the property and its location, your solicitor may recommend additional searches if they believe they’re appropriate.
What are enquiries?
After reviewing the paperwork, your solicitor may ask the seller’s solicitor additional questions.
These are known as enquiries.
For example, they may ask about:
Sometimes enquiries are answered quickly. Other times they take longer if additional information needs to be obtained. This is completely normal.
What’s the difference between a valuation and a survey?
This is one of the most common areas of confusion for first-time buyers.
Although they’re often mentioned together, they serve very different purposes.
Mortgage Valuation – Your lender usually arranges a valuation to confirm that the property provides suitable security for the mortgage. It’s carried out for the lender’s benefit, not yours. A valuation isn’t designed to identify every defect or maintenance issue.
Property Survey – A survey is arranged for your benefit. Its purpose is to assess the condition of the property and highlight any issues that may require attention. Depending on the age, condition and type of property, there are different levels of survey available. If you’re unsure which survey may be suitable, your surveyor will be able to explain the options.
Why does this stage sometimes take so long? – Buying a home involves several independent organisations working together. For example:
Each organisation has its own responsibilities and timescales. Sometimes everything progresses quickly. Other times, one small delay can affect the overall timeline. Although waiting can feel frustrating, it’s usually because everyone is making sure your purchase is completed properly.
How can I help keep things moving? – Although much of the work is outside your control, there are still things you can do to help, such as:
A little preparation and good communication can make a big difference.
Searches aren’t there to slow the process down. They’re there to help protect you. It’s far better to discover important information before you buy than after you’ve moved in.
After submitting their mortgage application, Alex and Sophie worried because they hadn’t heard anything for several days. They assumed something had gone wrong.
In reality, their lender was simply reviewing the application and arranging the property valuation. A few days later, we contacted them to request one additional payslip.
They sent it over the same day, and shortly afterwards received their Mortgage Offer. Sometimes, a quiet period simply means everyone is busy working behind the scenes.
✓ What your solicitor does.
✓ Why property searches are important.
✓ What enquiries are.
✓ The difference between a valuation and a survey.
✓ Why patience is often needed during this stage.
Next Chapter
Exchange of Contracts, Completion & Moving Day
The finish line is now in sight! In the next section, we’ll explain what happens when contracts are exchanged, how completion works, when you’ll receive your keys and what to expect on one of the most exciting days of your home-buying journey.
