Our fees explained
Every property is different and we will always give you a fixed fee estimate based on the type of property, its location and the sale and/or purchase price. Request a quote here or call one of our offices to speak with a member of our conveyancing team.
As a guide, we have set out below our typical fees for standard properties without any unusual or non standard features. We will confirm an accurate fee estimate when we have full details from you so there will be no surprises after you have instructed us.
| Price of property | Our fee – freehold | Our fee – leasehold |
| Up to £150,000 | from £750 + VAT | from £975 + VAT |
| £150,000 – £200,000 | from £850 + VAT | from £1,050 + VAT |
| £200,000 – £250,000 | from £875 + VAT | from £1,100 + VAT |
| £250,000 – £350,000 | from £915 + VAT | from £1,150 + VAT |
| £350,000 – £450,000 | from £1,020 + VAT | from £1,250 + VAT |
| £450,000 – £600,000 | from £1,200 + VAT | from £1,450 + VAT |
| £600,000+ | Please contact us | |
In addition to the quoted fees, a fee of £30 + VAT is payable for each electronic money transfer.
What’s included in our purchase fees?
When you instruct us for your purchase, our fees will include:
- Checking and processing your instructions including carrying out the identity and anti-money laundering checks that we are required by law to carry out;
- Checking the title deeds and other standard documentation we receive from the seller’s conveyancer;
- Ordering all necessary searches and checking the results;
- Raising all necessary enquiries with the seller’s conveyancer and obtaining any missing information;
- Reporting our findings to you and preparing paperwork for you to sign;
- Reporting to your mortgage lender and ensuring any requirements in your mortgage offer are satisfied;
- Exchanging contracts;
- Completing your purchase;
- Submitting a Stamp Duty Land Tax / Land Transaction Tax return on your behalf;
- Ensuring your purchase is registered with HM Land Registry;
- Serving all required notices on the freeholder/management company;
- Closing and storing your file in accordance with our data retention policy;
- Keeping you and any relevant third parties updated throughout as appropriate.
What’s included in our sale fees?
When you instruct us on your sale, our fees will include:
- Checking and processing your instructions including carrying out identity and anti-money laundering checks that we are required by law to carry out;
- Obtaining details of your property from the Land Registry;
- Obtaining redemption statements from your mortgage lender(s);
- Checking your title and other standard documentation we receive from you in respect of the sale;
- Drafting a contract and preparing the pack to send to your buyer’s legal conveyancer;
- If your property is leasehold, obtaining management information from your landlord, obtaining up to date rent and service charge statements and calculating any apportionments of ground rent and service charge;
- Dealing with any enquiries from your buyer’s conveyancer and liaising with you where necessary;
- Liaising with your estate agent where necessary;
- Arranging for you to sign the contract and transfer deed;
- Exchanging contracts;
- Obtaining final statements from your mortgage lender(s);
- Completing your sale;
- Repaying your mortgage;
- Closing and storing your file in accordance with our data retention policy;
- Keeping you and any relevant third parties updated.
What disbursements are payable?
Disbursements are sums that are paid to third parties during the conveyancing process. The amount varies depending on the type and location of the property. As a guide, however:
Disbursements on a sale
| Land Registry fees – we incur these when we obtain details of your property from the Land Registry. The fee will be more if we also need to obtain copies of any documents. | £6 – £20 typically (no VAT is payable) |
| Indemnity insurance policy premium – if your property has a title defective (such as a long standing breach of covenant or a missing title document) or there has been a breach of building regulations or a certificate is not available, it may necessary to issue an insurance policy. | dependent on the nature of the breach and the value of the property |
| Freeholder/Management Company fee – if your property is leasehold, we will need to obtain certain details relating to the annual service charge, building insurance and other information. We will not normally know what this fee is when you first contact us but we will advise you once it is known as it will normally need to be paid upfront. | £150 – £350 + VAT |
Disbursements on a purchase
| Searches – we will carry out a range of searches including a search at the local authority, a water/drainage search and an environmental/flood search. In certain parts of the country, additional searches may be required. | approx. £300 (including VAT) |
| Land Registry and bankruptcy searches | £3 for each title; £2 for each name searched |
| Land Registration fee – this is the fee we have to pay to the Land Registry to register you as the new owner of your property. The fee is based on the value of the property and the Land Registry’s online calculator will help you. We will always advise you of the fee when we provide our fee estimate. | |
| Stamp Duty Land Tax – this is a tax payable on the purchase of a property. It is based on the price paid for the property but there are other factors. The rules are complex, but HMRC’s online calculator (or this calculator for properties in Wales) will help you. | |
| Notice of transfer/mortgage fees – for some properties, it may be necessary to notify third parties of your purchase and mortgage – normally with leasehold properties. | typically £50 – £150 + VAT per notice |
| Deed of covenant/certificate of compliance fees – these normally only apply to leasehold properties and will be payable to the freeholder and/or management company. | typically £150 – £250 + VAT |
What’s not included in our fees?
We will always provide you with an accurate fee estimate based on the information you provide us with. If we encounter additional work or complications, this may result in additional costs being incurred. These fees will always be discussed with you in advance. We have set out below examples of additional work which is occasionally required and an indication of the additional fee that will be payable.
| Additional work | When is it required | Cost |
| Unregistered land | If property is not registered at the Land Registry, additional work will be required in checking the deeds to the property | from £150 + VAT |
| Arranging indemnity insurance policies | These are commonly required where there is a defect in title or missing planning or building regulation approvals | £75 + VAT for each policy required (excluding the premium payable and any statutory declarations required) |
| Buying in a company name | There may be additional work involved if you buy in a company name, particular if you are obtaining a mortgage when an additional registration is necessary at Companies House. Additional advice may be also required if the directors are giving personal guarantees. | from £100 + VAT; Companies House fee – £13 |
| Dealing with more than one mortgage lender | This may apply on a sale or purchase | £125 + VAT |
| Declarations of Trust | These are advisable where couples purchase a property in just one name or in joint names but have contributed unequal shares | from £250 + VAT |
| Gifted deposits | If you are receiving a gift from a friend or family member to help you with your purchase, we will need to verify the source of the funds and satisfy any requirements your mortgage lender may have. | £50 + VAT per gift |
| Help to Buy | On a purchase, additional documentation is required, a formal request made for the funds and a second charge will need to be registered at the Land Registry; on a sale, any existing Help to Buy charge will need to be redeemed. | £250 + VAT |
| Help to Buy ISAs | If you are using a Help to Buy ISA to assist with your purchase, we will need to request the bonus in time for completion | £120 + VAT |
| Lender with own solicitor | In most purchases, we will also act for your mortgage lender. However, some small or specialist lenders will instruct their own solicitors and additional work will be required in dealing with them. | From £100 + VAT |
| Properties subject to a tenancy | If you are buying, we will need to review the tenancy agreement and deposit arrangements. If you are selling, we will need to deal with additional enquiries and apportion the rent on completion. | £150 + VAT |
| Solar panels | Properties with solar panels will normally be subject to a lease and we will need to deal with additional enquiries and if you are buying, ensure that the lease is compliant with the requirements of your mortgage lender. | £250 + VAT |
| Statutory Declarations | A declaration may be required in a wide range of circumstances including where a property has a title defect or if it has been gifted or sold at an undervalue during the previous 5 years | £150 + VAT |
How long will the conveyancing take?
The time between having your offer accepted and actually collecting the keys depends on a number of factors. Whilst we aim to complete between 8 and 10 weeks from the time you instruct us, this will depend on:
- the length of the chain and how long all the parties in it take to get in a position to exchange. Where the chain is short or there is no chain and there are no delays in mortgage finance being arranged, exchange of contracts can take place within 4 weeks or sooner.
- whether there are any complications in your sale or purchase or elsewhere in the chain. For example, the sale and purchase of a leasehold property can take longer because of the additional information required.
- how proactive and responsive other conveyancers in the chain are. We pride ourselves on driving a sale or purchase as quickly as possible but not all conveyancing firms are the same.