Fixed-fee conveyancing quotes
Buying, selling, remortgaging or both. Tell us about your move and we’ll arrange a fixed-fee quote from a regulated conveyancer in England or Wales.
What a conveyancer does
Conveyancing is the legal work that transfers a property from one owner to another. When you buy, your conveyancer checks the legal title, raises enquiries with the seller’s solicitor, runs the property searches, handles the mortgage paperwork, and registers you as the new owner at HM Land Registry. When you sell, they draft the contract, answer the buyer’s enquiries and deal with your mortgage redemption. You need a conveyancer (a licensed conveyancer or a solicitor) for almost every property transaction, and your mortgage lender will insist on one.
What conveyancing costs
There are two parts to the bill. The legal fee is what the conveyancer charges for their work, usually a fixed fee agreed up front. Disbursements are costs they pay on your behalf to third parties, and are set by those third parties, not the firm:
- Property searches (local authority, water and drainage, environmental) — roughly £250 to £450 on a purchase.
- Land Registry fees — a sliding scale based on the property value.
- Bank transfer fees for sending completion money.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on a purchase — a tax paid to HMRC, calculated from the price and your buyer status. Your conveyancer submits the return, but the tax itself is separate from their fee.
Leasehold flats, new-build homes, shared ownership, Help to Buy, buy-to-let and limited-company purchases usually carry a higher legal fee because they involve extra legal work.
How long it takes
A standard sale or purchase runs to about eight to twelve weeks from instruction to completion. The common hold-ups are chains, leasehold management-pack delays, slow search turnaround and mortgage offers. A remortgage is usually quicker, often three to six weeks, because there is no chain and no new seller to deal with.
Buying, selling and remortgaging: what changes
The core work is similar, but the detail differs. A purchase involves searches, checking the title, your mortgage and Stamp Duty. A sale is mostly drafting the contract and answering the buyer’s enquiries, plus redeeming any existing mortgage. Doing both at once ties the two together so they complete on the same day. A remortgage is the lightest: your conveyancer repays the old lender and registers the new charge. The quote form above asks a few questions specific to each, so the conveyancer can price it accurately first time.
Conveyancing quotes: common questions
How much does conveyancing cost?
For a standard freehold purchase or sale in England or Wales, the conveyancer’s legal fee is usually around £600 to £1,200 plus VAT. On top of that you pay disbursements: property searches (roughly £250 to £450), Land Registry fees, and bank-transfer fees. A purchase also has Stamp Duty (SDLT), which is a tax paid to HMRC, not the conveyancer. Leasehold, new-build and buy-to-let usually cost a little more because there is more legal work.
How long does conveyancing take?
A straightforward sale or purchase typically takes eight to twelve weeks from instruction to completion. Chains, leasehold enquiries, slow search turnaround and mortgage delays are the usual reasons it takes longer. A remortgage is normally quicker, often three to six weeks.
What is the difference between a fixed fee and an hourly rate?
A fixed fee means the conveyancer agrees their legal fee up front, so you know the cost before you instruct. It does not usually change unless the transaction itself changes (for example a freehold turns out to be leasehold). Disbursements like searches and Land Registry fees are separate and are set by third parties.
Do I have to use the conveyancer you quote?
No. The quote is free and there is no obligation. You are always free to instruct any regulated conveyancer or solicitor you like.
landdata.uk arranges your quote through a regulated conveyancing partner and may earn a referral fee. It never changes your price, and you are free to instruct any provider. Indicative costs and timescales above are general guidance, not a quote.