A CONVEYANCING PRICING GUIDE
Responsibility for work
Your matter will be supervised by Jeanette Silburn who is our Conveyancing Partner and experienced Solicitor with over 30 years in all aspects of residential conveyancing. You will be provided with her direct email and contact telephone numbers.
Services
We deal with the full range of property transactions, from standalone sales and purchases, to complex, high value residential transactions.
We provide a full legal service, taking detailed instructions from you, carrying out all the legal work involved in the sale, purchase, mortgage, keeping you informed in line with your requirements, dealing by return and liaising with you throughout. If the transaction is a purchase, we will prepare and submit the Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT in England) Return/Land Transaction Tax (LTT in Wales) Return and to apply to the Land Registry for the registration of the purchase of your property.
Pricing
In the interests of price transparency and building an ongoing relationship with you in which you trust, we will give you a fixed estimate of costs for conveyancing at the outset of the transaction.
Not all transactions are the same and they will often involve differing issues and expectations of the parties involved.
We encourage that you call us to discuss a transaction, in order that we can give an accurate estimate based on your circumstances. While we have fixed charges for some elements of the transaction, the fee for acting will vary depending on matters such as value, title issues and timescales. We do not charge on an hourly rate basis.
We rely on our existing clients and contacts for work to be referred to us, on the basis of the quality of our service. Our aim is to charge a fair fee for a service for which you will feel you have received value for money. We do not pay referral fees to estate agents, so no part of our fee pays for any recommendations.
A guide to our conveyancing fees
Freehold Sale
| Up to £400,000 | £900 + VAT @ 20% |
| £400,000-£750,000 | £950 + VAT @ 20% |
| £750,000-£1,000,000 | £1,250 + VAT @ 20% |
| Properties over £1,000,000 | 0.2% + VAT @ 20% subject to a minimum of £1,500 + VAT @ 20% |
Leasehold Sale
| Up to £400,000 | £950 + VAT @ 20% |
| £400,000-£750,000 | £1,250 + VAT @ 20% |
| £750,000-£1,000,000 | £1,500 + VAT @ 20% |
| Properties over £1,000,000 | 0.2% + VAT @ 20% subject to a minimum of £2,000 + VAT @ 20% |
Freehold Purchase
| Up to £400,000 | £950 + VAT @ 20% |
| £400,001-£750,000 | £1,000 + VAT @ 20% |
| £750,000-£1,000,000 | £1,400 + VAT @ 20% |
| Properties over £1,000,000 + | 0.2% + VAT @ 20% subject to a minimum of £2,000 + VAT @ 20% |
Leasehold Purchase
| Up to £400,000 | £950 + VAT @ 20% |
| £400,001-£750,000 | £1,250 + VAT @ 20% |
| £750,000-£1,000,000 | £1,500 + VAT @ 20% |
| Properties over £1,000,000 | 0.2% + VAT @ 20% subject to a minimum of £2,000 + VAT @ 20% |
Our charges include all telephone calls, correspondence, complying with money laundering regulations and identification requirements, dealing with the preparation and submission of the Stamp Duty Land Tax return (but not specialist advice if not a straightforward transaction).
Declaration of Trust
From £300 + VAT
There is always the possibility that a transaction becomes more complex or protracted for many reasons. In such circumstances, we will notify you of this and we may need to refer you to either the Private Client department or the Family Department. Revised estimates would be provided depending on the factors involved.
Disbursements
There will also usually be the following payments to third parties:
Search Fees
We usually apply for local authority, drainage, chancel repair and environmental searches, with costs varying between circa £400 to £700 (inclusive of VAT @20% depending on the Local Authority). These costs are set by third party agencies. We will advise you of the cost of any further searches that may be needed for your property.
Land Registry
The Land Registry application fees vary according to the value of the property. The Land Registry website provides registration fees information at www.gov.uk/topic/landregistration/ data. We will advise you what your registration fee is based on your purchase price.
| Land Registry fee for Official Copy of the Register and supporting documents | £12 (no VAT) |
| Land Charges Search Fee | £4 (no VAT payable) |
| Lawyer Check Fee | £12 + VAT @ 20% |
| Anti Money Laundering checks | £25 + VAT @ 20% |
| Bank Transfer Fee | £40 + VAT@20% for same day transfers. |
| SDLT Return Bank transfer fee | £6 + VAT @ 20% |
Stamp Duty
The amount payable to HMRC will vary according to the purchase price of your property, who is buying the property and whether you own property already. We will advise you what your tax due is based on your purchase price and other circumstances. There is also a SDLT calculator available on the HMRC website: www.tax.service.gov.uk/calculate-stamp-dutyland-tax
Leasehold Properties Disbursements and Third Party costs:
- Leasehold Purchase – landlords notice fee (typically £100-£300 + VAT)
- Leasehold sale – landlord’s notice fees (typically £100-£400 + VAT)
- Notice of Transfer fee – This fee, if chargeable, is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £25- £200 per notice.*
- Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – This fee is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £25-£200 per notice.*
- Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £25-£200*
- Certificate of Compliance fee – To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £25-£200*
- Sales packs from a management company (if you are selling) can range from £100-£450
VAT Payable – 20% on legal fees and most search fees and other disbursements
Factors that may increase your costs
Sometimes, additional work is required that cannot be known at the outset. For example, if a lease extension is required, if alterations have been made to the property without the necessary consents, if parties do not have the necessary paperwork, if indemnity insurance is required by your buyer or lender. This will impact on the time spent and overall cost. If this is the case, we will let you know as soon as we become aware of it.
Key stages
We’ve put together a brief overview of some of the milestones involved when buying a property. If you have any other questions about the process of buying or selling your home or would like to learn more about the solicitor fees involved, please contact us today.
A very brief overview of key milestones for a purchase is as follows:
- Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
- Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
- Receive and advise on contract documentation
- Carrying out searches and reporting to you on the same
- Obtaining copy planning documentation if required
- Raising any necessary enquiries of the seller’s solicitor based on the contract documentation received
- Giving you advice on all documents and information received
- Going through conditions of your mortgage offer with you and correctly executing the mortgage deed. We will also deal with any specific conditions of your mortgage offer to satisfy lender requirements
- Sending to you the final contract for your signature
- Agreeing a completion date (date from which you own the property)
- Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
- Arranging for all monies needed to be received from your lender and from you
- Completing the purchase
- Dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Dealing with application for registration at Land Registry
How long will my house sale/purchase take?
This will depend on a number of factors.
The average process takes between 4 -12 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 8-10 weeks.
However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 12 and 14 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.
How long will my leasehold sale/purchase take?
This will depend on a number of factors.
The average process takes between 4-12 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 8 to 10 weeks.
However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 12 and 14 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.
*Our fee assumes that:
This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
- This is the assignment of an existing lease and is not the grant of a new lease
- The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise
- All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
- No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required
We are here to help you right the way through your transaction.
