Quotes can vary quite a bit from one firm to another, and it’s not always obvious why. This guide breaks it down in plain terms so you understand exactly what you’re paying for, what’s typical, and what to look out for.

What Are Conveyancing Fees?

When you sell a property, you’ll need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal side of the transaction. This covers preparing and reviewing contracts, dealing with the buyer’s solicitor, checking the title for any issues, and handling the transfer of funds on completion.

The total cost is made up of two parts. The first is the legal fee, which is what the firm charges for their time and responsibility. The second is disbursements, which are third-party costs paid on your behalf during the transaction.

The Legal Fee

The legal fee is the firm’s charge for carrying out the work and taking responsibility for the transaction.

For a standard freehold property, most sellers will pay somewhere between £450 and £850, depending on the value and complexity of the property. Higher-value properties usually carry more legal responsibility and risk, which is why fees tend to increase slightly.

One thing that often causes confusion is VAT. Legal fees are subject to 20% VAT, but not all firms include this in their headline price. That means a quote of £600 is actually £720 once VAT is added, so it’s always worth checking what’s included from the start.

Disbursements on a Sale

Disbursements are fixed costs your solicitor pays to third parties as part of the process.

On a sale, these are usually straightforward. You’ll typically see a bank transfer fee for sending your sale proceeds on completion, ID verification costs to meet anti-money laundering requirements, and a small fee for obtaining official title documents from HM Land Registry. Some firms also include a case management or file handling fee, while others build this into their legal fee.

If these costs aren’t clearly shown on a quote, it doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t be charged. In many cases, they are simply added later.

If Your Property Is Leasehold

Leasehold sales involve more work and more parties, which naturally increases the cost.

Your solicitor will need to contact the freeholder or managing agent, obtain a management information pack, and deal with any service charge or ground rent queries raised by the buyer’s solicitor. Because of this, most firms apply a leasehold supplement on top of the standard legal fee.

This should be made clear from the beginning. If it isn’t, it often appears later once the transaction is already underway.

Help to Buy and Shared Ownership

If your property falls under Help to Buy or Shared Ownership, the process becomes more complex.

There are additional parties involved and more detailed legal requirements, which means fees are higher and the margin for error is smaller. In these cases, experience matters more than price. Choosing a firm that regularly handles these transactions can make a significant difference to how smoothly things progress.

What Good Pricing Actually Looks Like

A well-structured quote should make everything clear from the outset. You should be able to see the legal fee, VAT, each disbursement, and the total cost without having to question what might be added later.

Be cautious of quotes that look unusually cheap at first glance. In many cases, the initial figure is low, but additional costs appear as the transaction progresses.

The only number that really matters is the final total. Comparing fully itemised quotes side by side is the safest way to make a proper like-for-like decision.