Conveyancing Fees Explained: Full Cost Breakdown for Buying and Selling in 2026

What Is Conveyancing?

Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. When you buy or sell a home in England or Wales, the transfer of legal title must be handled correctly: all searches completed, all outstanding liabilities identified, and the Land Registry updated to reflect the new owner.

This work is carried out by either a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer. Both are regulated professionals. Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA); licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC). Either can legally handle a standard residential transaction.

The conveyancing process covers everything from the initial review of the contract pack sent by the seller’s solicitor, through to exchanging contracts (the legally binding moment), and finally completing the transaction when money moves and keys are handed over. If you are using a mortgage to fund your purchase, your conveyancer also acts for your lender, ensuring the property provides adequate security for the loan.

Understanding what you are paying for, and why, is the first step to avoiding overpaying. Conveyancing quotes can vary by hundreds of pounds for identical transactions, so knowing how to compare them accurately matters.

Full Breakdown of Conveyancing Fees: Buying vs Selling (2026)

Conveyancing costs fall into two categories: the legal fee charged by your solicitor or conveyancer for their professional time, and disbursements, which are third-party costs your conveyancer pays on your behalf and passes on to you. The table below shows every fee you are likely to encounter.

Note: Stamp Duty Land Tax is separate from conveyancing fees and is calculated on the purchase price. It can run to tens of thousands of pounds on higher-value properties. See our mortgage rates guide for the broader picture on buying costs in the current market.

Land Registry Registration Fees by Property Price (2026)

Land Registry fees are set by HM Land Registry and are based on the purchase price. The table below shows the current fee scale for standard residential transfers (Scale 1). Fees for applications submitted electronically through the Land Registry portal are set at a lower rate than postal applications.

Most conveyancers submit applications electronically, so you should expect the lower electronic rate to apply. Your conveyancer will confirm the exact fee in their client care letter based on your purchase price.

Buying Costs vs Selling Costs: Why the Difference?

Buyers pay significantly more in conveyancing costs than sellers, and the reason is straightforward. When you buy a property, you need to protect yourself against hidden risks: planning blight, contaminated land, unregistered access rights, drainage issues and much more. The searches exist to uncover these problems before you commit legally.

Sellers do not need to carry out searches on their own property. Their role is to provide information, respond to enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor, obtain a redemption figure from their mortgage lender if applicable, and transfer the title. This is less work, hence the lower fee.

Sellers who are also buying, as part of a chain, should budget for both sets of costs. Using one firm for both transactions often attracts a small discount and improves coordination.

Leasehold vs Freehold

Leasehold properties are more expensive to convey than freehold. A third party is involved, the freeholder or their managing agent, who must provide a management information pack, confirm ground rent and service charge arrangements, and deal with relevant consents. Solicitors charge extra for this additional work, typically £200 to £400 on a purchase and £150 to £300 on a sale. If the lease requires extending as part of the transaction, costs can be considerably higher.

New Builds

New build conveyancing involves extra complications. Developers often set tight deadlines for exchange of contracts, and the legal documentation including transfer documents, building warranties and new lease packs can be lengthy. Most solicitors charge a new build supplement of between £150 and £400 on top of their standard fee.

UK Average Conveyancing Fees by Region (2026)

Conveyancing fees vary across the country, partly because solicitor overheads are higher in London and the South East, and partly because local authority search costs differ between councils. The figures below show approximate regional totals for a standard freehold purchase at around £250,000, including disbursements but excluding SDLT.

Disbursements Explained

Disbursements are costs paid to third parties by your solicitor on your behalf. They are not the solicitor’s profit. They are pass-through costs that you would incur regardless of who handled your conveyancing. The most significant disbursements for buyers are as follows.

Local Authority Search

This is ordered from the relevant local council and is one of the most important searches a buyer has. It reveals planning decisions affecting the property and surrounding area, whether the roads are publicly adopted or privately maintained, any enforcement notices, tree preservation orders, and whether the property falls in a conservation area. Costs vary significantly between councils. Some charge under £100; others charge over £300. The UK average in 2026 is around £250.

Environmental Search

This search checks whether the land the property sits on has ever been used for industrial purposes that could leave contamination. It also assesses flood risk, ground stability (relevant in areas with historic mining) and proximity to natural hazards. Properties in coastal or riverside locations, or those near former industrial sites, warrant careful scrutiny of this result.

Water and Drainage Search

Carried out through the relevant water authority, this confirms whether the property is connected to mains water and mains drainage, and whether any public sewers run through or near the land. A public sewer crossing your garden can restrict what you can build there, so this search is always worth having.

Land Registry Fees

These are paid directly to HM Land Registry to register the transfer of ownership. The fee scale is set by the government and is based on the property price (see the table above).

Bank Transfer (CHAPS) Fee

On completion day, large sums of money move between banks via the CHAPS system. Your solicitor charges a small fee for processing this, usually between £25 and £50 per transfer. Some firms charge this separately; others include it in their headline fee. Check before you instruct.

Solicitor vs Licensed Conveyancer: Which Should You Choose?

This is one of the most common questions buyers ask, and the answer depends on your specific situation.

What Is a Licensed Conveyancer?

A licensed conveyancer is a specialist property lawyer qualified specifically in property law. They are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and can handle the full range of residential and commercial property transactions. They cannot, however, advise on other areas of law such as wills, disputes or family matters.

What Is a Solicitor?

A solicitor is a fully qualified lawyer regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. They can handle any area of law, not just property. Many buyers prefer to use a solicitor for their conveyancing because they can also advise on related legal matters, including setting up a joint ownership structure such as a declaration of trust, preparing a will, or dealing with any title issues that require broader legal expertise.

Who Is Cheaper: a Conveyancer or a Solicitor?

Licensed conveyancers are generally cheaper. Their focus on property law means they can handle transactions efficiently and at lower cost. Solicitors typically charge more, particularly at larger firms or in London. For a straightforward freehold transaction, a licensed conveyancer will usually do an excellent job at a lower price. For anything more complex, a solicitor may be worth the additional cost.

As a direct answer to this frequently asked question: licensed conveyancers are usually cheaper by between £100 and £400 on a standard purchase. However, cheapest is not always best. Check reviews, check how cases are handled, and confirm what happens if your transaction becomes complicated.

Is It Better to Use a Conveyancer or Solicitor?

For a standard freehold purchase, either is suitable. The choice comes down to cost, reviews and how complex your transaction is. A licensed conveyancer with strong reviews and a clear no-completion policy is often the better value choice for a typical buyer. A solicitor becomes more clearly preferable when your transaction involves unusual legal complexity, or when you want the option of wider legal advice through a single professional relationship.

Fixed Fee vs Hourly Rate Conveyancing

The vast majority of conveyancers and solicitors handling residential transactions in 2026 charge fixed fees. This means you agree a total price upfront, and that price does not change unless the complexity of the transaction changes materially, for example if an unexpected legal problem with the title emerges mid-way through.

What Is Fixed Fee Conveyancing?

Fixed fee conveyancing means the solicitor’s legal fee is agreed in advance and will not increase for a straightforward transaction. It gives you cost certainty. Your quote should clearly separate the fixed legal fee from disbursements, which are third-party costs and not fixed, as search fees vary by area.

What Is Hourly Rate Conveyancing?

Some firms, particularly larger commercial law firms that also handle residential work, still charge by the hour. Rates range from £150 to £350 per hour depending on the solicitor’s seniority and location. For a standard property purchase, total legal time might be 5 to 10 hours, giving a fee of £750 to £3,500. Hourly billing introduces significant uncertainty and is generally not recommended for straightforward residential transactions.

To directly answer the question “how much does a conveyancing solicitor charge per hour?”: rates vary from £150 to £350, but the question is largely academic for most buyers because fixed fee quotes are the norm. Always ask for a fixed fee.

No-Completion-No-Fee Conveyancing Explained

A no-completion-no-fee policy (sometimes called no-sale-no-fee or no-move-no-fee) means that if your purchase or sale falls through before completion, the conveyancer will not charge you their legal fee. Given that around one in three property sales in the UK fall through before completion, this can represent a meaningful financial protection.

However, there are important caveats:

• Disbursements already paid are not covered. If searches have been ordered and you abort the transaction, you will still pay for those searches.
• The policy typically applies to the conveyancer’s professional fee only.
• Some firms charge a slightly higher base fee in exchange for this protection; others include it as standard. Check the small print before you instruct.
• The policy may not apply if the transaction fails because of something you did, such as withdrawing from the purchase without cause.

If you are buying in a competitive market where gazumping or chain collapse is a real risk, no-completion-no-fee is a worthwhile safeguard. With the current interest rate environment affecting buyer confidence, as covered in our guide to mortgage deals, it is particularly relevant for those buying with smaller deposits on time-sensitive transactions.

Online Conveyancers vs Local Solicitors: Pros and Cons

Online conveyancers have grown substantially in market share over the past decade, and in 2026 they handle a significant proportion of UK residential transactions. Both approaches have genuine advantages.

Online Conveyancers

Pros:

• Generally cheaper by £200 to £500 on a standard purchase.
• Case tracking portals allow you to check progress at any time.
• Often faster at issuing draft contracts due to streamlined processes.
• No geographic restrictions, so you can use a firm based anywhere in England and Wales.

Cons:

• High case volumes can mean slower responses to individual queries.
• You may deal with multiple team members rather than a single named solicitor.
• Some estate agents and sellers’ solicitors report slower progress when the buyer uses an online firm.
• Not ideal for complex transactions.

Local High Street Solicitors

Pros:

• Personal relationship with a named solicitor who knows your file.
• Easier to contact by phone or in person for urgent matters.
• Better suited to complex, unusual or high-value transactions.
• Local knowledge can be valuable in areas with specific title or planning issues.

Cons:

• More expensive than online alternatives.
• May not have case tracking technology.
• Quality varies significantly between firms.

For a standard freehold purchase on a new estate, an online conveyancer will usually suffice. For a Victorian leasehold flat with a short lease and ground rent review clauses, a local specialist solicitor is the safer choice.

The Conveyancing Timeline: What Happens and When

Understanding the typical timeline helps you plan and reduces the anxiety that often accompanies property transactions. Conveyancing in England and Wales typically takes between 8 and 12 weeks from instruction to exchange of contracts. Completion usually follows 1 to 4 weeks after exchange, though same-day exchange and completion is possible for cash buyers.

Week 1 to 2: Instruction and Initial Work

You instruct your solicitor, complete their ID and AML checks, and pay an initial disbursement on account (usually £300 to £500 to cover search costs). Your solicitor issues their client care letter setting out the agreed fee. The seller’s solicitor issues the draft contract pack including title documents, property information forms and fittings and contents list.

Week 2 to 4: Searches and Enquiries

Your solicitor reviews the contract pack and raises enquiries on anything unclear. Searches are ordered. Local authority searches are often the bottleneck here, with some councils taking 4 to 6 weeks to return results. Environmental and water searches usually come back within a few days.

Week 4 to 6: Mortgage Offer and Survey

Your mortgage lender issues a formal mortgage offer if not already received. Your solicitor reviews the mortgage conditions and checks the property is acceptable security for the lender. Your surveyor’s report is reviewed. Any issues flagged by the survey may generate further enquiries of the seller.

Week 6 to 9: Replies to Enquiries and Report on Title

The seller’s solicitor provides replies to enquiries. Your solicitor compiles a report on title: a summary of everything found during the conveyancing process. You review this report and formally approve it. You sign the contract and transfer documents.

Week 9 to 12: Exchange of Contracts

Exchange of contracts takes place. Both parties sign and date identical contracts, which are then exchanged by the solicitors. At this point the transaction becomes legally binding. You pay your deposit (usually 10% of the purchase price) on exchange. A completion date is agreed by both parties.

Completion Day

Your solicitor transfers the purchase funds (including your mortgage advance) to the seller’s solicitor. Once received and confirmed, the seller’s estate agent releases the keys. You are the legal owner. Your solicitor handles submission of the SDLT return and registers the transfer with HM Land Registry. Registration typically takes several weeks after completion.

Common Causes of Delay in Conveyancing

Delays are frustrating but extremely common. The most frequent causes are:

• Slow local authority search returns. Some councils take up to 8 weeks. Your conveyancer can order personal searches from a private search company, which are faster, though some lenders may not accept them. Ask about this if your timeline is tight.
• Slow mortgage offer. If the lender’s valuation raises concerns or the underwriting team requests additional information, the offer can be delayed. Respond to all lender requests immediately to avoid holding up the transaction.
• Enquiries requiring multiple rounds. Some enquiries, particularly on leasehold properties or those with unusual title history, take several exchanges to resolve.
• Chain complications. The longer the chain, the more opportunities for delay. If one party in the chain has a problem, every party below them is affected.
• Survey issues. A surveyor’s report that flags significant defects can lead to renegotiation of the purchase price or the need for specialist surveys, adding weeks to the process.
• Probate transactions. Where the property is being sold from a deceased person’s estate, the sale cannot complete until probate is granted. This can take months if the estate is complex.
• Leasehold management pack delays. Freeholders and managing agents are sometimes slow to produce the management information pack, or charge high fees for it. Sellers should request this as early as possible.

Hidden Conveyancing Costs: What to Watch For

Some conveyancers advertise headline fees that look competitive but exclude items that will inevitably be charged. Knowing what to watch for prevents nasty surprises.

Disbursement Inflation

Some firms quote below-market search costs in their initial quote and then charge more when actual invoices arrive. Ask whether search costs are estimates or fixed. If a firm cannot give you fixed search costs, ensure you understand which costs may vary and by how much.

Mortgage Acting Fee

If you are buying with a mortgage, your solicitor also acts for the lender. Some firms charge a separate fee for this, typically £50 to £200. This is often buried in the quote rather than highlighted as a separate line item.

Gifted Deposit Fee

If part of your deposit is a gift from a family member, your solicitor must carry out additional AML checks on the donor and may charge a fee of between £50 and £150 for this work.

Help to Buy or Shared Ownership Supplement

Shared ownership transactions involve an additional lease and approval from the housing association. This generates extra work and a supplement of £200 to £500 is common.

Additional Telegraphic Transfer Fees

Some firms charge for every CHAPS payment, including interim payments during the transaction. If your firm charges per transfer, check how many they anticipate making on your particular transaction.

VAT

All professional fees are subject to VAT at 20%. Always confirm whether the fees quoted are inclusive or exclusive of VAT. A headline fee of £900 plus VAT becomes £1,080. Some comparison tools quote ex-VAT figures; others include VAT. Always compare on a VAT-inclusive basis.

Red Flags: When Conveyancing Quotes Are Too Cheap

A very low conveyancing quote is not always a bargain. There are several scenarios where a suspiciously cheap quote should prompt caution before you commit.

Quotes Below £500 for a Purchase

A firm offering to handle a property purchase for under £500 in professional fees is either cutting corners, using very junior or unsupervised staff, or will add costs back through disbursement markups or supplementary charges. The economics of good conveyancing require a reasonable professional fee. Firms that cannot charge one often compromise service somewhere.

No Mention of Disbursements

If a quote contains only a headline professional fee with no breakdown of disbursements, the actual total will be higher than quoted. A reputable firm will provide a full itemised quote including all anticipated third-party costs without hesitation. If they cannot, ask why not.

No Regulatory Information

Any quote from a firm that cannot confirm their regulatory body and professional indemnity insurance should be declined. Check that solicitors are listed on the SRA register and that licensed conveyancers are listed on the CLC register. This check takes under two minutes and protects you from fraud.

Excessive Referral Fees from Estate Agents

Estate agents sometimes recommend conveyancers in exchange for referral fees paid by the firm. The conveyancer recommended by your estate agent may not offer the best value. Agents are legally required to disclose referral fees, but this disclosure does not mean the recommended firm is unsuitable. Simply get comparison quotes before deciding.

No Explanation of the No-Completion Policy

In a market where deals fall through at elevated rates, a firm that refuses to explain or offer any form of no-completion protection is worth questioning. A good firm should be able to clearly articulate their policy in plain language. If they cannot, look elsewhere.

Poor Communication from Day One

If a firm is slow to respond to initial enquiries or provides a quote with errors or missing information, this is predictive of how they will behave throughout your transaction. Slow or unclear communication from the outset costs you time and money on a purchase where every week matters.

How to Compare Conveyancing Quotes Properly

Getting multiple quotes is essential, but comparing them accurately requires care. Here is a systematic approach to getting the best result.

1. Get at least three quotes. Use a mix of online conveyancers and local firms. Comparison sites such as Reallymoving or the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor tool are useful starting points, but also ask for personal recommendations.
2. Compare total costs, not headline fees. Add the professional fee, all disbursements and VAT to arrive at a single total. This is the only meaningful comparison figure.
3. Verify what is included. Confirm whether the quote includes the mortgage acting fee, bank transfer fee, SDLT submission and Land Registry registration, or whether these are charged as extras.
4. Standardise for VAT. Ensure all quotes you are comparing include VAT. A firm quoting £900 plus VAT is quoting £1,080 all-in. Compare on a consistent basis.
5. Check the no-completion policy. Confirm whether the firm offers no-completion-no-fee. If so, does it cover disbursements as well as professional fees? Get this in writing.
6. Read reviews. Google reviews, Trustpilot and the Law Society complaints register all provide insight. A firm with a 4.8-star rating across hundreds of reviews is likely to give you a better experience than one with 3.2 stars, regardless of price difference.
7. Ask about your named contact. Who will handle your file day to day? How quickly do they typically respond to emails and calls? This is harder to quantify but can matter more than price during a stressful transaction.

With the current pace of interest rate changes affecting buyer decisions (see our mortgage rates guide), choosing the right conveyancer also means finding one who can move quickly if a competitive deal requires a fast exchange.

Tips for Keeping Conveyancing Costs Down

• Instruct your conveyancer as soon as an offer is accepted, not after your mortgage is confirmed. Starting early shortens the timeline and reduces the risk of delays compounding.
• If you are selling, gather all paperwork before marketing: title deeds, building regulations completion certificates, planning permissions, warranties and the energy performance certificate.
• Be responsive. Delays caused by slow responses from buyers or sellers are one of the most common reasons transactions drag on, and extended transactions can incur additional fees.
• Consider using the same conveyancer for both your sale and purchase if you are in a chain. It can improve coordination and sometimes attracts a combined fee discount.
• Use a no-completion-no-fee firm to protect yourself if the transaction falls through, particularly if you are in a long chain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a typical conveyancing fee?

A typical conveyancing fee for buying a property in the UK is between £800 and £1,500 in solicitor or conveyancer professional fees. When disbursements are added (searches, Land Registry registration, bank transfer charges and ID checks), the total cost of conveyancing when buying usually comes to between £1,500 and £3,000. For sellers, the total is lower: typically £500 to £1,000, as fewer searches and no registration fees are required on the seller’s side.

Who is cheaper, a conveyancer or a solicitor?

Licensed conveyancers are usually cheaper than solicitors by between £100 and £400 on a standard purchase. Both are regulated professionals who can legally handle residential conveyancing. For straightforward transactions, a licensed conveyancer will usually provide excellent service at a lower cost. For complex transactions involving leasehold issues, trusts, shared ownership or title disputes, a solicitor may be worth the additional cost.

Is it better to use a conveyancer or solicitor?

For a standard freehold purchase, either is suitable. The choice comes down to cost, reviews and how complex your transaction is. A licensed conveyancer with strong reviews and a clear no-completion policy is often the better value choice for a typical buyer. A solicitor becomes more clearly preferable when your transaction involves unusual legal complexity or when you want the option of wider legal advice in a single relationship.

How much does a conveyancing solicitor charge per hour?

Most residential conveyancing solicitors do not charge by the hour; they offer fixed fees. If you encounter a firm charging hourly, rates typically range from £150 to £350 per hour. For a standard transaction requiring 8 to 10 hours of legal time, that produces a fee of £1,200 to £3,500. This uncertainty is one reason fixed-fee conveyancing has become the strong majority model for residential work.

What is included in conveyancing disbursements?

Disbursements are third-party costs paid on your behalf. For buyers, these include local authority searches (£200 to £300), environmental searches (£30 to £50), water and drainage searches (£30 to £50), Land Registry official copies (£3 to £6), Land Registry registration fee (£100 to £300 depending on property value), bank transfer fees (£25 to £50), ID verification (£6 to £20) and AML checks (£10 to £20). Leasehold properties add further costs of £200 to £400.

What does no-completion-no-fee mean?

No-completion-no-fee means your conveyancer will not charge their professional fee if the transaction does not complete. You remain liable for disbursements already incurred, such as search fees. This policy protects buyers in chains or in markets where fall-throughs are more common. Confirm what is exactly covered before instructing, and ask whether the guarantee applies regardless of which party causes the transaction to fall through.

How long does conveyancing take in 2026?

Conveyancing typically takes 8 to 12 weeks from instruction to exchange of contracts. Completion usually follows 1 to 4 weeks after exchange. Complex transactions, leasehold properties and chains can take 16 to 20 weeks or more. The most common causes of delay are slow local authority search returns, mortgage offer delays, and unresolved enquiries on the title.

Can I do my own conveyancing to save money?

Technically you can act as your own conveyancer if you are a cash buyer, but most mortgage lenders will not permit it. Conveyancing is a complex legal process and mistakes can be extremely costly, potentially resulting in an unenforceable title or unexpected financial liability. For the vast majority of buyers, the saving is not worth the risk.

Are online conveyancers safe to use?

Yes, provided the firm is regulated. Licensed conveyancers must be on the CLC register; solicitors must be on the SRA register. Both can be verified online in under two minutes. Online conveyancers handle a very high volume of UK residential transactions and are safe for standard purchases. The main practical risk is slower or less personalised communication rather than any regulatory concern.

Is conveyancing more expensive for leasehold properties?

Yes. Leasehold transactions involve more work, including reviewing the lease, liaising with the freeholder or managing agent, checking service charge and ground rent accounts, and serving a notice of assignment. Expect to pay an additional £200 to £400 on a leasehold purchase compared to a freehold one. If the lease also requires extending as part of the transaction, costs can be considerably higher still.

MoneyWise UK provides information for general guidance only. This is not financial advice. Always consult a qualified financial adviser before making major financial decisions.