This page is general information about typical conveyancing costs in England and Wales, last reviewed on 30 August 2026. It is not legal advice, and it is not a quote. Ethical Conveyancing is an introducer: we match you with a panel solicitor who does the legal work. Figures from comparison sites and homeowner groups are third-party market data, not our prices. For a figure that applies to your transaction, get a purchase quote, sale quote, sale and purchase quote or remortgage quote.
Our legal fees start from £400 on a sale or purchase, and from £230 on a remortgage. That is a starting legal fee, not an all-in cost. Disbursements (third-party costs such as searches and Land Registry fees) sit on top, and VAT is usually added to the legal fee. The legal fee we quote is the legal fee you pay — no hidden extras on that fee.
Four pots of money — not one “conveyancing fee”
People type “how much does conveyancing cost” and expect a single number. In practice the bill is four different things, and mixing them up is how cheap-looking quotes turn expensive.
1. The legal fee (professional fee)
This is what the solicitor charges for the work: contracts, title, enquiries, acting for you (and, on a purchase with a mortgage, usually for the lender as well). Ethical quotes this as a fixed fee. The figure you are quoted is the legal fee for the work described — it does not move mid-transaction, and we do not add hidden extras. If extra work is needed, you are told what it is, why, and any cost before it happens.
2. Disbursements
These are third-party costs paid on your behalf. They are not the solicitor’s profit. Typical examples:
- Search pack on a purchase (local authority, environmental, water and drainage — see property searches)
- HM Land Registry fees (official copies, registration of the transfer or charge)
- Bank transfer (CHAPS / telegraphic transfer)
- Identity and anti-money-laundering checks
- Bankruptcy and OS1 priority searches
- On leasehold: management pack, notice of assignment or charge, certificate of compliance — often charged by the landlord or managing agent, not by the solicitor
Disbursements vary with the property, the local authority and (on leasehold) the freeholder. They are usually payable even if the transaction later falls through, because the money has already been spent. See No Move No Legal Fee below.
3. VAT
VAT at the standard rate is normally added to the solicitor’s legal fee and to some service charges (for example some search providers). HM Land Registry statutory fees do not attract VAT. Always check which lines on a quote are plus VAT and which are not.
4. Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)
SDLT is not a conveyancing fee. It is a tax on the purchase, paid to HMRC, usually within 14 days of completion. The solicitor typically files the return, but the tax itself is a separate, often much larger, sum. It does not belong in a like-for-like comparison of legal quotes.
Rates and reliefs depend on price, whether you are a first-time buyer, whether you already own another property, and where the property is. England and Northern Ireland use SDLT; Wales uses Land Transaction Tax; Scotland uses LBTT. Do not use an England figure for a Welsh or Scottish purchase. Our SDLT guide explains how the tax works in general terms. HMRC’s calculator and the GOV.UK residential rates confirm what applies to a given purchase. Your solicitor will also confirm — this page does not calculate your bill.
What the market is charging in 2026 (third-party figures)
These numbers are not Ethical quotes. They are published market averages and ranges, useful as a sense-check when you compare firms.
reallymoving Conveyancing Costs Index, Q2 2026 (reported by Today’s Conveyancer), including VAT and disbursements:
| Transaction | Average (inc. VAT and disbursements) |
|---|---|
| Purchase | £1,509 |
| Sale | £929 |
| Combined sale and purchase | £2,438 |
HomeOwners Alliance, 2026 guide (HOA):
- Buying: legal fees often cited around £400–£1,500, plus disbursements of up to around £700
- Selling: often cited around £610–£950
The HOA buying range starts near Ethical’s from £400 sale-or-purchase legal fee. That bottom end is a legal-fee figure, not an all-in purchase cost. Add searches, Land Registry, bank transfers and VAT, and the total is higher. That is why the reallymoving purchase average sits well above £400. Remortgage is a different starting line: from £230.
A first-time buyer’s budget line is usually: legal fee + VAT + searches + Land Registry + any leasehold or new-build extras — plus SDLT separately. Our first-time buyer checklist walks through the wider moving costs.
Land Registry fees (statutory — not a firm’s “extra”)
Registration fees are set by HM Land Registry, not by the solicitor. They depend on the type of application (Scale 1 is typically used for purchases; Scale 2 is typically used for charges, remortgages and some gifts or transfers) and on whether the application is lodged electronically.
Example (Scale 1, electronic): for a purchase in the £200,001–£500,000 band the fee is £150. There is no VAT on HMLR statutory fees.
Always check the live table: HM Land Registry registration services fees on GOV.UK. Postal applications cost more than electronic ones. Official copies of the register, title plan and any documents referred to are separate, smaller fees.
What a fixed-fee quote should itemise
A useful quote is a list, not a headline. Before you instruct anyone, check that the following lines are either included, listed as extra, or marked as “not applicable”:
| Line | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Professional / legal fee | Fixed figure for the work described (sale, purchase, both, remortgage) |
| VAT on the legal fee | Usually 20% — is it in the total or sitting underneath? |
| Acting for the lender | Included, or a supplement? Common on a mortgaged purchase |
| Search pack | Named searches, not just “searches TBC” |
| Land Registry | Application fee and official copies, with Scale 1 or Scale 2 flagged |
| Bankruptcy / OS1 (priority) search | Often a few pounds each; easy to omit from a headline |
| CHAPS / telegraphic transfer | Per transfer — a sale and a purchase can mean more than one |
| ID / AML checks | Per person; joint buyers are two people |
| Leasehold supplement | Legal work and landlord/agent fees (these are different) |
| New-build supplement | Developer packs, plot substitutions, roads and sewers |
| Shared ownership / Help to Buy / equity loan | Extra documents and often a housing association in the chain |
| Unregistered title | First registration work is not standard freehold |
| Auction / expedited | Speed has a cost — see buying at auction |
| Gifted deposit / source of funds | Extra AML work is common, especially for first-time buyers |
If a quote is a single round number with no list, you cannot compare it with a quote that itemises everything. Ask for the list. Our own quotes are built to show the legal fee and the disbursements separately so you can see what is the solicitor’s work and what is paid out to third parties.
For how the file actually runs, see the conveyancing process, demystified and what exchange and completion mean.
Buying
On a purchase the solicitor investigates the title, raises enquiries, orders searches, reports to you and (if you have a mortgage) to the lender, deals with exchange and completion, pays any SDLT, and registers you at Land Registry.
What usually sits in the quote
- Legal fee + VAT
- Search pack (the largest typical disbursement on a straightforward freehold)
- Land Registry Scale 1 registration fee (see the £150 example above for a mid-price electronic application)
- Official copies, bankruptcy and OS1 searches, CHAPS, ID/AML
- Lender work, if you are borrowing
What is not in the quote
- SDLT (tax, not a fee)
- Your mortgage product fee, broker fee, survey or valuation
- Leasehold landlord/agent charges, which are set by the freeholder, not by us
Market context (third-party): reallymoving Q2 2026 average purchase £1,509 inc. VAT and disbursements; HOA buying legal-fee range about £400–£1,500 plus disbursements up to around £700.
Ethical purchase legal fees start from £400. Your actual legal fee depends on the property (freehold or leasehold, new build, shared ownership, price band). Disbursements sit on top. Get a purchase quote — it takes about 60 seconds and is the figure that applies to your case, not a market average.
If you are buying for the first time, pair this page with the first-time buyer checklist. If the property is leasehold, read freehold vs leasehold and leasehold transaction charges before you compare quotes — a cheap freehold headline is not a leasehold quote.
Timescales are a separate question from cost. Some straightforward, chain-free freeholds complete in around 8–12 weeks; the 2026 market average from offer to completion is longer. See how long conveyancing takes in 2026.
CTA: Get a purchase quote
Selling
On a sale the solicitor prepares the contract pack (including the TA6/TA10 property information forms), answers the buyer’s enquiries, deals with your mortgage redemption if you have one, and sends funds on completion. There is usually no search pack on a sale — the buyer orders searches — so disbursements are typically lower. That is one reason the reallymoving sale average (£929 inc. VAT and disbursements, Q2 2026) sits below the purchase average.
Leasehold sellers often pay for a management pack from the freeholder or managing agent. That is a disbursement, and it can take weeks to arrive. Flag leasehold on the quote form so it is in the figure from the start.
Market context (third-party): HOA selling range about £610–£950; reallymoving Q2 2026 sale average £929 inc. VAT and disbursements.
CTA: Get a sale quote
Buying and selling together
A simultaneous sale and purchase is two files, not one slightly larger file. You still have two sets of legal work, two sets of disbursements, and (on the purchase) SDLT as well. Some firms offer a combined rate; some simply add the two quotes together. Either way, compare all-in for both sides, not a single “moving house” headline.
Market context (third-party): reallymoving Q2 2026 combined sale + purchase average £2,438 inc. VAT and disbursements.
If you are in a chain, speed and communication matter as much as the fee. A cheap quote that sits on enquiries can cost more than a slightly higher fee that keeps the chain moving. Get a sale and purchase quote so both sides are priced together.
CTA: Get a sale and purchase quote
Remortgage
Remortgaging to a new lender is legal work (a new charge is registered). A product transfer with the same lender is often handled by the lender with little or no conveyancing. “Free legal work” on a remortgage offer usually means the lender’s panel firm — you may still pay disbursements, and you may still want your own solicitor if the title is leasehold or you are adding or removing a name.
Ethical remortgage legal fees start from £230. The quote is the legal fee you pay; disbursements sit on top. So far this year, remortgages through Ethical have averaged around 3 weeks. That is our experience, not a promise — leasehold, a transfer of equity at the same time, or lender delays can take longer.
Market commentary often cites a private-pay all-in range of around £400–£1,000 for a straightforward freehold remortgage; leasehold is typically higher. That is market comment, not an Ethical remortgage fee, and it is not our starting legal fee (which is from £230). Industry timescales of 4–8 weeks are the same kind of third-party context. Use the remortgage quote for our figure.
Full explainer: Remortgage conveyancing — costs, timelines and when you need your own solicitor.
CTA: Get a remortgage quote — legal fees from £230.
What usually costs extra
These are the items that turn a “from £400” (sale or purchase) or “from £230” (remortgage) legal fee into a larger invoice if they are not flagged at quote stage. None of them are hidden extras if the quote is honest — they are extra work or extra third-party charges. Tell us about them on the form.
Leasehold
More legal work (lease review, landlord questionnaires) plus landlord or managing-agent fees: management pack, notice of assignment or charge, deed of covenant, certificate of compliance. Amounts are set by the freeholder, not by the solicitor, and they vary widely. See leasehold transaction charges and freehold vs leasehold.
New build
Developer contracts, plot substitutions, incomplete roads and sewers, estate charges on some freeholds, warranty documentation. Lenders typically still want a search pack. Flag it on the quote. Guide: buying a new build in 2026.
Shared ownership (and Help to Buy / equity loans)
A housing association or equity-loan provider is a party to the transaction. Expect extra documents, extra time, and a supplement on the legal fee. Mention shared ownership on the quote form rather than using a standard freehold headline.
Unregistered title
Some older properties are not yet at Land Registry. First registration is extra work compared with a registered freehold.
Auction
On a traditional auction the hammer is typically exchange, with completion often around 28 days later. The legal pack needs reviewing before you bid, not after. Speed and abortive risk both affect cost. Guide: buying property at auction.
Gifted deposits and source of funds
Gifts from family are common, especially for first-time buyers. Solicitors have to evidence where the money comes from. That can mean extra AML work and extra time. It is not usually a reason to skip the checks. Mention a gifted deposit when you instruct so it is planned for, not discovered a week before exchange.
Help to Buy redemptions and other equity-loan paydowns sit in a similar “tell us up front” category: extra parties, extra documents, extra fee.
No Move No Legal Fee
If your transaction does not complete, the legal fee is waived. That is the Ethical Promise in plain English.
Small print, also in plain English: disbursements already incurred are still payable. If searches have been ordered, Land Registry documents obtained, or a landlord pack paid for, those third-party costs have already left the account. You are not charged our legal fee for work on a file that does not complete; you are asked to cover money already spent with third parties.
This is how almost every “no sale, no fee” or “no move, no fee” offer in this market works. If a comparison quote is silent on abortive disbursements, ask. Our FAQs cover the same point.
How to compare quotes: headline vs all-in
The cheapest-looking number on a comparison table is often the legal fee only, sometimes even excluding VAT. The figure you actually pay is legal fee + VAT + disbursements + any supplements that apply to your property.
A fair comparison:
- Same transaction type (purchase vs sale vs both vs remortgage).
- Same property facts (leasehold, new build, shared ownership, unregistered, auction, gifted deposit).
- Same list of disbursements, with Land Registry using the GOV.UK scale, not a guess.
- SDLT kept out of the legal-fee comparison — it is the same tax whoever acts for you.
- Abortive terms in writing (what you still pay if it falls through).
- Who actually does the work — a regulated solicitor or licensed conveyancer, caseload, and whether you can speak to the person on the file. Cost is not the only differentiator; see solicitor vs conveyancer. Our panel is solicitors regulated by the SRA. Licensed conveyancers regulated by the CLC can also carry out conveyancing.
Ethical’s position is simple: fixed legal fees from £400 on a sale or purchase and from £230 on a remortgage, no hidden extras on that fee, disbursements listed, No Move No Legal Fee on the legal fee. We are an introducer, not a law firm. The solicitor on your file advises on your transaction. We are not the cheapest headline on every comparison site. We aim to be the quote you can still recognise at completion.
What Ethical’s “from £400” and “from £230” do and do not mean
- Does mean: sale and purchase legal fees start from £400; remortgage legal fees start from £230. The quote engine prices your case. The legal fee you are quoted is the legal fee you pay — fixed, no hidden extras on that fee.
- Does not mean: £400 (or £230) is a typical all-in total. Searches, Land Registry, bank transfers and other disbursements sit on top. VAT is usually added to the legal fee. SDLT is separate.
- Does not mean: every leasehold, new build or shared-ownership file is £400, or that every remortgage is £230. Tell the quote form what you are doing.
- Does not mean: remortgage starts from £400. That figure is for sales and purchases only.
Why people instruct through Ethical
Ethical Conveyancing is an introducer, not a regulated law firm. Panel solicitors do the legal work. What you get with us:
- Fixed legal fees — from £400 on a sale or purchase, from £230 on a remortgage. The legal fee we quote is the legal fee you pay. Disbursements (searches, Land Registry, and the like) sit on top.
- No Move, No Legal Fee — if the transaction does not complete, you do not pay our legal fee. Disbursements already incurred are still payable.
- A highly rated solicitor on our panel — not a call-centre file. Rated 4.9/5 or higher on review sites.
- A dedicated support manager and an online portal so you can track the file without chasing.
- A clear quote in under 60 seconds. We are not always the cheapest headline on a five-quote shop. We sell a fixed, itemised legal fee and a file you can actually follow.
Purchase · Sale · Sale and purchase · Remortgage
Frequently asked questions
Does the cheapest quote win?
Not if it is a legal-fee-only headline missing VAT, searches, Land Registry, lender work or a leasehold supplement. Compare all-in for the same property facts, and read the abortive terms. A slightly higher fixed fee with an itemised list is often cheaper at the end than a bargain that grows.
Is SDLT included in a conveyancing quote?
No. SDLT is a tax, not a conveyancing fee. It should not appear as if it were the solicitor’s charge. The solicitor typically files the return; you pay HMRC. See our SDLT guide and the GOV.UK rates. Wales and Scotland use different taxes.
Do cash buyers pay less?
Sometimes the legal fee is a little lower because there is no lender to act for. Disbursements are another matter. Many cash buyers still have a full search pack carried out, because a later buyer’s lender will want that history and because searches can reveal problems before you commit. A cash purchase without searches is not “free conveyancing”. See property searches. Your solicitor will explain what they typically order for the property in front of them. This is general information, not advice on skipping searches.
What if the property is leasehold?
Expect a legal-fee supplement and third-party landlord or managing-agent charges. A freehold quote is not a leasehold quote. Use leasehold transaction charges as a map of the extras, and flag leasehold on the quote form.
What do I still pay if the sale or purchase falls through?
Under No Move No Legal Fee, the legal fee is waived if it does not complete. Disbursements already incurred (searches ordered, Land Registry copies, landlord packs already paid for) are still payable. That is standard across the market; we put it in writing. See FAQs.
Are Land Registry fees plus VAT?
No. Statutory HM Land Registry fees do not attract VAT. VAT usually applies to the solicitor’s legal fee and to some search-provider charges. Check each line.
Do you give legal advice on this page?
No. This is general information. Ethical Conveyancing is an introducer. Panel solicitors do the legal work and advise on your circumstances.