Transparency Policy for Conveyancing
All our conveyancing work is carried out by a qualified solicitor with at least 20 years’ experience. You can therefore be assured of the best service and expertise throughout your matter. Please see Our People for details of the sole practitioner qualified solicitor who will be dealing with your conveyancing.
Our fees depend on the purchase/sale price of the property and the type of transaction. You can obtain a personal estimate for our professional fees and disbursements (disbursements are costs payable to third parties such as search fees ad Land Registry costs) by emailing us or telephone 0151 480 6636. Click here to contact us for an estimate.
Additional charges can sometimes apply depending upon the transaction and it’s complexities. Often full costs may not be known at the outset as various matters may arise throughout a transaction which are not able to be gleaned at the outset, for example missing title documents, missing paperwork for works undertaken and amends required to titles. Details of standard costs included in the basic conveyancing service and the additional charges that may arise are set out below.
How long will it take?
How long it will take from an offer being accepted until the buyer can move into the house (completion date) will depend on a number of factors. Typically matters involving chains, mortgages, parties who are slow to respond, new builds and leasehold titles take longer than average. The average process takes between 8-13 weeks from when contract papers are issued for straight forward matters. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain and the work involved in the transaction and factors indicated above.
Stages of the process
Selling
The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, in a straightforward property sale key stages are as follows:
- Take your instructions and give initial advice
- Contact your Estate Agent (if any).
- Obtain up-to-date redemption figure(s) on any financial charges.
- Obtain title and any ancillary documents.
- Prepare and send out a draft Contract to your Purchaser’s Solicitors.
- Reply to any enquires sent to us by your Purchaser’s Solicitors.
- Finalisation of title report with advice on the transaction procedure and contract paperwork.
- Arrange for signature of the legal documents.
- We would then be in a position to discuss dates for completion (moving date).
- Exchange contracts-this is the stage where the date of completion is legally fixed and there are legally binding obligations on all parties to the Conveyancing chain.
- On the date of completion you must vacate your property.
- We redeem any financial charges and account to you with any net proceeds of sale.
Buying
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, in a straightforward property purchase key stages are as follows:
- Take your instructions and give initial advice.
- Obtain a draft Contract from the Vendor’s Solicitors and commence to prepare report on the contract and title.
- Obtain survey result.
- Check finances are in place for the purchase and receive a copy of your mortgage offer from your Bank or Building Society.
- Obtain all relevant Conveyancing Searches that are applicable to the property.
- Raise standard Enquiries of the Vendor’s Solicitors re: Boundaries, Fixtures and Fittings, building works carried out etc.
- Investigate Legal Title and check search results and incorporate details into the title report.
- Report to you on the property that you are purchasing and obtain your signature on all the legal paperwork and obtain your deposit monies.
- Discuss dates of completion (date from which you move in / own the property) with you and the rest of the Conveyancing chain.
- Arrange for finances to be put in place and any mortgage funds requested.
- When all of the chain is ready we exchange contracts- this is the stage where the date of completion is legally fixed and there are legally binding obligations on all parties to the Conveyancing chain.
- Carry out the completion searches if not already done.
- Complete. You may move in on the date of legal completion.
- Deal with payment of any stamp duty land tax.
- Deal with application for registration at the Land Registry to register you as the new legal owners of the property.
Conveyancing Costs
Legal fees
We offer personalised conveyancing estimates to give you a clearer idea of costs involved, please Click here to contact us for an estimate for a personalised conveyancing estimate. We charge on the basis of fixed fees rather than hourly rates as below applicable to each matter. Average range of costs are below (subject to variation and updates and dependant on each transaction circumstances) showing what is included and not included within the standard conveyancing legal fee.
Disbursements
A disbursement is money that we spend on your behalf. We make no profit and charge you the fee that we get charged by our suppliers. Some disbursements may be subject to VAT charged by the supplier. The usual rate is 20%. However Land Registry disbursements are not subject to VAT.
VAT and tax on costs
We are not VAT registered so no VAT is payable on our legal fees. VAT usually applies to other items such as searches, some disbursements and third party solicitor fees usually are subject to VAT. The current rate of VAT is 20%. Indemnity insurance premiums are subject to IPT (insurance premium tax) at currently 12%.
Further service fees
Further fees may sometimes arise depending what is required within the transaction. These typically arise on leasehold properties. For example, a management company may charge fees for providing information and may have solicitor acting for them. Fees vary as charges are stipulated by the parties involved. These may attract VAT which is stipulated by the party involved. In addition a lease may contain requirements for additional fees such as transfer fees and consent charges that may be referred to in the lease (see below). Our additional legal fees for dealing with additional matters can be found in the additional costs listing below.
FREEHOLD SALE REGISTERED LAND
| Sale Price | SOLICITORS FEES & BASIC DISBURSEMENTS | TOTAL (minimum) |
| Up to £200,000 | £425.00 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £6 Land Registry official copy title and plan** | £639.00 |
| £200,001 to £300,000 | £445.00 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £6 Land Registry official copy title and plan** | £659.00 |
| £300,001 to £400,000 | £525.00 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £6 Land Registry official copy title and plan** | £739.00 |
| £400,001 to £500,000 | £545.00 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £6 Land Registry official copy title and plan** | £759.00 |
| Over £500,000 | £595 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £6 Land Registry official copy title and plan** | £809.00 |
* Standard conveyancing work includes dealing with the matter from start to finish including obtaining initial instructions, initial appointment if required, setting up the file, preparation of the contract pack, dealing with enquiries raised and correspondence with the buyer’s solicitors, approval of the transfer document, carrying out identification checks, dealing with exchange and completion procedures and post completion matters. 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 complication arise; and all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation. Additional items that may be required which are not included within this standard work are as listed below
**Office copy entries need to be obtained usually £3.00 (No VAT applied) per document. Usually a copy title and plan total £6 incl VAT are required though additional title documents may need to be ordered
FREEHOLD PURCHASE REGISTERED LAND
| PURCHASE PRICE | SOLICITORS FEES & BASIC DISBURSEMENTS | TOTAL |
| Up to £200,000 | £495 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £60.00 legal fees SDLT return £2 per party bankruptcy search** £3 title priority search** | £733.00*** |
| £200,001 to £300,000 | £525 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £60.00 legal fees SDLT return £2 per party bankruptcy search** £3 title priority search** | £763.00*** |
| £300,001 to £400,000 | £545 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £60.00 legal fees SDLT return £2 per party bankruptcy search** £3 title priority search** | £783.00*** |
| £400,001 to £500,000 | £595 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £60.00 legal fees SDLT return £2 per party bankruptcy search** £3 title priority search** | £833.00*** |
| Over £500,000 | £695 legal fees for the conveyancing standard work* £48.00 legal fees electronic money transfer (per transfer) £35 legal fees anti Money Laundering / ID check per party (other solicitors, and check per each client) £30 legal fees bank admin £60 legal fees file closure and storage fee £60.00 legal fees SDLT return £2 per party bankruptcy search** £3 title priority search** | £933.00*** |
* Standard conveyancing work includes dealing with the matter from start to finish including obtaining initial instructions, initial appointment if required, setting up the file, review of the contract pack including contract, title and any ancillary documents therein, dealing with enquiries raised and correspondence with the seller’s solicitors, preparing of the transfer document, carrying out identification checks, dealing with exchange and completion procedures and post completion matters including SDLT payment and return lodged and Land Registry registration. 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 complication arise; and all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation. Additional items that may be required which are not included within this standard work are as listed below.
** Bankruptcy searches need to be obtained usually £2.00 (No VAT applied) per person. Priority search title at £3 incl VAT per title required though additional title documents may need to be ordered
| ***Further costs on a purchase to add to the above The following are costs which may typically arise on a purchase. |
Property Searches The purpose of searches is to try and find out anything untoward regarding the property before you are committed to buy. The seller is not obliged to tell you anything so it is very much a case of a “let buyer beware.” Searches are always advised and are compulsory unless you are a cash buyer. The following searches are standard for most purchases, prices shown are estimates only and total cost of basic searches for a standard transaction usually amounts to £450-£500 incl of VAT. Additional searches may be required dependant in what the initial searches identify. (Search fees are variable dependant on property postcode and search providers and may vary, the below are a guide only).
| Description | Approx Amount incl VAT | Notes |
| Local Authority Search | £150-£250 | Search by the Local Authority |
| Drainage search | £70 | Identifies connections and equipment |
| Avista Coal Climate & Environmental | £170 | Identifies issues with climate, contaminated land, radon gas, coal mining, subsidence and other matters |
| Chancel check | £30.00 | Shows if the property is an affected area |
| Index map search | £4 per title | Checks title numbers |
Pre-completion searches includedas above
SDLT (stamp duty land tax) Payable at the relevant rate dependent on the transaction circumstances. We obtain full details of the transaction, status of the parties involved and the property in order to provide an accurate figure HMRC SDLT Calculator can be used to provide an indication
Land Registry fees Payable at the relevant rate dependent on the transaction circumstances. Land Registry calculator can be used to provide an indication
Indemnity insurance Some transactions require indemnity insurance. This is a legal indemnity insurance which commonly covers title defects and lack of title or regulatory paperwork. It is a matter of negotiation between the parties who would pay however it is usually expected to seller would meet the costs with it relating to a title defect. With indemnity insurance the premium is usually a one off premium with IPT payable thereon (insurance premium tax at 12%). Our legal fees for arranging this are stated in the additional fees listing below
Lender portal fees where purchasing with a mortgage and lender operates via a portal usually £50.00 plus VAT at 20% subject to change as charged by portal operator
Mortgage lender legal fees where purchasing with a mortgage a buyer is expected to pay for their lender’s legal fees as well as their own. An estimate of these is usually provided within the mortgage offer. In a typical transaction our legal fees (no VAT due) for acting for the lender are approximately £150-£300.
Leasehold purchase common additional costs Leasehold notice fees which depend on the lease and landlord and usually range from £50.00 to £250.00 plus VAT (usually at 20%) per notice. Further fees should be anticipated for the following:
- Notice of Transfer fee- This fee if chargeable is usually set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £200.
- Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged)- This fee if chargeable is usually set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £200.
- Deed of Covenant This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between X and X.
- Certificate of Compliance To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between X – X.
- Licence to Assign
- Share Certificate
Please note that the above are not required for every transaction as all leasehold properties vary but they are listed for information purposes. These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents. Please be aware our additional fees apply as well for dealing with these. Any landlord, management company and their solicitors may have additional fees payable which may be subject to VAT.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.
Additional legal fee services NOT included in our standard conveyancing legal fees (no VAT applies) The following may apply which are not included within the standard conveyancing legal fee charge. It will only usually be known as the matter progresses as to which of the following may apply. The below are our legal fees with no VAT applicable thereon.
- Dealing with notices/Cautions/Restrictions on your title Deeds £75
- Fee removing of Bankruptcy entries £165
- Fee for dealing with Landlord £100
- Leasehold titles £195
- Expedited Transaction Fee £245
- Additional titles charged at £195 per title
- Reviews of management company / leasehold packs / surveys £165
- Fee for arranging indemnity insurance £75
- Fee for drafting a Statutory Declaration £165
- Fee for final file closure and storage £60
- Fee for transfers of part £195
- Fee for mapsearch check where no title deeds provided and to verify titles £20
- Fee for Land Registry application £85
- Fee for Land Registry expedition application £65
- Fee for verification of power of attorney or probate £65
- Fee for late completions / notices to complete £175
- Fee for right to buy matters £195
- Fee for leasehold title as opposed to freehold £165
- Fee for unregistered land as opposed to freehold £195
- Fee for dealing with leasehold retentions £125
- Fee for search ordering where searches ordered for purchase £30
- Fee for acting for mortgage lender on purchase usually £195-£295 dependant on work involved and lender offer (this is in addition to any lender portal fee)
- Fee for dealing with additional titles £175 per title
- Fee for notice of assignment/mortgage/transfer £75 per notice
- Fee for dealing with leasehold licence to assign £165
- Fee for deal with leasehold deed of covenant £165
- Fee for Dealing with Management company £225
- Fee for obtaining duplicate documents from NHBC/Local Authority etc £35
- Redemption of mortgage (per lender) £65
- Fee for dealing with Leased Solar Panels on a sale or purchase £225 (however we may not take on such matters please check with us)
- Upgrade of Title £65
- Fee for registering a restriction at the Land Registry £75
- Fee for dealing with third party solicitors £165
- Undertaking legal admin fee £30
- Postal admin fee (for large documentation packs / original deeds required to be sent receipted delivery) £15-£45
- Home visits in local area £175
- If a Land Registry expedite application is made which is at our discretion dependant on file closure and Land Registry timescales this is charged at £65 for purchases and £35 for sales (this may be carried out at our discretion if registration matters are delaying file closure)
- Abortive sale or purchase fee depends on proportion of work undertaken
- When an unforeseen complexity arises, or where your request means additional work, we will advise you of this and provide revised costs information
