Thank you for your interest in our conveyancing services for the purchase of your property.
Our fees cover the normal work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including
registration at HM Land Registry and submitting any required Stamp Duty Land Tax return.
Residential Freehold Purchase Fees
These fees apply to the purchase of a normal residential freehold property with a registered
title which is not a new build. They exclude acting for a mortgage lender and the additional
legal fees and payments to third parties set out below. All legal fees are exclusive of VAT
at the prevailing rate, currently 20%.
| Property value |
Legal fee |
VAT at 20% |
Total |
| £0 - £350,000 | £1,400.00 | £280.00 | £1,680.00 |
| £350,001 - £450,000 | £1,600.00 | £320.00 | £1,920.00 |
| £450,001 - £550,000 | £1,900.00 | £380.00 | £2,280.00 |
| £550,001 - £650,000 | £2,100.00 | £420.00 | £2,520.00 |
| £650,001 - £750,000 | £2,400.00 | £480.00 | £2,880.00 |
| £750,001 - £850,000 | £2,900.00 | £580.00 | £3,480.00 |
| £850,001 - £950,000 | £3,100.00 | £620.00 | £3,720.00 |
| Over £950,000 | Price on application |
Additional Legal Fees
| Additional work |
Legal fee |
VAT at 20% |
Total |
| Acting for a mortgage lender | £250.00 | £50.00 | £300.00 |
| Completing and submitting an SDLT return | £150.00 | £30.00 | £180.00 |
| Unregistered title | £375.00 | £75.00 | £450.00 |
| Leasehold property | £400.00 | £80.00 | £480.00 |
| New-build property | £350.00 | £70.00 | £420.00 |
| Transfer of part | £400.00 minimum | £80.00 minimum | £480.00 minimum |
The additional fees are added to the standard fee shown above. More than one additional fee
may apply. We will provide a personalised estimate once we understand the property and your
circumstances.
Other Usual Charges
| Charge |
Cost |
VAT |
Total |
| Search fees (estimated and dependent on the property location) | £600.00 | £0.00 | £600.00 |
| Money transfer administration fee | £30.00 | £7.00 | £37.00 |
| HM Land Registry priority search | £7.60 | £1.20 | £8.80 |
| Land Charges bankruptcy search (per person) | £6.50 | £1.30 | £7.80 |
| Chancel liability insurance in place of a chancel liability search | £19.00 | £0.00 | £19.00 |
Stamp Duty Land Tax
The amount payable depends on the purchase price and your circumstances. You can obtain an
indication using
HMRC's SDLT calculator.
HM Land Registry Fees
The registration fee depends on the purchase price, whether the property is registered and
whether you are buying all or part of the seller's property. You can obtain an indication using
the
HM Land Registry fee calculator or
review the
HM Land Registry fee guidance.
Leasehold and Freehold Management Charges
If the property is leasehold or subject to freehold estate or service charges, the landlord,
management company or estate owner may charge additional fees. These are not our fees and vary
between properties. Typical examples include:
• Notice of assignment: often £75 plus VAT to £250 plus VAT.
• Notice of mortgage: often £75 plus VAT to £250 plus VAT.
• Certificate of compliance: often £150 plus VAT to £250 plus VAT.
How long will my house purchase take?
Each purchase is different and depends on all parties, any chain and other matters affecting the
property. A normal purchase commonly takes between 6 and 16 weeks from acceptance of your offer
to completion. It may be quicker or slower. A lease extension, title problem or other
non-standard issue can significantly increase the timescale.
Exclusions
Our fee estimate is based on a normal residential purchase. Further fees may apply for additional
or unforeseen work, including:
• an urgent transaction with a short timescale;
• title defects or missing deeds or documents;
• planning or building regulation issues;
• indemnity insurance;
• additional property-specific searches;
• bridging, lifetime, equity-release or other non-standard mortgages;
• a lender represented by a separate firm;
• shared ownership or right-to-buy properties; or
• an auction or repossession purchase.
This list is not exhaustive. We will discuss any additional work and fees with you.
Stages of the Process
The precise stages vary, but a normal purchase usually includes:
• taking your instructions and providing initial advice;
• checking your identity, source of funds and finance;
• receiving and reviewing the contract papers;
• carrying out searches and raising enquiries;
• reporting to you on the title, contract, searches and mortgage offer;
• arranging signature of the contract and other documents;
• agreeing a completion date and exchanging contracts;
• arranging the purchase funds and completing the purchase;
• submitting the SDLT return and paying any SDLT due; and
• applying to HM Land Registry to register your ownership.