Our legal fees
The average fees for a typical sale, purchase of a freehold property without complications for a price ranging from £150,000 to £1,000,000:
| Legal fees | £745 to £1475 plus VAT at 20% |
| Land registry fee | £135 to £540 no VAT |
| Various searches | £300 to £500 no VAT |
Please contact us for a quote for property price from £1,000,000 upwards.
Below we set out other charges that may be incurred but a full quote of terms and charges specific to your matter will be provided to you before any work commences. Please
note that our fees and disbursements attract VAT at the current rate of 20% (except where stated).
Additional legal fees that may apply
| Stamp Duty Land Tax completion and submission On purchase | £75.00 plus VAT |
| Acting for Mortgage Lender on purchase | £200.00 plus VAT |
| Leasehold sale and purchase | £200.00 plus VAT |
| Shared Ownership purchase | £250.00 plus VAT |
| New Build purchase | £250.00 plus VAT |
| Freehold Management Company sale and purchase | £100.00 plus VAT |
| Arranging Indemnity Insurance Policy | £40.00 plus VAT |
| Gifted deposit | £40.00 plus VAT |
| Early completion fee (less than 1 week) | £100.00 plus VAT |
| Declaration of Trust | from £550.00 plus VAT (basic) |
| Transfer of Equity | £645.00 plus VAT |
| Remortgage | £645.00 plus VAT |
| Equity Release | £745.00 plus VAT (basic) |
| First Registration | £845.00 plus VAT |
| Bank Telegraph Transfer fee | £30.00 plus VAT (each) |
| ISA funding | £75.00 plus VAT |
| Help to Buy | £200.00 plus VAT |
| Statutory Declarations or Statement of Truth | £150.00 plus VAT |
The above may be subject to amendment depending on complexity and you will be informed before we carry any
additional work.
If for any reason, the transaction fails to proceed, then the legal fees will be charged for the work carried out at
that stage to include any disbursements incurred. Our Conveyancers hourly rate is £175.00 plus VAT.
If for any reason the transaction becomes more complex and time consuming than expected then we reserve the right to
review the basic legal fees for any additional work and you would be advised if this became likely.
Disbursements likely to be incurred on sale
| ID check | £4.20 (each) |
| Official copies of the register | £3.00 (each document) |
| Leasehold Management pack fee | TBA |
Disbursements likely to be incurred on purchase
| Stamp Duty | TBA |
| Land Registry Registration fee | TBA |
| Local Authority Search | £168.00 approximately |
| Water & Drainage Search, Chancel Insurance and Avista Groundsure Search | £161.00 approximately |
| Bankruptcy Search | £2.00 each |
| ID check | £4.20 each |
| Land Registry priority search | £3.00 each |
Disbursements likely to be incurred on remortgage
| Land Registry Registration fee | TBA |
| Local Search fees | Dependant on lenders requirements |
| Bankruptcy Search | £2.00 each |
| ID check | £4.20 each |
| Land Registry priority search | £3.00 each |
Disbursements likely to be incurred transfer of equity
| ID checks | £4.20 each |
| Bankruptcy Search | £2.00 each |
| Land Registry Registration fee | TBA |
| Stamp Duty | TBA |
Disbursements likely to be incurred on first registration
| Land Charge Search | £2.00 each |
| ID checks | £4.20 each |
| Land Registry Registration fee | TBA |
Disbursements likely to be incurred on Equity Release
| Local Search fees | Dependant on lenders requirements |
| Bankruptcy Search | £2.00 each |
| Land Registry priority search | £3.00 each |
| ID check | £4.20 each |
| Land Registry Registration fee | TBA |
Please note that disbursements may differ before the matter is completed but these would not be expected to vary
substantially and you will be notified of any charges.
Money on Account
| Purchase | £450.00 |
| Sale | £200.00 |
| Remortgage/Equity Release | TBA |
| Transfer of Equity | £100.00 |
| First registration | TBA |
Time Scales
Each conveyancing transaction varies but as a general guidance 4 to 6 weeks.
Our Service
Sale
- You will receive all necessary forms to be completed immediately a sale is agreed, if not before.
- We will send a purchase contract to your buyer’s solicitors, with details of the property and its ownership.
- Reply to pre-contract enquires that the buyer or their solicitors may raise and provide copies of any existing
guarantees, planning consents, etc. - Request from you a fixtures and fittings list detailing what you will be leaving in the property and forward
this to the buyers’ Solicitors. - Report to you.
- Arrange for you to sign the contract in readiness for an exchange.
- Agree a completion date that suits everyone in the chain, exchange contracts and effect a transfer deed.
- Send you a completion statement detailing payments to make on completion to estate agents, mortgage lenders or
any other third party. - On the day of completion, receive the purchase monies from your buyer’s solicitors in exchange for the title
deeds and arrange to make financial payments in accordance with our completion statement.
Purchase
- You will receive all necessary forms to be completed immediately a purchase is agreed.
- Obtain the draft contract from the seller’s solicitors, with details of the property and its ownership.
- Raise any pre-contract enquires and obtain copies of any existing guarantees, planning consents, etc.
- Receive the seller’s fixtures and fittings list to see what they will be leaving in the property, and provide
you with a copy to check. - Report to you.
- When your mortgage offer has arrived – we will arrange for you to sign the contract and hand over your deposit
to hold in readiness for exchange. - Exchange contracts once the sellers’ are ready to proceed and a completion date has been agreed that suits
everyone in the chain. - Apply for the mortgage advance from your lender and send you a completion statement.
- On the day of completion we will forward the purchase funds to the sellers’ solicitors in exchange for the
title deeds and you can now move into your new home. - Register your ownership and mortgage at Land Registry and advise you once this has been completed.
Remortgage
- Once instructed, we will request your property title deeds from your existing lender, and also establish exactly
how much is left outstanding on your mortgage. - Once the valuation has been completed, and your new lender has agreed your mortgage, they will post to you (and
send a copy with instructions to us) a formal mortgage offer letter. This will include any special instructions
which must be carried out in order for the transaction to be completed. - We will undertake all appropriate searches required by the lender.
- Report to you.
- Once the mortgage deed has been drawn up we will send it to you for your signature and return. If, as part of
any deal you have agreed with your new lender you are utilising some of your own money, we will request funds
from you. - A completion date will be agreed with you. Completion is the day when your new mortgage monies (which will have
been sent to us a couple of days beforehand) are used (along with any additional funds you are providing
yourself) to pay off your old mortgage (and any other debts which are being reduced/settled as part of the
transaction). All of our fees will have to be settled by this point, and if there is any money due to you i.e.
an additional fund raised from the remortgage, they will be paid into an account of your choice. - The final part of the process is for the land registry to note the new lender. This will show that the new
lender has a First Legal Charge over your property, and also confirm that the previous lenders details have been
removed. The original of this document will be sent to your new lender, with a copy going to you.
Transfer of Equity
- The process of transferring the ownership of a property is fairly straightforward. A Transfer Deed is signed by
both parties and witnessed. - We will carry out identity checks and bankruptcy searches.
- We will register the transfer of the property with Land Registry and provide you with a copy of the updated
title.
First Registration
- Taking your instructions and receiving the title deeds from you.
- Perusing the title documents and collating the documents necessary to prove title ownership.
- Carrying our identity checks and land charges search.
- Completing an application form and submitting the application and title documents to the Land Registry,
- Once the application is complete supplying you with a copy of the registered title document.
Equity Release
WE
- Provide the new Lenders Solicitor with title documentation and deal with matters arising
- Advise you on security documents
- Advise the new Lender’s Solicitor of any change in circumstances which may affect the mortgage prior to
completion - Forward on a copy of your existing Lender’s redemption statement (if any)
- Complete and sign the Equity Release Council Solicitor’s Certificate
NEW LENDER’S SOLICITOR
- Institute appropriate local authority searches or arrange search insurance
- Obtain the redemption statement and deeds from your existing lender(s) if any
- If applicable request a postponement of an existing charge in favour of another lender
- Receive a copy of the Mortgage Offer from your new lender and provide you with a copy
YOU
- Receive the Mortgage Offer from your new lender
- If applicable supply information to your existing lender for postponement of their charge
NEW LENDER’S SOLICITOR
- Check the amount you propose to borrow is sufficient to repay your existing mortgage(s). If not we will request
the balance from you - Send US the Mortgage Deed for your Signature (and which we will send on to you)
YOU
- Return the Mortgage Deed duly signed and witnessed
- Send us the shortfall balance (if any)
WE
- Set a completion date
- Ask the new Lender’s Solicitor to carry out final pre-completion searches
- Ask the new Lender’s Solicitors to request the funds to arrive the day before completion to ensure redemption
funds reach your present lender (if any) on completion day
WE: on completion
- Confirm completion has taken place and send you a completion statement
- Send any surplus funds to you by cheque or bank transfer
NEW LENDER’S SOLICITOR: on completion
- Redeem your existing mortgage(s) if any and if applicable complete the postponement of an existing charge
- Date the Mortgage Deed
- eal with registration of the new mortgage at the Land Registry
YOU: on and following completion
- Double-check that your buildings and/or contents insurances are in order
- Receive any surplus from us by cheque or bank transfer (optional)
YOU if applicable
- Receive from us any Deeds sent to us which are not required by your new Lender
Our Residential Conveyancers have in excess of twenty years’ experience and carry out their work under the
supervision of Anthony Dodson Director/Solicitor
