Conveyancing Fees, Costs and Guides for UK Home Movers

Conveyancing Fees, Costs and Guides for UK Home Movers

Everything you need to know about conveyancing fees, costs, timelines, and the property buying and selling process. Plain-language guides for buyers, sellers, and remortgagers across England and Wales.

What are conveyancing disbursements and which ones do you actually have to pay?

What are conveyancing disbursements and which ones do you actually have to pay?

Disbursements are the third-party costs that appear on top of your solicitor's fee. Some are unavoidable, others depend on your property. This guide explains each one so you can read your quote with confidence.

31st August, 2026

What happens to the family home when you divorce or separate?

What happens to the family home when you divorce or separate?

When a relationship ends, the family home often needs to be sold or transferred. This guide explains the conveyancing process when divorcing or separating, and what it costs.

24th August, 2026

Should you use an online conveyancer or a high street solicitor for your move?

Should you use an online conveyancer or a high street solicitor for your move?

Online conveyancing has become the norm for straightforward purchases and sales, but some transactions genuinely benefit from a local solicitor you can sit down with. Here is how to work out which is right for your move.

19th August, 2026

What should you check before buying a leasehold flat in London?

What should you check before buying a leasehold flat in London?

If you are buying a flat in London, you are almost certainly buying leasehold. That means longer conveyancing, more complex enquiries, and potential liabilities around service charges and lease length that could cost you significantly more than you budgeted.

12th August, 2026

Why Have Conveyancing Fees Gone Up? What Buyers and Sellers Are Paying Now

Why Have Conveyancing Fees Gone Up? What Buyers and Sellers Are Paying Now

Conveyancing fees have risen noticeably in recent years. This guide explains why they have gone up, what you are actually paying for, and how to make sure you are not overpaying.

5th August, 2026

Buying a Property at Auction: How Conveyancing Works and What to Check First

Buying a Property at Auction: How Conveyancing Works and What to Check First

Buying at auction means exchanging contracts the moment the hammer falls. There is no cooling-off period. This guide explains what legal checks you must carry out before you bid and what happens next.

28th July, 2026

New Build Conveyancing: What Buyers Need to Know Before They Exchange

New Build Conveyancing: What Buyers Need to Know Before They Exchange

New build conveyancing moves faster and carries different risks than a standard purchase. Find out how the process works, what your solicitor needs to check, and how to protect yourself before you exchange.

22nd July, 2026

Buying a Second Home or Buy-to-Let Property: The Conveyancing Differences That Matter

Buying a Second Home or Buy-to-Let Property: The Conveyancing Differences That Matter

Buying a second property involves extra Stamp Duty, different lender panel rules, and additional solicitor checks. This guide covers the conveyancing differences every second home buyer needs to know.

13th July, 2026

Everything You Need to Know Before You Instruct a Solicitor

Whether you are buying your first home, selling a property, or remortgaging, understanding what conveyancing costs and how the process works can save you time, money, and a significant amount of stress.

This is where we cover it all. You will find guides on solicitor fees for buying and selling a house, how disbursements work, what affects average conveyancing fees, how long the process takes, and what to look for when choosing a solicitor.

Use the guides here alongside our conveyancing fees calculator to get an instant quote from a regulated solicitor and understand exactly what you will be paying before you instruct anyone.

Everything You Need to Know Before You Instruct a Solicitor

Compare conveyancing quotes online direct from property solicitors and conveyancers.

Get your conveyancing costs calculation using our conveyancing quotes calculator. Simply enter a few details into the Conveyancing Calculator to receive instant online conveyancing quotes.

Get a quote
Find a conveyancing solicitor

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do conveyancing fees cost in the UK?

Conveyancing fees vary depending on the property price, the type of transaction, and the solicitor you choose. For a straightforward purchase, legal fees typically sit between £800 and £1,500 plus VAT, with disbursements such as searches and Land Registry fees on top.

For a sale, fees are generally lower. The fastest way to get an accurate figure for your specific transaction is to use our conveyancing fees calculator and compare instant quotes from regulated solicitors directly.

What is the difference between conveyancing fees and disbursements?

Conveyancing fees are what your solicitor charges for their legal work. Disbursements are third-party costs your solicitor pays on your behalf, such as local authority search fees, Land Registry registration fees, and bank transfer charges.

Disbursements are not set by your solicitor and vary depending on the local authority and property value. You can read more in our guide to conveyancing disbursements.

How long does conveyancing take?

For a straightforward purchase with no chain, conveyancing typically takes eight to twelve weeks from instruction to completion. Sales take a similar amount of time. The main variables are how quickly searches come back from the local authority, how promptly all parties respond to enquiries, and whether there is a chain.

Leasehold properties and new builds can take longer due to additional legal requirements. Our blog has a detailed guide on how to speed up the conveyancing process.

What does a conveyancer actually do?

A conveyancer handles all the legal work involved in transferring ownership of a property from one person to another. That includes reviewing the title, raising enquiries with the seller's solicitor, ordering and reviewing property searches, reporting on the mortgage offer if there is one, exchanging contracts, and managing the completion process.

If you have a mortgage, your conveyancer also acts for your lender and reports to them on the title and searches before funds are released. You can read more about what questions to ask your conveyancing solicitor before you instruct anyone.

Do I have to use a local conveyancing solicitor?

No. Most conveyancing in England and Wales is now handled remotely, with communication via email, post, and phone. You are not required to use a solicitor based near the property or near you. What matters is that the solicitor is regulated by the SRA or CLC and, if you have a mortgage, that they are on your lender's panel.

Use our find a conveyancing solicitor tool to compare fixed fee quotes from regulated solicitors across England and Wales instantly, regardless of location.

What is fixed fee conveyancing?

Fixed fee conveyancing means your solicitor quotes you a set price for the legal work upfront, and that price does not change unless the scope of the transaction changes significantly. It is the standard approach for residential conveyancing and makes it much easier to compare quotes between firms.

All solicitors in the Conveyancing Calculator network quote on a fixed fee basis. You can read more on our fixed fee conveyancing page or compare quotes directly using the conveyancing fees calculator.

What is no completion, no fee conveyancing?

No completion no fee means that if your transaction falls through before completion, you do not pay your solicitor's legal fees for the work done up to that point. It protects buyers and sellers from losing money on legal costs if a sale or purchase collapses. Not all solicitors offer this as standard, so it is worth checking before you instruct.
Use our conveyancing fees calculator to compare quotes and check which solicitors include no completion no fee as part of their fixed fee quote.

What is the difference between a solicitor and a licensed conveyancer?

Both are regulated professionals who can handle residential conveyancing. Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and can handle a wider range of legal work beyond property. Licensed conveyancers are regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers and specialise exclusively in property transactions.

For straightforward residential conveyancing, either is appropriate. All firms in the Conveyancing Calculator network are regulated by either the SRA or the CLC.

You can read more about qualities to look for in a conveyancing solicitor before you make your choice.