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 is a deed of trust and how does it work in the UK

What is a deed of trust and how does it work in the UK

A UK deed of trust records how joint owners share a property. See what goes in one, how it is signed and how to compare quotes for drafting it.

9th October, 2026

What is a declaration of trust and when do you need one?

What is a declaration of trust and when do you need one?

A declaration of trust records who owns what share of a jointly bought property. Find out when you need one, how it works and what it costs in the UK.

2nd October, 2026

Should you own a property as joint tenants or tenants in common and what is the difference?

Should you own a property as joint tenants or tenants in common and what is the difference?

Buying jointly means choosing how to own it. Joint tenants and tenants in common have different legal, tax and inheritance implications. Here is what to consider.

18th September, 2026

What does no completion no fee conveyancing actually cover and what will you still pay?

What does no completion no fee conveyancing actually cover and what will you still pay?

No completion no fee means your solicitor's legal charges are waived if a sale falls through. But it does not cover everything. Find out exactly what you are protected from and what you will still owe.

11th September, 2026

Do you need a solicitor to remortgage and what does the conveyancing involve?

Do you need a solicitor to remortgage and what does the conveyancing involve?

Switching mortgage lender requires a solicitor even if you are not moving home. Find out what remortgage conveyancing involves, how much it costs, and why your new lender's approved panel still applies.

4th September, 2026

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

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

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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.

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