What is the average cost of conveyancing fees 2025?

For a freehold property in 2025 at the average UK house price (£285,000), you can expect to pay around £1,567 when buying and £1,139 when selling.

Source: Compare My Move

For leasehold properties, expect slightly higher fees due to the extra paperwork and time involved – though costs vary between conveyancers.

Your total bill will combine two elements, legal fees (for your conveyancer’s work) and transaction costs (third-party costs). While these figures are a helpful guide, your exact costs will depend on your specific situation.

What are conveyancing fees?

When buying or selling a property, you'll need to pay conveyancing fees to cover your legal costs. These fees also apply to remortgages and transfers of equity. Let's break down what you're actually paying for:

Legal fees

This covers all the work your conveyancer does on your property transaction - they might charge an hourly rate or a fixed fee. Sometimes extra work is needed, which could mean additional charges.

Transaction costs

These are the payments your conveyancer makes to other organisations on your behalf, such as Land Registry fees, ID checks, and bank transfer costs.

Your specific situation might involve additional costs - for example, if you have a gifted deposit or you're using Help to Buy. We'll explore these in more detail below.

Possible additional legal fees

There are a variety of situations which may require your conveyancer to do extra work. This totally depends on your property transaction; this will likely come with additional fees.

These could include:

Leasehold supplement: £150-£450

When buying a leasehold property, conveyancers need to do extra work reviewing lease terms, reviewing management packs, and dealing with freeholders or management companies. That's why you'll see this additional charge.

New build supplement: £200-£500

 Buying a new build involves checking more paperwork like building warranties and developer contracts. This supplement covers that additional legal work.

New build conveyancing: how is it different?

Gifted deposit supplement: £50-£100

If someone is gifting you money for your deposit, your conveyancer needs to run checks to comply with money laundering rules. This small fee covers that work.

Read our gifted deposit guide here.

Lifetime ISA supplement: £50-£75

Using a Lifetime ISA for your deposit? Your conveyancer will need to handle paperwork and work with your ISA provider. This fee covers that additional time.

Deed of Trust: £100-£300

This important document sets out how you and any co-owners will share the property, and what happens if someone wants to sell their share. It protects everyone involved.

What is a Deed of Trust?

Share of freehold: £100-£300

If your leasehold property comes with a share of the freehold, your conveyancer will need to check the company structure and what your obligations will be.

What does share of freehold mean?

Freehold management company: £150-£250 plus VAT

 Some freehold properties share facilities like gardens or parking areas. This fee covers checking the management agreements and service charges for these shared spaces.

What is a freehold management company?

What are transaction costs?

Transaction costs (also known as disbursements) cover any expenses your conveyancer pays on your behalf or incur during your property purchase or sale.

These are then included in the overall fee that you pay your conveyancer. Here’s a breakdown of the main transaction costs you might encounter, remember that it’s not limited to this list, and you may encounter other costs:

Conveyancing searches - £250 to £450

Property searches are important checks your conveyancer carries out before you buy. They look into the property's history, check environmental factors, and find out about any planned developments nearby.

The main searches you'll need are:

• Local authority search - this reveals important information from your local council about planning permissions, building regulations, and whether the property is in a conservation area or listed.
• Environmental search - checks for risks like flooding or land contamination that could affect the property.
• Water and drainage search - confirms if the property connects to mains water and sewerage. If not, your conveyancer will find out about private supplies and your rights.
• Land Registry search - checks official property records to confirm ownership details, boundaries, and any restrictions on the property.

Check our full breakdown of property searches here.

Electronic verification checks - £10 to £25 (per client or giftor)

Your conveyancer will run electronic ID checks to confirm who you are and where your money comes from. It's a quick, secure way to meet anti-money laundering rules and protect against fraud - much faster than old-fashioned paper checks.

Bank transfers - £30 to £40

A bank transfer fee (usually £30-40) covers the cost of moving money safely between accounts during your property purchase or sale. This happens when paying your deposit or sending the final funds on completion day.

Source of funds checks - £24

Your conveyancer needs to check where your property purchase money comes from. It's a legal requirement that helps prevent financial crime and ensures everything is above board - they'll need evidence of your savings, mortgage, or any other sources of funds.

Bankruptcy checks - £2 to £3

A bankruptcy search costs around £2-3 per name and checks if a buyer is bankrupt or facing insolvency. Your conveyancer runs this through the Land Registry to make sure you're able to legally buy the property.

Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT)

Stamp Duty Land Tax needs to be paid when buying property in England. Your conveyancer will work out how much you owe and pay it to HMRC within 14 days of completion. The amount varies depending on your property's price and your situation - for example, first-time buyers often pay less, while second home purchases usually mean paying more.

What is Stamp Duty in the UK?

Land Transaction Tax (LTT)

Land Transaction Tax is the Welsh equivalent of Stamp Duty Land Tax. Your conveyancer calculates what you owe and pays it to the Welsh Revenue Authority within 30 days of completion. Like Stamp Duty, the amount depends on your property's price and whether you're buying an additional home.

What to look out for in a conveyancing quote

Looking for quotes? No problem, here’s a list of things to look out for:

Hidden fees

Be sure to get a full breakdown of all costs before choosing your conveyancer. Some firms attract buyers with low basic fees but then add lots of extra charges. Ask them to show you every possible cost that could apply to your purchase or sale - it's better to know upfront than face surprises later.

Disbursement clarity

Ensure all third-party costs (searches, Land Registry fees, bank transfer fees) are clearly itemised and explained in the quote.

Service level details

A lower price often means a more basic service. Before choosing your conveyancer, find out exactly what you'll get - like how you can contact them, whether you can track your case online, and if you'll have a dedicated person to speak to. Remember, the cheapest option rarely gives you the smoothest, most stress-free experience.

How do I choose a conveyancer?

Additional charges

Make sure your conveyancer is clear about any additional charges from the start. Things like leasehold, new build or shared ownership fees can add quite a bit to your final bill. Getting these costs upfront helps you budget properly and avoid unexpected expenses later.

VAT inclusion

Check whether VAT is included in the quoted prices – some firms may list prices excluding VAT, which adds 20% to the final bill. Ask to see the price with VAT included.

If it’s too cheap

An unusually cheap quote often means corners are being cut. These high-volume, budget services typically mean slower progress and frustrating communication. Good conveyancing takes time and expertise - and that's worth paying for to ensure your purchase or sale runs smoothly.

What is digital conveyancing?

Digital (or online) conveyancing is like traditional conveyancing, but the process is completed entirely online. Digital conveyancers will often have an online portal or platform, where you can track case progress, store documents, or communicate with your property lawyer or conveyancer.

This speeds up the process by eliminating postage delays and office visits, allowing you to choose a conveyancer regardless of their location.

How to find the right conveyancer

Choosing the best conveyancer helps your property purchase or sale go smoothly. Here's what to look for:

Good communication - they should be easy to contact, give regular updates, and assign you a dedicated point of contact.

Solid reputation - look at reviews on Google and Trustpilot to see what other clients say about their service.

Modern approach - online case tracking and digital document sharing show they're efficient and up to date.

Clear costs - they should spell out all possible fees from the start, with no hidden charges.

Time and expertise - check they're not overloaded with cases and have the right experience for your transaction.

Professional standing - make sure they're regulated by the CLC or SRA and are on your lender's panel of approved conveyancers.

Frequently asked questions

What happens if my sale or purchase falls through?

Many conveyancers offer 'no sale, no fee' protection, meaning you won't pay their legal fees if your transaction falls through. However, you'll still need to cover any third-party costs already paid on your behalf.

Some firms provide additional cost protection cover, which goes further by protecting your survey costs, valuation fees and mortgage arrangement fees. This protection can give you valuable peace of mind during your property transaction.

Learn more about cost protection here.

Can I do my own conveyancing to save money?

While it's technically possible to handle your own conveyancing in England and Wales if you're a cash buyer and the property is registered, it's rarely a good idea.

Most people need a professional conveyancer because mortgage lenders require one, and you won't have access to essential search tools. Property law is complex, and mistakes can be extremely costly. Plus, you'll still need to pay for searches and Land Registry fees anyway.

Even though DIY might seem like a way to save money, the risks and time involved make it impractical unless you're experienced in property law. For a smooth, secure transaction, using a qualified conveyancer is your best option.

What is a Conveyancer and what do they do?

What other costs do I need to consider?

When buying or selling property, your conveyancing fees are just one part of the cost. Buyers need to budget for mortgage fees, surveys and building insurance, plus possible stamp duty. Sellers should factor in estate agent fees and an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). And everyone needs to think about removal costs, storage and sorting out utilities.

Learn more about the cost of buying a house and moving here.