Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the sale or purchase of your property, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales or Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England.
| Property Price | Sale | Purchase |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £150,000 | £650.00 | £730.00 |
| £150,001 - £250,000 | £710.00 | £810.00 |
| £250,001 - £350,000 | £780.00 | £950.00 |
| £350,001 - £600,000 | £900.00 | £1200.00 |
| £600,001 - £900,000 | £1,200.00 | £1,600.00 |
If the sale or purchase price is above £900,000 please refer to a partner for a bespoke fee estimate.
* Our fee assumes that:
- this is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
- the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise
- all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
The following additional fees will apply:
- Leasehold sale £150 and VAT
- Leasehold purchase: £250 and VAT
- New build purchase: £150 and VAT
- Help to Buy purchase: £75.00 and VAT
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
Disbursements on sales and purchases are:
- Electronic money transfer fee: £24 (inclusive of VAT)
- Electronic ID and anti-money laundering check: £14.40 (inclusive of VAT)
- Lawyer checker: £18 (inclusive of VAT)
Typical disbursements on a purchase are:
- HM Land Registry fee: £150 (registered title and the purchase price is between £200,001 and £500,000)
- Search fees: £250 (inclusive of VAT)
- Mortgage lender’s panel fee (charged by some lenders): £30
Typical disbursements on a sale are:
- HM Land Registry fee for up to date copies of the title documents: £12 (inclusive of VAT)
Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required: these are typically in the region of £30 to £200 depending on the type of indemnity required and the value of the property.
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’s website: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-revenue-customs or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website: https://beta.gov.wales/welsh-revenue-authority
Estimated total costs on a purchase (purchase price of £250,000):
| Legal fee: | £810.00 |
| VAT: | £162.00 |
| Disbursements: | £386.40 |
| Land Tax (Wales) | £1,500.00 |
| Total: | £2,858.40 |
Estimated total costs on a sale (sale price of £250,000):
| Legal fee: | £710.00 |
| VAT: | £142.00 |
| Disbursements: | £68.40 |
| Total: | £920.40 |
How long will my house purchase take?
How long it will take from a sale or purchase being agreed until completion of the transaction will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 8 to 12 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 8 weeks. However, if there is a chain (where your transaction is dependent on a number of connected transactions) or if there are problems with the property which need to be resolved, the transaction is likely to take longer.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. We set out below the typical key stages of a transaction:
Purchase
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice
- Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender’s solicitors if needed
- Receive and advise on contract documents
- Carry out searches
- Obtain further planning documentation if required
- Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
- Give you advice on all documents and information received
- Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
- Send final contract to you for signature
- Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
- Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
- Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
- Complete purchase
- Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
Sale
- Take your instructions and give you initial advice
- Consider the title documents and prepare the contract
- Arrange to compete the relevant property information forms
- Obtain copies of any documents which need to accompany the contract and property information forms
- Obtain information about any mortgage or charge against the title
- Reply to enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitor
- Advise you on any legal problems with the property and the need for any indemnity policies
- Exchange contracts
- Complete the sale
- Deal with the repayment of any mortgage or charge
- Account to you for the net sale proceeds
Sale or Purchase of a leasehold residential property
The sale or purchase of a leasehold property usually involves some additional work. We charge an additional fee of £150 and VAT for each transaction to reflect this.
There are often additional disbursements payable on a leasehold transaction; some are specific to the particular property and will be set out in the individual lease relating to the property. The disbursements which we anticipate will apply are set out separately below. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease from the seller’s solicitors.
Anticipated Disbursements*
On a purchase:
- Notice of Transfer fee – This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £150.
- Notice of Charge fee (if the property is to be mortgaged) – This fee is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50 and £150.
- Deed of Covenant fee – This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £100 and £200.
On a sale:
Leasehold information pack from landlord or managing agents: between £150 and £300.
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and the anticipated service charge as soon as this we receive this information.
In addition to the steps listed above for a freehold purchase a purchase of a leasehold property typically involves the following additional steps:
- Considering the lease to ensure that there are no unusual or onerous obligations on the lessee
- Considering replies to special leasehold enquiries before contract
- Checking that the lessee’s and the lessor’s obligations in the lease have been complied with
- Checking the arrangements for the management of the building and common parts
- Dealing with specific requirements in the lease in relation to a transfer of ownership
Persons responsible for your transaction
Your transaction will be carried out by a solicitor or para legal with comparable experience under the supervision of a Partner. Our lawyers and support staff have a wealth of experience between them of all types of conveyancing transactions over a wide range of property values.