The conveyancing process & fees

How does the conveyancing process work?

We have put together a short guide which shows the key stages of the conveyancing process.

How long does conveyancing take?

The time from your offer being accepted until you can move in, will depend on a number of factors, including the size of the chain. We aim to progress matters as quickly as possible, but all transactions are different. Assuming there is no chain it typically takes between 4 – 6 weeks from when a solicitor receives/sends the contract pack. When you are part of a chain, due to factors beyond our control, it will typically take a minimum of 8 weeks. However, transactions can compete much more quickly if all parties are committed to doing so and the documentation and funding is in place. Mortgage offers, delayed searches, management packs and information from third parties are all factors that can influence the time a transaction takes.

What searches should you run when buying a property and how long do they take?

As standard we will conduct a Local Authority Search, a Water & Drainage Search and an Environmental Report covering opinions on risks such as flooding, contamination, mining activity, ground stability, planning and other proposals and constraints. We will also offer advice on any other searches we recommend for the property type.

What can slow down exchanging on a property?

There are any number of factors that can slow a transaction down. It can simply be the speed of response from individuals and lawyers involved in the chain or factors outside of their control such as obtaining mortgage offers, delayed searches, management packs and information required from third parties.

Fees

We are committed to full transparency on fees and giving our clients meaningful choice as to the basis on which they wish to proceed. We ensure that clients are kept fully up to date on costs as the matter progresses.

We appreciate that costs quickly mount when buying or selling a property. With this in mind, we offer a comprehensive range of fixed fee services aimed at keeping legal costs to an absolute minimum.

Our fee proposal will be based on a full understanding of your needs, once we have taken into account the actual features of the matter and know what is important to you. Matters that can affect the fees include time sensitivity, leases, new-builds, managed estates, private drainage, Listed Buildings, complex and/or multiple titles, complex financing arrangements, third party involvement, major building works or plans and tenanted properties; as well as those items identified in the summary of work referred to above. Our pricing is calculated on an hourly rate basis and this varies between £230 and £495 (plus VAT at 20%) depending on the level of experience.

The tables below provide an average fixed fee range for the type of transaction referred to. It assumes that the work is within our standard scope of work and has no unexpected complications or high priority. If there are any unexpected complications or items that are outside of our initial scope we will inform you as soon as we become aware and will discuss the potential consequences, before any additional charges are incurred. VAT charged at 20%* will also apply to these fees.

Please note that the leasehold fees below do not cover matters where the Building Safety Act 2022 is relevant. We will need to provide additional fees and a bespoke quote for these matters.

Additional fees and disbursements

Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as those listed below. We handle payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. Any reference made to VAT is charged at 20%.

• Search fees (for purchases and re-mortgages): £350 – £750 approx. (plus VAT at 20%)
• HM Land Registry fee: For purchases, please use this link to view: the Land Registry’s fee scale 1. For sales, the Land Registry document fees are usually less than £20 (incl. VAT at 20%) (depending on the number of copy documents we have to obtain at £7 plus VAT at 20% per document). For mortgages and re-mortgages these are usually up to £20 (incl. VAT at 20%) for obtaining copy title documents. In addition there will be a registration fee based on the value of the new mortgage. Please use this link to view: the Land Registry’s fee scale 2
• Stamp Duty Land Tax (for purchases and some transfers) Please use this link to use: HMRC’s SDLT calculator. We will also advise you on basic SDLT liability.  For more complex transactions, additional charges for advice may apply
• Managing agents fees (for sales, purchases and mortgages/re-mortgages). These vary and are stipulated by the Landlord and/or managing agents.  They are generally unavoidable and non-negotiable. The costs are incurred for obtaining ground rent, service charge and management information, consents to sell, details of major works, notifications of changes to ownership and lenders and transferring shares in management companies among other things
• Electronic money transfer fee £30 plus VAT at 20% per CHAPS transfer e.g. sending money on completion.