The average conveyancing fees for selling a house in the UK amounts to £1,023, excluding disbursements and any additional costs that may arise. Solicitor fees typically make up around 20% of the total cost of selling a house.
Selling a property is an exciting milestone, but the legal process can feel daunting. Hiring a solicitor helps relieve this concern by handling all legal requirements and paperwork, ensuring nothing delays your sale.
This article provides a detailed overview of solicitor's fees involved in selling your home. We'll also explore when these fees are due and highlight additional costs, such as disbursements.
To get a clearer price for your sale, review prices from conveyancers matched to your needs.
Key Takeaways
1
Solicitor's legal fees range from £802 - £1,606
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Fees vary based on property type and your solicitor's payment model
3
Disbursements and any additional costs are paid separately
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You may be able to reduce costs by using one company for your sale and purchase, choosing fixed-fee conveyancing and checking what is included before you instruct.
Solicitor Fees by Property Price
The fees for solicitors when selling a house in the UK varies depending on the property's value and whether it is freehold or leasehold.
Leasehold properties typically cost £1,045 - £2,339 when selling, due to the additional legal work involved. This covers reviewing the lease agreement, liaising with freeholders or managing agents, and handling lease-specific documentation that freehold sales don't require. Get a better breakdown through our guide on solicitor fees for leasehold flats.
Here are the average legal fees for freehold and leasehold properties based on property value:
The figures above are averages. Your actual cost will depend on your property, the company you choose and whether extra work is needed. That way, you can set a realistic budget and avoid surprises later.
Additional legal fees of £2,200 can apply if your sale involves complex circumstances that require specialist legal work beyond the standard conveyancing process.
Common situations that lead to extra fees include delayed completions, unregistered properties, mortgage changes, or removing someone from the property's ownership.
Here are the average fees for the most common specialist services:
Always clarify with your solicitor which, if any, will apply to your situation so you aren't faced with unexpected charges during your property sale. Be aware that costs can also depend on location, with conveyancing costs in London often being on the higher end of the spectrum.
How Do Solicitors Charge?
Solicitors will either charge you a fixed rate for their legal fees or base it on a percentage of the final sale price of your property.
Fixed fee conveyancing might work to your advantage if the value of your property is high. This should be confirmed before you begin your conveyancing process.
According to our data, you can expect to pay around £722 in disbursement costs when selling a home.
Conveyancing disbursements are third-party fees that are entirely separate from solicitor fees. Your solicitor can manage and carry out these payments on your behalf but will typically charge extra for these services.
There are fewer disbursements required compared to buying as the legal process is generally less complex. Here are the main disbursements you can expect to pay:
Some transactions may also include an engrossment fee. This can apply when final legal documents need to be prepared, especially in some leasehold or new build transactions. It is also common when the seller is a developer or housebuilding company and the property is being sold for the first time.
Leasehold Disbursements
Selling a leasehold property requires additional documentation that increases disbursement costs. Your solicitor must obtain a leasehold management pack, which typically costs £275. [11] The pack contains important information about service charges, ground rent, and planned maintenance, which is essential for buyers.
However, the cost varies significantly depending on your managing agent and property setup. If you pay ground rent and service charges to different companies, you'll need two separate leasehold information packs, effectively doubling this cost.
Always request a full breakdown of costs from your solicitor, including all disbursements and leasehold-specific charges as costs can vary significantly by company and location.
What's Included in Solicitor's Fees?
When selling a house in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, your solicitor or conveyancer helps manage the legal side of the sale. Keep in mind that the cost of selling a house in Scotland can vary as the process is different.
There are many things solicitor fees include, and it's important to be aware of what a solicitor will do for you. Here are the most common fees involved:
1
Pre-Contract Enquiries
At the start of the conveyancing process, a solicitor will conduct pre-contract enquiries with the buyer's solicitor. They will be expected to answer questions regarding the property including any environmental issues or building regulations that must be highlighted. They will also carry out ID checks to ensure you can sell the home.
2
Drafting the Contract Pack
This is a time-consuming process and includes agreements from both the seller and buyer. They will collate all the information together within the document to allow the sale to become legally binding.
3
Liaise with Mortgage Lender and Buyer's Solicitor
Your solicitor will spend time liaising with the buyer's solicitor to ensure a smooth exchange of contracts and completion day. This is a time-consuming process and will require the solicitor to have a lot of knowledge of your situation, the home and the results of conveyancing searches.
4
Complete Necessary Paperwork and Documentation
A solicitor will assist you with completing the necessary paperwork and documentation associated with selling a house. This includes but is not limited to:
TA10 (Fixtures and Fittings Form)
TA6 (Property Information Form)
5
Exchange Contracts on Your Behalf
The exchange of contracts is an essential part of the conveyancing process. It makes the sale and purchase legally binding.
6
Completion
Your solicitor will assist with the completion of your house sale. This includes transferring the funds made by the buyer to you, approving the deed of transfer and receiving the title deeds.
At the beginning of the conveyancing process, you'll pay disbursements so your solicitor has funds ready for third-party services. Some solicitors may also ask for a deposit for their legal fees.
You’ll pay your solicitor's legal fees and any additional costs once the sale is complete, typically around 12 weeks from starting the conveyancing process. This means the bulk of your legal costs are deducted from your sale proceeds, not paid upfront. Read more our guide on when to pay solicitors fees.
Ensuring you find the right professional to handle the legal aspect of your move is essential when selling a house. This can help avoid expensive errors or unexpected costs during the process, in addition to making sure the sale runs smoothly.
At Konnect You, we can connect you with up to 5 conveyancers to help you save on your conveyancing costs. This way, you can get the right solicitor at the best price for your property sale.
All our conveyancers have passed our strict verification process for your peace of mind. This includes being regulated by either the SRA, CLC, LSS, LSNI or CILEx.
FAQs
Many solicitors won’t make you pay their legal fee if the sale falls through. However, you may still have to pay for disbursements such as identity checks. It’s important to check that your solicitor offers a no sale no fee conveyancing guarantee for their legal fees to avoid paying if the sale falls through.
Typically, solicitors fees for buying a house are higher than when you're selling due to the additional steps involved, such as conducting conveyancing searches.
In most cases, you will need to hire a solicitor when selling a house. However, if you're not selling with a mortgage and it's a fairly simple transaction then, technically, you can do your own legal work.
How We Get Our Cost Data
Life's big decisions deserve cost information you can trust. The figures in this guide are based on real prices received by thousands of Konnect You users. We review this data regularly to keep it accurate and up to date, so it reflects what people are really paying. Read more about how we get our cost data.
