It is not possible to give an exact costs figure without first understanding your specific transaction and your precise requirements. This cost guide is only an indication of the likely approximate cost of the transaction. For a detailed costs for your exact transaction please contact us.
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the range given below. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents. The cost set out below is intended to give you an approximate idea of the legal costs involved in a basic house purchase. Therefore, we show you the minimum legal costs fees. We are unable to give you a range as it depends on the value of the property.
Our fees cover all the work* required to complete the purchase and sale of your home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Transaction Tax) if the property is in Wales, if applicable. There are separate fees payable to the Land Registry and Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) and where possible we show this in our disbursements.
Disbursements
Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process. There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual deeds 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 circumstances. We will update you on the specific fees as soon we are aware of any.
Purchase Disbursements
| Description | Cost £ | VAT at 20% | Total |
| Search Fees from* | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 |
| HM Land Registry Fee from* | 20.00 | n/a | 20.00 |
| Companies House Fee* | 15.00 | n/a | 15.00 |
| Priority Search | 7.00 | 1.40 | 8.40 |
| Bankruptcy Search | 6.00 | 1.20 | 7.20 |
| Index Map Search | 8.00 | 1.60 | 9.60 |
Anticipated Disbursements**
• Notice of Transfer fee – This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £80.00 - £150.00 plus VAT of 20%
• 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 – £150 plus VAT of 20%
• Certificate of Compliance fee - To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £100 – £150 plus VAT of 20%
**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.
Sale Disbursements
| Description | Cost £ | VAT at 20% | Total |
| Land Registry documents (per document) * | 7.00 | 1.40 | 8.40 |
| Management pack fee (depending on Landlord/Managing agent) |
Supplemental Fees (if applicable)
| Description | Cost* £ | VAT at 20% | Total* £ | |
| Source of funds check from* | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 | |
| Cash Purchase Supplement | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Buy-To-Let supplement from* | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Acting for a company* | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 | |
| Unregistered title from* | 550.00 | 110.00 | 660.00 | |
| Indemnity policy fee (per policy) * | 80.00 | 16.00 | 96.00 | |
| Joint Ownership Supplement | 80.00 | 16.00 | 96.00 | |
| Declaration of trust from* | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 | |
| New build supplement from* | 550.00 | 110.00 | 660.00 | |
| Dealing with restrictions on title from (per restriction) * | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Drafting AST from* | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 | |
| Tenanted property supplement from (per unit) * | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Statement of Truth/ Statutory Declaration (each) from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Gifted deposit supplement from (per gift) * | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 | |
| Rent Authority Letter from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Companies House registration from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| New Lease supplement from* | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Dealing with Retention from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Auction supplement from* | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Stock Transfer Form from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Deed of Covenant from* | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Notice of Transfer/Charge (each) | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Probate, POA, LPA supplement | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Acting for lender | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Deed of variation, rectification or substitution | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 | |
| Help to buy ISA or lifetime ISA | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Adverse possession | 550.00 | 110.00 | 660.00 | |
| Amendment of title register | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Appointment of a trustee | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Rent authority letter | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Stock transfer form | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Retention | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Dealing with third party solicitors | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Deed of easement | 750.00 | 150.00 | 900.00 | |
| Dealing with freehold management company | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 | |
| Dealing with help to buy redemption | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 | |
| Licence to Assign | 750.00 | 150.00 | 900.00 | |
| Licence to Occupy | 750.00 | 150.00 | 900.00 | |
| Occupier consent | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Reporting on solar panel leases | 250.00 | 50.00 | 300.00 | |
| Transfer of part supplement | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Upgrading title | 150.00 | 30.00 | 180.00 | |
| Enhanced customer due diligence | 350.00 | 70.00 | 420.00 | |
| Urgent/ expedited work required | 450.00 | 90.00 | 540.00 | |
Stamp Duty Land Tax or Land Transaction Tax
This depends on the purchase price of your property and your personal circumstances. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC's website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority's website.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential leasehold property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:
How long will my house purchase or sale take?
How long it will take from the offer being accepted until you can move into your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 6-8 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 3 and 6 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.
* Our fee assumes that:
The experience and qualifications of our Team
Here is a link to our property Team page which will detail the experience and qualifications of our conveyancing team
