With property transactions requiring professional legal guidance, finding affordable conveyancing solicitors will be a priority for many homebuyers and sellers. Conveyancing fees can quickly add up, so keeping costs low without compromising quality is crucial.
Here, we look at average fee levels expected and break down the cost components. But more crucially, we’ll look at some of the most cost-effective UK conveyancing firms to consider for reliable but keenly-priced services, and if there are any better options on the table (hint, there are).
Do I have to pay conveyancing costs?
For the most part, yes. Some mortgage lenders might offer to cover the legal costs like conveyancing as part of their service. This is especially true and far more common if you’re remortgaging. But it’s entirely down to the lender, and in most cases you can probably expect to pay conveyancing costs out of your own pocket.
Average 2024 conveyancing costs
Let’s start by looking at the average conveyancing fee ranges homeowners can expect to encounter across the UK property market in 2024:
Buying a property:
- Freehold: £1,320 to £2,239 (incl VAT and disbursements)
- Leasehold: £1,490 to £2,774 (incl VAT and disbursements)
Selling a Property:
- Freehold: £1,270 to £1,690 (incl VAT and disbursements)
- Leasehold: £1,420 to £2,333 (incl VAT and disbursements)
Remortgaging:
- £643 to £692 on average (incl VAT and disbursements)
As you can see, there’s quite a broad range of potential conveyancing costs, even for relatively straightforward transactions. Two primary components influence where fees may fall:
- Legal fees. This portion covers the solicitor’s time, expertise and work involved – ranging from £575 for basic transfers up to £2,250+ for complex cases like leasehold or new-build properties.
- Disbursements. Various unavoidable third-party charges like searches, title fees, bankruptcy checks and bank transfers that can add £250-£400 on average.
Add-ons like stamp duty, mortgage lender fees and leasehold or new-build premiums can really inflate costs too. So identifying affordable yet reliable solicitors is crucial.
Tips for finding affordable, quality conveyancers
Ultra-low pricing shouldn’t be the only consideration when selecting a conveyancing solicitor to safeguard your interests through such an important financial transaction. A few additional tips:
Use comparison tools
Taking advantage of online conveyancing calculators allows you to instantly compare fees from a range of accredited, regulated firms based on your specific transaction details and location—not just generic estimates.
Scrutinize quotes
Make sure you understand exactly what services and disbursements are included in any pricing quotes to avoid unexpected extra charges getting tacked on later. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Consider broader service
You may decide paying slightly more for a larger, multi-practice firm with extensive transaction experience and robust staff resources is worthwhile peace of mind.
Check regulatory status
Whatever firm you engage, ensure they maintain full accreditation and regulation from recognised industry bodies like the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority), CLC (Council for Licensed Conveyancers), and CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme).
Read reviews
As with most professional services, prospective client reviews can speak volumes about not just cost-effectiveness but overall attentiveness and reliability too. Don’t just judge on headline fees alone.
With the perfect balance of competitively-priced yet high-quality conveyancing being the goal, factoring all these variables allows you to make an educated, secure decision on the right solicitor fit for your unique transaction needs in 2024 and beyond.
The most competitively-priced conveyancers in 2024
While conveyancing fees are inherently variable, a number of specialist property law firms have built reputations for offering particularly competitive pricing models.
However, our recommendation is always to use an affordable small local conveyancing firm, rather than a cheap national firms. The larger national firms can be very slow due to the large amount of property transactions that they process at any given time. That said, if you are hell bent on using a larger, cheap national firm, the ones below would be worth considering:
My Home Move Conveyancing
With a focus on affordable, efficient service, this national firm is a popular choice for cost-conscious buyers and sellers. Its transparent, upfront pricing and widespread availability makes it a very accessible option.
Law & Lawyers
Law & Lawyers is known for providing reliable conveyancing services at competitive rates across England and Wales. Based in Manchester and London, this firm have been in business offering nationwide conveyancing since 2007. Their streamlined approach resonates with price-sensitive clients. They have a strong 4.6 star Trustpilot rating.
Co-op
When you think of Co-op your probably think of groceries. But they also offer conveyancing. Co-op can leverage significant economies of scale to deliver lower costs. Come of the benefits of the Co-op are; no sale no fee guarantee, no hidden charges, no legal jargon, easy online quotes.
Express Conveyancing
By operating with a digital-first, online service model and minimal physical overheads, this specialist firm can pass substantial cost savings onto clients through reduced fee structures compared to high street practices.
Homeward Legal
Offering a range of upfront, fixed-fee conveyancing services with no hourly billing surprises, Homeward Legal’s pricing transparency makes them an affordable option for standard transactions across the country.
While specific pricing will always depend on each client’s unique transaction details, these firms consistently deliver competitive conveyancing costs versus national averages.
However, why settle for a budget conveyancer, when you can get a top of the range solicitor for free? Here’s how:
How to avoid conveyancing fees when selling property
By using Property Rescue, you don’t have to pay conveyancing fees, because we pay these costs for you.
How it works
We are a professional property buying company, and we’ll buy any residential property in England or Wales, regardless of the condition or circumstance of sale.
We want to buy your property.
If you sell directly to us, we cover 100% of the costs, including solicitors, surveys and everything in between.
The independent legal firm that we use is one of the UK’s leading conveyancing solicitors, so you won’t need to settle for a low budget firm.
With this approach, you’ll get support from a leading UK conveyancing solicitor for free.
What’s more is that the transaction will be direct, so there will be no need for estate agents, viewings, chains or any other hassle. Just a quick and easy direct sale.
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