Residential Conveyancing Fees
Our Conveyancing Fees
At Cartwright King, we want to ensure that all our clients know exactly what costs they can expect before starting the conveyancing process. When you enquire about our services, we will provide you with a clear quote that’s tailored to your specific circumstances before you instruct us.
Overview of Fees
Our conveyancing services are charged on a fixed fee basis to give you peace of mind.
Our fees as stated below cover all standard work that is required for the sale, purchase and re-mortgaging of your home. Fees are dependent on the property value, property type and whether or not the property is freehold.
Our fees and some disbursements are subject to VAT at 20%.
Conveyancing Fees – Purchase of a Property
| Purchase Price of Property | Our Fees Freehold House | Our Fees Leasehold House | Our Fees Leasehold Flat/Maisonette (existing lease) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0-£50,000 | £450 + VAT | £525 + VAT | £600 + VAT |
| £50,001 – £100,000 | £550 + VAT | £625 + VAT | £700 + VAT |
| £100,001 – £150,000 | £600 + VAT | £675 + VAT | £750 + VAT |
| £150,001 – £200,000 | £650 + VAT | £725 + VAT | £800 + VAT |
| £200,001 – £250,000 | £700 + VAT | £775 + VAT | £850 + VAT |
| £250,001 – £300,000 | £750 + VAT | £825 + VAT | £900 + VAT |
| £300,001 – £350,000 | £800 + VAT | £875 + VAT | £950 + VAT |
| £350,001 – £400,000 | £850 + VAT | £925 + VAT | £1,000 + VAT |
| £400,001 – £450,000 | £900 + VAT | £975 + VAT | £1,050 + VAT |
| £450,001 – £500,000 | £950.00 + VAT | £1,025 + VAT | £1,100 + VAT |
| £500,001 – £600,000 | £1,000 + VAT | £1,075 + VAT | £1,150 + VAT |
| £600,001 – £700,000 | £1,050 + VAT | £1,125 + VAT | £1,200 + VAT |
| £700,001 – £900,000 | £1,100 + VAT | £1,175 + VAT | 1,250 + VAT |
| £900,001 – £1,000,000 | £1,150 + VAT | £1,225 + VAT | £1,300 + VAT |
| £1,000,001 and above | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote |
Conveyancing Fees – Sale of a Property
| Sale Price of Property | Our Fees Freehold House | Our Fees Leasehold House | Our Fees Leasehold Flat/Maisonette (existing lease) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0-£50,000 | £400 + VAT | £475 + VAT | £550 + VAT |
| £50,001 – £100,000 | £425 + VAT | £500 + VAT | £575 + VAT |
| £100,001 – £150,000 | £475 + VAT | £550 + VAT | £625 + VAT |
| £150,001 – £200,000 | £500 + VAT | £575 + VAT | £650 + VAT |
| £200,001 – £250,000 | £550 + VAT | £625 + VAT | £700 + VAT |
| £250,001 – £300,000 | £625 + VAT | £700 + VAT | £775 + VAT |
| £300,001 – £350,000 | £675 + VAT | £750 + VAT | £825 + VAT |
| £350,001 – £400,000 | £750 + VAT | £825 + VAT | £900 + VAT |
| £400,001 – £450,000 | £825 + VAT | £900 + VAT | £975 + VAT |
| £450,001 – £500,000 | £875 + VAT | £950 + VAT | £1,025 + VAT |
| £500,001 – £600,000 | £950 + VAT | £1,025+ VAT | £1,100 + VAT |
| £600,001 – £700,000 | £1,100 + VAT | £1,175 + VAT | £1,250 + VAT |
| £700,001 – £900,000 | £1,150 + VAT | £1,225 + VAT | 1,1300 + VAT |
| £900,001 – £1,000,000 | £1,250 + VAT | £1,325 + VAT | £1,400 + VAT |
| £1,000,001 and above | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote |
Conveyancing Fees – Remortgage of a Property
| Value | Our Fees Freehold House | Our Fees Leasehold House | Our Fees Leasehold Flat/Maisonette (existing lease) |
|---|---|---|---|
| £0-£100,000 | £350 + VAT | £425 + VAT | £500 + VAT |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £400 + VAT | £475 + VAT | £550 + VAT |
| £200,001 – £300,000 | £450 + VAT | £525 + VAT | £600+ VAT |
| £300,001 – £400,000 | £500 + VAT | £575 + VAT | £650 + VAT |
| £400,001 – £500,000 | £550 + VAT | £625 + VAT | £700 + VAT |
| £500,001 and above | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote | Contact us for a quote |
Conveyancing Fees – Transfer of Equity
The fees involved with a transfer of equity will depend on the circumstances of the transaction. Please contact us for a tailored quote.
Conveyancing Fees – Disbursements
We make disbursements payments on your behalf to ensure there are no delays in the conveyancing process.
Disbursements are third-party fees that must be paid, such as fees for searches, office copy fees and land registration fees. The disbursements relevant to you depend on if you are buying or selling, remortgaging or transferring equity.
Local searches
If you are purchasing a property you will need to pay for certain searches. Fees for local searches are £99.05 incl of VAT.
Other searches
Depending on the property and its location you may benefit from additional searches, such as:
- Drainage search – United Utilities charge £71.88 incl. VAT
- Coal mining search – £48.00 incl. VAT
- Environmental search – £67.20 incl. VAT
- Chancel – £15.79 incl. VAT
Land registry registration
If you are purchasing a property you must also cover the costs of land registry registration. Land registry fees depend on the value of the property and the manner of registration. In most cases we can register online, saving you money, but in some exceptional circumstances, we may have to register by post. This can be necessary for example when buying a new build property.
| Purchase Price of Property | Registration Fee-Online | Registration Fee-Post |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £80,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £80,001 – £100,000 | £40 | £95 |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £100 | £230 |
| £200,001 – £500,000 | £150 | £330 |
| £500,001 – £1,000,000 | £295 | £655 |
| £1,000,001 and over | £500 | £1,015 |
If you are remortgaging your property the following fees will apply:
| Value of Property | Registration Fee-Online | Registration Fee-Post |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £100,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £100,001 – £200,000 | £30 | £70 |
| £200,001 – £500,000 | £45 | £100 |
| £500,001 – £1,000,000 | £65 | £145 |
| £1,000,001 and over | £140 | £305 |
Electronic Money Transfer Fee
The electronic money transfer fee must be paid if you are either buying or selling property. To transfer the purchase price to the seller’s solicitors we charge £30 + VAT.
Stamp Duty and Land Tax
When you are purchasing a property you may also need to pay stamp duty. You may be exempt from paying this fee depending on the property value and whether or not you are a first-time buyer.
HMLR search fees
HMLR fees that are relevant to buyers include:
- Bankruptcy search – £2.00 + VAT per person
- OS1 official search of whole £3.00 + VAT per title number
- Land charges search – £2.00 + VAT per name
HMLR fees that are relevant to sellers include:
- Office copies. When you sell a property we obtain evidence of title of the registered property on your behalf – £3.00 per title/document/lease
If you are remortgaging you pay for the bankruptcy search, OS1 and office copies.
Landlord’s/Management Company/Agents Fees
If you are buying/remortgaging a leasehold property you may need to pay fees to the landlord depending on the requirements of the lease. There are certain disbursements which 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.
Anticipated Disbursements – Prices quotes are inclusive of VAT at 20%
- Notice of Transfer fee – Payable on a Purchase. This fee if chargeable is set out in the lease. Often the fee is between £50-£100.
- 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-£100.
- Deed of Covenant fee – Payable on a Purchase. This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £50-£100.
- Share Certificate fee – Payable on a Purchase. This fee is provided by the management company for the property and can be difficult to estimate. Often it is between £50-£100.
- Certificate of Compliance fee – Payable on a Purchase. To be confirmed upon receipt of the lease, as can range between £50-£100.
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. If the property is also subject to various management companies and agents in addition to the Freeholder/Landlord then further sets of fees may be payable to each party depending on the structure of the development and requirements contained within the Lease.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charges 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.
If you are selling or remortgaging a leasehold property you may need to obtain a Landlord’s Sales Pack and or a Management Company Pack. The fees for these packs can vary significantly, however, these can generally be estimated to fall between £100 and £300. These fees cover the supplying of information regarding service charges, ground rent, buildings insurance and notices required in order to progress the transaction.
Outstanding Mortgages and Secured Loans
There may be additional fees if there is an outstanding mortgage to be repaid when selling property. There will be a fee for each mortgage, where multiple mortgages are outstanding. There will also be additional fees if there is a secured loan registered against the property.
Additional Costs
If there are unusual and complex matters that need to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process we may charge additional fees.
For example, you may incur additional costs if one of the below is applicable. We will always inform you of any additional costs as soon as we are made aware of these.
- If the property is bought through the right-to-buy or help-to-buy scheme
- If during the process, we find that a legal title is defective
- If we find that either part of, or all of the property is unregistered
- If during a sale or purchase we find that the relevant planning permissions were not obtained to build, or alter the property
- If you choose to purchase property using a gifted deposit
- If the sale or purchase involves a non-standard mortgage or if you are relying on Islamic financing
- If you choose to purchase or sell the property via auction, or if it’s a repossession property
- If it is a shared equity purchase or sale
- If the property you are buying is a new build
- If a management company is involved
- If the property you are selling or buying is a non-standard dwelling
- It is necessary to prepare additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
- A lease extension is required
- The matter becomes prolonged
- Indemnity Policies are required
This is not an exhaustive list.
Fixed fees included in these are:
- Fixed fee for the release of a help-to-buy ISA bonus during purchase – £50 + VAT per ISA
- Fixed fee for purchasing a new build – £200 + VAT
- Fixed fee for dealing with the transaction a company name £200 + VAT
Examples of how fees are calculated
For a further understanding of how our fees are calculated please view the examples of fee calculations in the tables above.
- Purchase of a freehold house – example calculation
- Purchase of a leasehold flat – example calculation
- Sale of a freehold house – example calculation
- Remortgage of a freehold house – example calculation
- Your Quote – Based on the details you provide we will generate your tailored conveyancing quote for this remortgage and send you our client care pack with a number of forms for you to complete. The file is usually opened within 1 working day.
- Review of the Property Title – We review the property title and the documents you have returned to us. This usually takes place between weeks 1-2.
- Your Mortgage Application – Your mortgage lender will process your mortgage application and forward a copy of your offer to us, of which we will provide you with a detailed report. This usually takes place in weeks 2-3 of the transaction.
- Arrange for Signing – we will now arrange the signing of your documents and mortgage deed. This usually takes place in weeks 3-4 of the transaction.
- Redemption Figure – The necessary redemption figures from your existing mortgage provider will be obtained to redeem your existing mortgage
- Mortgage Advance – Once all previous steps are completed, we will request the mortgage advance from your new mortgage lender. This usually takes place in week 5.
- Completion – After receiving the mortgage advance, we will repay your existing mortgage and transfer the net balance to you. This usually takes place in week 5.
- Post Completion – The new charge will be registered at HM Land Registry of which you will receive a copy.
- Your Quote – Based on the details you provide we will generate your tailored conveyancing quote for this sale and send you our client care pack with a number of forms for you to complete. The file is usually opened within 1 working day.
- The Contract Pack – We will prepare your draft contract pack to send to the buyer’s solicitors. This includes the forms you would have completed as well as the deeds to the property. It could take between 1 -2 weeks to prepare the pack.
- Enquiries – The buyer’s solicitors will send us their enquiries after reviewing the contract pack we provided. At this stage, we will ask you for your help in answering these enquiries. This usually takes place between weeks 3-4 of the transaction, depending on the buyers’ solicitors.
- Replies to Enquiries – When we have collected our replies to the enquiries raised in the previous step we will send our replies to the buyer’s solicitors. This usually takes place between weeks 4-5.
- Signing the Paperwork – You will sign all the required paperwork for the sale to proceed, including the contract and transfer deed. This usually takes place between weeks 4-5.
- Redemption Figure – The necessary redemption figures from your existing mortgage provider will be obtained so we can repay them the correct amount upon completion to redeem your mortgage.
- Exchange of Contracts– We can exchange contracts when the buyer’s solicitors have completed their processes and a mortgage offer is in place. You and the buyer are now committed to the sale.
- Completion – On the agreed date, the buyer’s solicitor will send us the purchase payment. We then repay your mortgage and the estate agent’s invoice. You will receive the net sales proceeds and release the keys. This usually takes place between weeks 6-8.
- Post Completion – Your Lender will remove the charge electronically at HM Land Registry. The buyers’ solicitors will register the transfer of ownership at HM Land Registry.
- Your Quote – Based on the details you provide we will generate your tailored conveyancing quote for this purchase and send you our client care pack with a number of forms for you to complete. The file is usually opened within 1 working day.
- The Contract Pack – Once we receive all the relevant forms from you, we will contact the seller’s solicitors and request the contract pack. It could take between 1 -2 weeks for the sellers to forward the pack to us, depending on the instructions from their client.
- Mortgage Application – Once your offer is agreed, your mortgage lender will process your mortgage application and forward a copy of your offer to us, of which we will provide you a detailed report. This usually takes place in week 3-6 of the transaction.
- Searches and Enquiries – We will order your searches and raise pre-contract enquiries with the seller’s solicitors, before providing you with our findings in a detailed search report. Searches can take between 2-4 weeks depending on the local authority.
- Property Report – Upon receipt of satisfactory replies to our enquiries from the seller’s solicitors we will provide you with your property report. This is usually done between weeks 4-6 of the transaction.
- Review Reports – You can review the report and provide us with the documents as requested within the report. We will now be ready to exchange so the deposit should be transferred. This is usually between weeks 6-7 of the transaction.
- Completion – On the agreed date, once the seller’s solicitor receives the purchase payment, your purchase will compete. This is usually in week 8 of the transaction.
- 7. Exchange Contract – Exchanging contracts commits both you and the seller to the sale at the agreed price on an agreed date.
- Post Completion – Any required Stamp Duty forms will now be submitted to HRMC, and the title to the property will now be registered at HM Land Registry. We will also serve the notices and deal with the post-completion requirements as per the Lease. This usually takes a couple of weeks and the application can be delayed if there are delays at the land registry.
Our Conveyancing Services
To find out more about our residential conveyancing services you can read more on our conveyancing pages, or get in touch.
If you would like more information regarding the Conveyancing process and the different types of Lawyers and their regulators, please visit the Legal Choices Website which contains a wealth of information.
Timescales: How Long Will it Take?
Every transaction is different and can take a different length of time. However, the average period is between 6-12 weeks depending on a number of factors, such as the speed of searches, mortgage offers and the other parties in the chain, also the complexity of the transaction and other potential factors. The conveyancing team at Cartwright King will always work to complete your transaction as quickly as possible. Below we have set out the likely timescales for a remortgage, selling and buying a property.
Remortgage
How Long Does it Take to Complete a Refinance?
We aim to complete a straight forward remortgage transaction in 3-5 weeks depending on how long the searches take to arrive and whether the lender has any specific additional requirements. If there is a defect in the title then the time scale may be further extended whilst we find a possible solution.
Stages of the Process
The precise stages involved in the refinance vary according to the circumstances. The key stages include the following:
Sale
How long does it take to buy and sell a house?
We aim to complete a straight forward sale and/or purchase transaction in 6-8 weeks. If there is no chain involved that time scale may be less. If there is a long chain this time scale will be extended. If there is a defect in the title then the time scale may be further extended whilst we find a possible solution.
Stages of the Process of the Sale of a Residential Property
The precise stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. The key stages include the following:
Purchase
How long does it take to buy and sell a house?
We aim to complete a straightforward sale and/or purchase transaction in 6-8 weeks. If there is no chain involved that time scale may be less. Additionally, if there is a long chain this time scale will be extended. Finally, if there is a defect in the title then the time scale may be further extended whilst we find a possible solution.
Stages of the Process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. The key stages include the following:
Our Team of Conveyancing Solicitors
All Cartwright King conveyancing work is supervised by a qualified solicitor. The specific experience of individual team members can be seen on our team page.
