We are required by the Solicitors Regulation Authority to publish the below pricing information. Please note that the below prices are an indicative guide only . Each property transaction is unique and therefore we can only give you a clear estimate of costs when we understand the details of your matter. Please contact us for an accurate fee proposal based on your particular facts and circumstances. Where VAT is charged, this will be at 20%

This type of work is supervised by the head of department, Sophie Cisler.

Stages of the process

There are numerous stages involved in the purchase or sale of a residential freehold or leasehold property or the mortgage or re-mortgage of a residential freehold or leasehold property which will vary according to the circumstances. Below we have suggested some of the key stages which we will generally deal with on your behalf. Please note that this is not exhaustive and the stages may differ depending on whether you are purchasing or selling:

Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
Checking finances are in place to fund the purchase and contacting the lender’s solicitors, if required.
Receiving and advising on contract documents
Advising you on joint ownership
Carrying out searches
Obtaining further planning documentation if required
Making any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
Advising you on all documents and information received
Liaising with the lender
Reviewing the conditions of the mortgage offer and terms
Explaining the conditions of the mortgage offer with you
Sending final contract to you for signature
Drafting Transfer
Obtaining pre-completion searches
Agreeing completion date (date from which you own the property)
Exchanging contracts and notifying you that this has happened
Preparing and sending the lender the certificate of title
Arranging for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
Obtaining indemnity policies where relevant
Completing the transaction
Dealing with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
Dealing with application for registration at Land Registry
Serving notice on parties as required

If you are purchasing or selling a residential leasehold property, the above stages will generally apply. There may be further work in respect of negotiating or advising on terms of the lease or undertaking a lease extension. In addition, we will also need to ensure full compliance with the terms of the Building Safety Act 2022, which (amongst other matters) determines the responsibility for remediating certain fire risks in certain leasehold properties. We will therefore initially undertake an assessment of your transaction to determine whether the Building Safety Act applies and what additional work may be required in order to comply with this.

How much are your fees?

Property sale or purchase

Property value:
up to £200,000       from £1,200 + VAT

up to £400,000       from £1,400 + VAT

up to £600,000       from £1,600 + VAT

up to £800,000       from £1,800 + VAT

up to £1,000,000    from £2,000+ VAT

over £1,000,000     Please contact us

Additional services which may be required:

Where property is a new-build : from £450 + VAT
Where property is shared ownership: from £450 + VAT
Where property is leasehold (initial assessment to determine whether property falls within scope of the requirements of the Building Safety Act): from £700 + VAT
Where property is leasehold (Building Safety Act compliance if required): from £1,000 + VAT
Lifetime ISA encashment: from £300 +VAT per product
Where property is unregistered and requires registration before sale/purchase: from £850 + VAT
Deed of trust for joint owners: from £350 + VAT
Lease variation: from £400 + VAT
Deed of gift: £175 + VAT

Mortgage or re-mortgage

Our fees for a mortgage or re-mortgage start at £850 plus VAT. This fee will vary based on the price of the property and the requirements of the lender. Please contact us to discuss your specific situation.

Transfers of equity

Our fees for a transfer of equity start from £850 plus VAT. The fee will depend on factors including the property value and the transfer arrangements, including if there are multiple parties.

Other services

We undertake a full range of legal services relating to property, including equity release mortgages, voluntary first registrations, lease extensions and title changes. Please contact us directly for an estimate.

Expenses and disbursements

There are also various expenses payable to third parties which we handle on your behalf to ensure a smooth process:

Land Registry office copies and/or Land Charges searches as required: £10 to £20 approximately, + VAT.
Conveyancing searches upon property purchase, usually in the region of £350 + VAT, depending which searches are needed
A Land Registry registration fee, which depends on the value of the property. For example, from £100,001 to £200,000 is £100; £200,001 to £500,000 is £150; £500,001 to £1,000,000 is £295; and £1,000,001 and over is £500.
Stamp Duty or Land Transaction Tax . This depends on the price of your property. 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 here.
If your property is leasehold there may be other costs or fees payable under the terms of the lease. These are fees which the freeholder or managing agent will charge, and could include notice fees, deed of covenant fees, replies to enquiries fees or other administrative fees. Please also note that ground rent and a service charge may also be payable. All of these charges vary from property to property.
We also make a charge for bank transfers, which is £32.50 + VAT.

This list is not exhaustive and other expenses may apply. For example, if there are elements of the transaction which do not fall within what is generally expected or if you ask us to undertake additional work, then we will charge separately for these. This may include if you require specific advice about SDLT/LTT or if additional documentation is needed to be prepared in order to complete the transaction.

Our fees cover all of the legal work required to complete the relevant transaction including acting for your mortgage lender (if we are instructed to do so), in the case of a purchase of either a freehold or leasehold property, dealing with registration at the Land

Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (LTT) if the property is in Wales.

Timing

The process takes around ten to twelve weeks on average. However, a lot depends on the position of the other parties involved and also how long the chain is (if there is one), so this timescale may vary.

It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, the process could be slightly quicker. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 2 and 6 months.

Re-mortgages typically take one to two months to complete from receipt of the mortgage offer. Where the transaction is delayed, additional fees may be payable if, for example, documentation needs to be renewed or the scope of the transaction changes.

Factors which may increase our legal fees

Our fees can vary from case to case and are influenced by:

The price of the property
Your own circumstances in the case of SDLT or LLT
The location of the property
The type of property, for example, new build or existing housing
Management company involvement
Indemnity insurance costs
The timescale of the proposed transaction and any deadlines
The number and situation of the parties, including if they are based abroad
If title to the property is not registered at the Land Registry
If serious delays or issues are encountered during the transaction involving additional work, such as rectifying a title defect
If you are purchasing using the Help to Buy scheme or a Lifetime ISA
If other people become a party to the transaction or if other parties in the transaction delay the process

Hourly rates

We want to give you certainty as to how much you are paying so we will generally seek to provide you with a fixed fee wherever possible. However, some matters may require work to be carried out at hourly rates as below:

Trainee solicitors and paralegals will assist on matters.

Hourly rates are subject to VAT at 20%.

For details of qualifications and experience of persons carrying out the work, please click here.

Referral fees

If you are referred to us by an introducer where we will pay them a referral fee, we will provide you with details of the arrangement and the fee we pay in the client care letter that we send you at the start of your transaction.
In general terms, we do not enter into referral agreements as we think our reputation speaks for itself and we want clients to feel able to make a completely independent decision about instructing us.