Freehold or Leasehold purchases
Our legal fees for the purchase of a freehold property:
Minimum fee: £1,830 including VAT at 20%.
Average fee: £2,400 including VAT at 20%.
Our legal fees for the purchase of a leasehold property:
Minimum fee: £2,250 including VAT at 20%.
Average fee: £2,760 including VAT at 20%.
The purchase of a new build property will incur an additional fee of £660 including VAT at 20%.
Our fees are calculated based upon various factors that include the purchase price, the complexity of matters that affect the property, the desired timescale for the transaction and capacity at the time of instruction. Please contact us so that we can provide an estimate of costs tailored to your intended transaction.
Our estimate of fees detailed above assumes that the transaction is straightforward, without unforeseen complexities and that:
- the property is held under a single title at the Land Registry with no title defects;
- one contract is submitted to one buyer;
- the property is being purchased in your name;
- the purchase is subject to an unconditional contract;
- the property is acquired with vacant possession;
- completion takes place on the date agreed in the contract; and
- if you are buying a leasehold property, there is an existing lease (not the grant of a new lease), in an acceptable form with an effective management set up and not requiring formal variation of the provisions or an extension of the lease term.
Depending upon whether you are purchasing a freehold or leasehold property, you can also expect to pay the following additional fees:
Our admin fee for customer due diligence: £24 (per client) including VAT at 20%
Electronic source of funds verification (if required): £12 including VAT at 20%
Stamp Duty Land Tax return submission fee: £6 including VAT at 20%
Land Registry registration submission fee: £6 including VAT at 20%
Local search fee (estimated): £264 including VAT at 20%
Drainage search fee (estimated): £93 including VAT at 20%
Environmental search fee: £94 including VAT at 20%
Land Registry search fee: £8.40 including VAT at 20%
Land Charges Registry search fee £7.20 per buyer including VAT at 20%
(Leasehold properties) – average landlord’s notice fee: £180 including VAT at 20%
Our money transfer fee for completion: £54.00 including VAT at 20%
Stamp Duty Land Tax:
The amount of SDLT you will pay depends on a variety of factors. Please click here to access HMRC’s Stamp Duty calculator.
Land Registry Fees:
These are available to view on the Land Registry website which you can access by clicking here.
What work do our fees cover? To:
- investigate the title to the property;
- carry out searches and check these;
- review replies given by the seller to our enquiries;
- for a leasehold property, review the lease, freehold title, and management information;
- negotiate the purchase contract;
- negotiate the transfer document;
- consider our instructions from your lender and advise you on your mortgage offer;
- prepare a report on the searches, title and, if relevant, lease;
- proceed to exchange contracts and then complete the purchase;
- calculate the stamp duty land tax, prepare and send to HM Revenue and Customs the return and the tax; and
- register the purchase, and mortgage (if applicable), at the Land Registry.
How long can you expect your purchase transaction to take?
How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process currently takes between 8 to 12 weeks.
It can be quicker or longer, depending on the number of parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage offer in place, it could take 6 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 3 to 4 months. In such a situation, additional charges would apply.
*Last updated November 2024
