Every quote you get through us is worked out from your answers and covers the normal legal work for buying or selling a home. See what’s included in a conveyancing quote for the standard items. Some moves need extra work that nobody can see at quote stage. If yours does, the firm will usually explain the extra cost and confirm it in writing before doing the work. The list below shows the most common extras, so nothing comes as a surprise.
Leasehold homes and flats
- Management pack or leasehold information pack: details from the freeholder or managing agent about service charges, ground rent and the building. The managing agent sets this fee, and it’s usually the seller who pays it.
- Notices and deeds for the landlord: some leases need a notice of transfer or mortgage, a deed of covenant or a certificate of compliance. Each usually has a fee set by the landlord or managing agent.
- Share of freehold or a management company: extra work to transfer the share or membership along with the flat.
- Building safety: for flats in taller buildings, checking the landlord’s building safety certificate, the leaseholder deed of certificate and any fire safety (EWS1) paperwork.
- Lease extension or deed of variation: extending a short lease or correcting a faulty one is a separate piece of work, normally quoted separately.
The property and its title
- Unregistered property: if the home isn’t yet registered with HM Land Registry, the deeds have to be checked and the property registered for the first time.
- Buying or selling part of a property: a transfer of part, such as part of a garden or a new plot, needs new plans and boundaries.
- Rights of way and access: a deed of easement where the property relies on access or services over neighbouring land.
- Overage agreements: where a previous seller is owed money if the land is developed later.
- Indemnity insurance: a one-off policy to cover a missing consent or a title problem, instead of fixing it.
- Statutory declarations: sworn statements, for example about how long a boundary or right of way has been used.
- Updating the title: correcting names or removing old entries on the register before a sale.
Who is buying or selling
- A company buying or selling: extra checks and documents when a limited company owns or is buying the property.
- Acting under a power of attorney: checking and registering the attorney’s authority to buy or sell for someone else.
- Selling as an executor: extra steps when selling a property after someone has died.
- Trusts and overreaching: where the property is held on trust, a second trustee may need to be appointed so the buyer gets clear title (known as overreaching). Some trusts also need registering with HMRC’s Trust Registration Service.
- Declaration of trust: a document recording that buyers own the property in unequal shares, or who paid what.
Money and mortgages
- Your lender has its own solicitor: some lenders use their own firm, which means extra correspondence and sometimes a fee.
- Bridging loans, second mortgages or more than one lender: each lender adds paperwork.
- Help to Buy equity loan: redeeming the government loan when you sell.
- Gifted deposits: checks on the person giving you money, and sometimes ID checks for them too.
- Extra bank transfers: most firms charge per transfer, so paying more people costs more.
- Early key release: agreeing to release keys before completion (key undertakings).
- Work after completion: anything unusual after the move, such as registering further documents.
Searches and other third-party costs
- Extra searches: where the area or property calls for them, such as mining, flooding or chancel repair checks.
- Stamp duty and Land Registry fees: our figures are estimates based on your answers. Your solicitor confirms the exact amounts.
- ID checks for more people: everyone buying, selling or giving money is checked, usually at a cost per person.
Additional conveyancing costs: before you instruct a firm
If any of these apply, mention them when you instruct. The firm can then confirm its full fee up front. Conveyancing Solicitors Kent is a free introduction service, not a law firm, so the firm you choose is the one to ask about your own move.
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