Guide

What’s Included in a Conveyancing Quote?

A conveyancing quote has three parts: the firm’s fixed legal fee, disbursements paid to others on your behalf, and taxes such as Stamp Duty. Here is what each line in a conveyancing quote means, what is usually extra, and how to compare quotes like for like in Kent.

By the Conveyancing Solicitors Kent team19 October 20263 min read

Key takeaways

A conveyancing quote is made up of the legal fee, any supplements, disbursements such as searches and Land Registry fees, and taxes such as Stamp Duty.
The legal fee is usually fixed, with VAT at 20% on top. Most disbursements are passed on at cost.
Leasehold, new builds, shared ownership and Help to Buy ISAs often add a supplement.
Some costs only appear if your move needs them, such as a leasehold management pack, indemnity insurance or extra work on the title.
The firm confirms its fees in writing before any work starts, so check that letter matches your quote.

The three parts of a conveyancing quote

Every conveyancing quote is built from the same three parts:

Legal fee: what the firm charges for its own work. In Kent this is typically £900 to £1,500 + VAT for a freehold purchase and £800 to £1,300 + VAT for a sale.
Disbursements: costs the firm pays to others for you, such as searches, Land Registry fees and ID checks. They are passed on at cost.
Taxes: Stamp Duty on a purchase, which your solicitor pays to HMRC for you. It is a tax, not a fee.

See typical figures in our guide to Kent conveyancing fees.

The legal fee and supplements

The legal fee covers checking the title and contract, raising enquiries, reporting to you, dealing with your lender, and handling exchange and completion. Most firms quote a fixed fee based on the price and type of property.

Some moves carry a supplement on top, because there is more work:

a leasehold flat or house
a new build
shared ownership
a Help to Buy ISA or Lifetime ISA
acting for your mortgage lender
filing the Stamp Duty return

Some firms build these into the legal fee instead of listing them separately, so compare the total rather than single lines.

Disbursements: searches, Land Registry and checks

Disbursement	Typical cost in Kent	What it is
Searches	£220–£440 (often one pack)	Local authority, drainage and water, and environmental searches on a purchase
HM Land Registry fee	Set by price	Registers you as the new owner after completion
Land Registry and bankruptcy searches	A few pounds each	Final checks just before completion
ID and anti-money-laundering checks	£10–£30 per person	Required by law for every client
Bank transfer fee	£20–£50	Sending the money on completion day
Office copies (selling)	£30–£45	Up-to-date copies of your title

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Stamp Duty and VAT

Stamp Duty is a tax on most purchases in England. Your quote shows an estimate based on the price and whether you are a first-time buyer or own another home. Your solicitor files the return and pays it for you. Read our Stamp Duty guide.

VAT at 20% applies to the legal fee, supplements and some disbursements. Land Registry fees and Stamp Duty have no VAT. Our quotes show prices including VAT, so the total is what you would pay.

What is usually not included

Some costs only come up if your move needs them. A good quote tells you which could apply:

Leasehold management pack: charged by the managing agent, often £200 to £500, usually to the seller.
Indemnity insurance: a one-off premium if something is missing, such as a building regulations certificate.
Extra legal work: for example a lease extension, a declaration of trust, a gifted deposit or a property bought through a company.

See the full list of possible extra conveyancing costs.

How to compare conveyancing quotes

Compare totals including VAT, not just the legal fee.
Check the same searches are included, and whether they are estimates or fixed.
Look for supplements that apply to your move, such as leasehold or a new build.
Ask what you would pay if the move falls through. Terms differ between firms.
Check the firm is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers.

When you get a quote through Conveyancing Solicitors Kent, you see every line straight away. The firm pays us a referral fee on completion, which is included in its price, so it costs you nothing extra. The firm then confirms its fees in writing before any work starts.

Written by the Conveyancing Solicitors Kent team

We help home movers across Kent find a regulated local conveyancing firm at a fixed fee. Our guides are general information, not legal advice; your solicitor will advise on your own move.

FAQs

Conveyancing quotes: FAQs

Is VAT included in a conveyancing quote?

It should be shown. VAT at 20% applies to the legal fee, supplements and some disbursements, but not to Land Registry fees or Stamp Duty. Our quotes show prices including VAT.

Does a conveyancing quote include Stamp Duty?

Most quotes show Stamp Duty as an estimate so you can budget. It is a tax paid to HMRC, which your solicitor pays for you on completion.

Can the price change after I accept a quote?

Only if something changes, such as the price, the type of property, or extra work turning up, like a lease problem. The firm confirms its fees in writing before work starts and should tell you before charging anything extra.

Why do conveyancing quotes vary so much?

Firms set their own legal fees and supplements, and some leave out searches or VAT to look cheaper. Comparing totals including VAT, with the same searches, is the fairest way.