You’ll need to pay your solicitor at various points when you’re buying a property. Some of this money is for their services and some is to refund fees they’ve paid on your behalf.

Since buying a property is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make, and legal fees aren’t cheap, it’s important to know what you’ll be paying and when.

Do you have to pay solicitors’ fees upfront? Can you pay on completion?

You don’t usually have to pay it all upfront but your solicitor will probably ask you for a “payment on account” before they start working with you – usually about £500. They’ll invoice you for the remaining amount when everything is wrapped up and you’re about to exchange or complete the purchase.

Most of these costs depend on your circumstances, like the cost of the place you’re buying and whether it’s a freehold or leasehold property. Solicitors usually have to make extra checks with a leasehold, because of checking the lease agreement.

The total costs of buying a property –  known as “conveyancing” costs –  are typically divided up into your solicitor’s fees and “disbursements”. These are third-party transactions that your solicitor oversees and pays on your behalf, such as fees for local authority searches and paying the Land Registry to register the new ownership.

How much are solicitors’ fees when buying a home?

The average cost of legal fees for buying a house in the UK is £1,575, according to the comparison site Compare My Move (2024).  In reality, total costs, including disbursements can range from £1,000 to £5,000+ plus VAT, depending on things like the value of the property, where it’s located, and whether it’s leasehold or freehold. Some of these costs may need to be paid along the way, as your solicitor covers fees on your behalf.

The fees we discuss below are only the ones related to the legal side of buying a home. It’s worth remembering that there are quite a few other costs you can expect to pay in total.

Legal fees

These are the fees that directly relate to the work your solicitor does for you. They cover all the contract work and regulatory stuff. We’ve broken down all of that at the end of this guide.

In England and Wales, some mortgage deals include free legal work if you use a solicitor chosen by the lender. This can be convenient, but it may limit your choice — and it’s not always the cheapest option overall.

A broker (like us at Habito) can help you weigh up whether free legals are worth it, or whether you’d save more by choosing your own solicitor alongside a different mortgage deal.

It’s always worth getting at least a couple of quotes for legal fees. And be wary of going with a solicitor recommended by your estate agent, as this might be based purely on getting commission. It’s worth ensuring that at least one of your quotes is for a “fixed fee” service rather than paying by the hour.

If your purchase is straightforward, consider using a licensed conveyancer, as they’re typically cheaper. There’s more on the difference between solicitors and licensed conveyancers at the end of the guide.

Habito is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Stamp duty

Stamp duty is a tax that you have to pay to the government in England and Northern Ireland when you buy a property, and your solicitor is there to do it on your behalf. In Scotland and Wales, it has a slightly different name but is basically the same thing.

How much you pay depends on the cost of your property. You don’t pay stamp duty on the first £125,000 of your property purchase in England and Northern Ireland. If you’re a first time buyer and your property costs less than £500,000, you won’t pay stamp duty on anything up to £300,000.

Check out how much you might pay with our stamp duty calculator.

This tax is known by slightly different names in different countries. In Wales, it’s called Land Transaction Tax, while in Scotland, it’s called Land and Buildings Transaction Tax.

What are disbursements? And what are the main ones?

Disbursements are the costs that third parties charge for certain services. Your solicitor will collect these fees from you and pay them on your behalf. If it’s a big disbursement, they may ask you to pay it to them at the time, but most disbursements are covered by the £500 you paid at the beginning.

You’ll see a full breakdown of all your disbursements on your completion statement at the end.

There are quite a few disbursements your solicitor might need to pay. Here are a few examples:

• Bankruptcy search. Before giving you any money, your lender will want to confirm that you haven’t been declared bankrupt. This costs £6 per person.
• Anti-money laundering checks. These legal checks are necessary to verify your identity. Expect to pay between £6 and £20.
• Electronic transfer fee. You’ll pay this every time your solicitor does a bank transfer on your behalf, for example, when they transfer the mortgage money from the lender. It usually costs between £20 and £30.
• Local authority search. This involves contacting local authorities to find out about any changes that might be planned for your area. Some of these changes could be substantial, such as major changes to roads or other infrastructure. The cost ranges between £100 and £270, but depends on your local authority. In Scotland, the Home Report that you receive should have all of this information.
• Water and drainage, and environmental searches. The water and drainage search will look at these systems and confirm that flooding isn’t a risk. The environmental search will check if your property is located near any contaminated land. The searches cost between £30 and £100 each.
• Land Registry fee. This cost is for registering your property with the Land Registry in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It comes at a cost of between £20 and £1,105. In Scotland, your property will be added to the Land Register of Scotland, and costs start at £80.
• Lifetime ISA fee. Using your lifetime ISA will involve a bit more work for your solicitor. This fee is usually no more than £50, plus VAT.

If my sale falls through, do I still need to pay the legal fees?

This one might sting a little: yes, some costs are not refundable, and you’ll have to pay them even if the sale of your house falls through. The fees you need to pay (and how much) may include work your solicitor has already carried out — like searches or identity checks, depending on how far along you are in the process.

If you’re worried about this, chat to your solicitor upfront about any risks involved.

This process can get quite complicated, and even if you crunch all the numbers, you might come up against a higher fee than you originally planned.

Our complete home buying service is designed to prevent this while supporting you throughout – from paying your deposit to getting your keys and every legal step in between.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.

Get in touch to see how we can help.

Below, we’ve explained more about what solicitors do for you when you’re buying a property.

What role do solicitors play? Do I need one to buy a house?

You have to use a solicitor if you’re buying with a mortgage. Strictly speaking, you don’t have to use a solicitor if you’re buying with cash, but most solicitors on the seller’s side would refuse to act without a lawyer on the other side.  This is ultimately a good thing, as solicitors offer valuable legal and technical expertise that you’re likely to need.

Solicitors help to prepare the contracts that formally transfer ownership from the seller to you, and they consult with the Land Registry and local authorities to make sure everything is in order.

They also check that the right building regulation certificates are in place. And – perhaps most important of all – they make sure that when you pay some of the heftier sums, like your deposit, your hard-earned pennies go to the right bank account.

What’s the difference between a solicitor and a conveyancer?

You’ll hear both terms bandied about. While there are small differences between solicitors and conveyancers, your experience will likely be that they do much the same thing.

It’s worth knowing that conveyancers tend to charge less than solicitors.

Here’s a brief look at the distinction:

• A conveyancing solicitor is a solicitor who specialises in conveyancing and can help you to buy or sell a house. They may also have training in other areas of the law.
• Like a conveyancing solicitor, a licensed conveyancer also has the necessary knowledge to help with the buying and selling process. While they don’t usually have training in every area of the law, they’re property law experts.

Choose your solicitor or conveyancer wisely and ask if they’ll give you an estimate of their fees before you hire them. This will help you prepare.

Habito’s home-buying service was set up to make the whole process go smoothly, with an expert by your side from start to finish, including all the legal stuff.

Your home may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on your mortgage.