Are conveyancing fees based on property value?
In many cases, yes. Most UK conveyancing solicitors set their legal fees in price bands, so buying or selling a £600,000 home usually costs more than a £200,000 one. Property price also drives some of the largest third-party costs, such as Stamp Duty and Land Registry fees.
The price isn’t the whole story, though. Whether the property is leasehold or a new build, how you are funding the purchase and where your money is coming from all affect your final conveyancing quote. In this guide we explain each factor so you know exactly what you are paying for.
A typical conveyancing quote is made up of three parts:
- Legal fees: the law firm’s charge for the work, often banded by property value
- Supplements: extra charges for additional work, such as leasehold or mortgage work
- Disbursements: costs the solicitor pays to third parties on your behalf, such as searches, Stamp Duty and Land Registry fees
Why legal fees increase with property price
The main reason legal fees rise with property value is risk. The more a property is worth, the greater the potential loss if something goes wrong, and the law firm carries that responsibility.
- Higher potential claims: if a mistake is made, such as a missed restrictive covenant or a title defect, the cost of putting it right grows with the value of the property.
- Professional indemnity insurance: solicitors must hold professional indemnity insurance. Premiums reflect the value of transactions a firm handles, so higher-value work costs more to insure.
- Fraud risk: high-value properties are a bigger target for property and payment fraud. Firms carry out more checks to protect your money and the lender’s.
- Complexity: expensive homes are more likely to have larger plots, extra land, outbuildings, rights of way or unusual title arrangements, which take longer to investigate.
In short, a higher fee for a higher-value property reflects the greater responsibility and protection the law firm is providing, not just the time spent.
Stamp Duty Land Tax
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is usually the biggest cost that rises with property price. It is a government tax, not a solicitor’s fee, but your conveyancer calculates it, files the return with HMRC and pays it on your behalf, normally within 14 days of completion.
In England and Northern Ireland, standard residential SDLT rates (from April 2025) are charged on the portion of the price within each band:
| Portion of the purchase price | SDLT rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% |
| Over £1.5 million | 12% |
Your Stamp Duty bill can also change because of:
- First-time buyer relief: no SDLT up to £300,000, and 5% on the portion up to £500,000. Relief is lost entirely above £500,000.
- Additional property surcharge: an extra 5% on top of standard rates for second homes and buy-to-let properties.
- Non-UK resident surcharge: an extra 2% for buyers who are not UK resident for SDLT purposes.
Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (LBTT) and Wales charges Land Transaction Tax (LTT), each with its own rates.
HM Land Registry fees
When you buy a property in England or Wales, your solicitor must register you as the new owner with HM Land Registry. The registration fee is set by HM Land Registry and charged in price bands, so it rises as the property value goes up.
The fee ranges from a small sum for lower-value properties to several hundred pounds for homes worth over £1 million. It is also lower when your conveyancer applies online, which most firms now do. Unregistered land, which needs a first registration, can cost more and take longer.
Your conveyancer will include the correct Land Registry fee as a disbursement in your quote. It is paid straight to HM Land Registry, not kept by the law firm.
Leasehold vs freehold
Leasehold conveyancing usually costs more than freehold because there is more legal work involved. With a freehold you own the building and the land outright. With a leasehold, usually a flat or apartment, you own the right to live in the property for a fixed number of years under a lease.
On a leasehold purchase, your solicitor must:
- Review the lease in detail, including the remaining term, ground rent, service charges and any restrictions
- Request a management pack from the landlord or managing agent, which often carries its own fee
- Raise and resolve enquiries about major works, disputes and service charge budgets
- Serve notices of assignment and charge on the landlord after completion, which usually incur further fees
- Check whether a deed of covenant or licence to assign is needed
A short lease (generally under 80 years) can affect your mortgage and the property’s value, and may need extra advice on a lease extension. Because of all this, most firms add a leasehold supplement to their legal fee.
Buying a new build property
New build conveyancing typically attracts a supplement because the legal work is different from buying an existing home. Your solicitor will need to:
- Review the developer’s contract pack, which is often lengthy and drafted in the developer’s favour
- Check the planning permission, building regulations and estate road and drainage agreements
- Confirm the new home warranty, such as NHBC, Premier Guarantee or LABC
- Check plans and boundaries for a plot that may not yet be fully built or registered
- Review estate management charges and any leasehold arrangements on houses or flats
- Work to the developer’s strict exchange deadlines, often 28 days from reservation
Completion dates on new builds can also be uncertain while the home is finished, which means more work managing your mortgage offer and timescales.
Buying with a mortgage
If you are buying with a mortgage, your solicitor usually acts for your lender as well as for you. That means extra work and extra responsibility, which is why many firms charge a mortgage supplement.
Acting for a lender involves:
- Following the lender’s instructions and the UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
- Reporting anything that could affect the lender’s security, such as a short lease or a defect in the title
- Submitting a certificate of title before the mortgage funds are released
- Registering the lender’s charge with HM Land Registry after completion
Because a larger loan means a bigger potential loss to the lender if something goes wrong, the risk to the law firm also rises with the size of the mortgage. Some lenders charge a small fee to transfer the funds to your solicitor too.
Using bridging finance
Bridging loans are short-term loans often used to buy at auction, break a property chain or buy a home that needs renovation before a mortgage is possible. They usually add a bridging finance supplement to your legal fees.
That is because bridging transactions tend to:
- Run to very tight deadlines, such as the 28-day completion period common at auction
- Involve a separate solicitor acting for the bridging lender, which you normally pay for as well as your own
- Require detailed reporting to the lender on title, valuation and any undertakings
- Need careful planning for the exit strategy, such as a sale or refinance onto a mortgage
The bridging lender’s legal fees and arrangement fees are often based on the size of the loan, so they also tend to rise with the property’s value.
Non-UK residents and funds from abroad
Buying a UK property from overseas, or with money held abroad, often costs more in legal fees. The cause is the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, which require solicitors to verify who you are and where your money comes from. These checks take longer when overseas people or funds are involved.
If you are a non-UK resident, expect:
- Enhanced identity checks, sometimes with documents certified abroad
- The 2% non-resident Stamp Duty surcharge on top of standard rates, if it applies to you
- Extra time arranging signatures and communication across time zones
If your funds are coming from abroad, your solicitor will need to:
- Trace the source of funds and source of wealth, such as savings, a property sale, an inheritance or a business, with supporting documents
- Check overseas bank statements, which may need translating
- Track international transfers through to the firm’s client account
To cover this extra compliance work and risk, many firms charge a supplement for non-resident buyers and for overseas funds.
Gifted deposits
A gifted deposit from parents or relatives is a great help for many buyers, especially first-time buyers. It does mean extra legal work, so many firms charge a gifted deposit supplement, sometimes per person giving money.
Your solicitor will usually need to:
- Verify the identity of each person giving the gift
- Check the source of the gifted money, with bank statements from the giver
- Prepare a gifted deposit declaration confirming the money is a true gift, not a loan, and gives the giver no share in the property
- Report the gift to your mortgage lender, who must approve it
If the gifted money is coming from abroad, the overseas funds checks above apply too.
Frequently asked questions
Do all solicitors charge conveyancing fees based on property value?
Not all, but most do. Some firms offer a fixed fee whatever the price, while others use price bands. Always compare the total quote, including supplements and disbursements, rather than the headline legal fee.
Is Stamp Duty included in conveyancing fees?
Stamp Duty is a tax, not a legal fee. Your solicitor collects and pays it to HMRC for you, so it often appears on your quote as a disbursement.
Why is leasehold conveyancing more expensive?
Leasehold purchases need extra work, including reviewing the lease, obtaining a management pack and serving notices on the landlord after completion.
Do I pay more if I’m a cash buyer?
Usually not. Cash buyers avoid the mortgage supplement, although your solicitor will still need to check where your money comes from.
Can I avoid a gifted deposit supplement?
If you are receiving a gift, the extra checks are a legal requirement. Ask for the supplement to be included in your quote from the start so there are no surprises.
Stamp Duty rates and fees can change, so check the latest figures or speak to our conveyancing solicitors about your particular circumstances.
Get a clear, upfront conveyancing quote
Looking for a conveyancing solicitor you can trust? Versus Law Solicitors is a Manchester-based firm helping buyers across England and Wales with residential and commercial conveyancing.
Buying or selling a property? Get a transparent conveyancing quote from Versus Law today, with no hidden fees.
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