Residential Conveyancing Fee Structure For Purchasing A Property
Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new home including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty ) if the property is in England or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property is in Wales.
Where VAT is said to be applicable it will be applied at the rate in force from time to time – currently 20%
How long will my house purchase 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 takes between 8 – 10 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first-time buyer, purchasing a freehold property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 10 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 4 – 5 months or more. In such a situation additional charges would apply.
Stages of the process
The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have listed the key stages:-
Disbursements / Expenses
Disbursements are expenses related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Search fees. We handle the payment of the disbursement on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
There are certain disbursements which will be set out in the individual lease relating to the property (if you are buying a leasehold property) or if you are buying a new build property. The disbursements we anticipate will apply as set out separately below, which we will quantify so far as possible when we provide you with an estimate. This list is not exhaustive and other disbursements may apply depending on the term of the lease. We will update you on the specific fees upon receipt and review of the lease / new build documentation from the sellers’ solicitors.
Anticipated Disbursements
*These fees vary from property to property and can on occasion be significantly more than the ranges given above. We can give you an accurate figure once we have sight of your specific documents.
You should also be aware that ground rent and service charge are likely to apply throughout your ownership of the property. We will confirm the ground rent and any anticipated service charge once we have sight of your specific documents.
Stamp Duty Land Tax/ Land Transaction Tax
This depends on the purchase price of your property and your circumstances. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC’S website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website.
Our Fees
Our fees will depend on a number of factors outlined below, including complexity, value, urgency, value and the nature of property and ownership. In providing our estimates of fees here we assume that:
Sometimes problems come to light during a transaction, such as the seller not having obtained building regulation approval for a conservatory or a boundary is in the wrong place. Dealing with these problems require extra work to be done and require more time to complete your purchase. This will mean the cost may be higher, but we will let you know if such problems arise and advise you if that will have any impact on the fee we will charge.
Freehold Properties: The purchase of a freehold property with a value not exceeding £1,000,000 with a mortgage will usually require 6 to 10 hours of work. Our hourly rates range from £150 to £200 plus vat, so this would mean an overall legal fee of between £900 and £2,000 plus vat and expenses. We also charge for any electronic bank transfers and mandatory ID and financial checks that we must complete on all clients and for essential property and compliance-related searches. We will provide you with a detailed estimate specific to your property at the outset.
Leasehold Properties: Where you are buying a leasehold flat or apartment, we have to do all the work required for a freehold property with the fees outlined above but there are additional requirements and due diligence that need to be carried out which will result in an additional fee for this work relating to the lease, which takes about 3 hours in most cases. For example, we need to review and report to you on the terms of the lease, raise enquiries with the managing agent about how the communal areas are looked after, check that the seller has paid all charges and more. For Leasehold apartments please add £300.00 plus VAT (£60.00)
Additional Fees in these situations
There are additional legal fees if your instructions require us to deal with the following, where more legal work and time required:
For properties priced at £1,000,000.00 or more check with fee earner but estimated at additional £400 plus vat and disbursements.
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check
(Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£0 - £79,999
£850.00
£170.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£20.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£1,634.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£80k - £99,999
£850.00
£170.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£40.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£1,654.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£100k - £199,999
£950.00
£190.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£100.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£1,834.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£200k - £299,999
£1,100.00
£220.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£150.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£2,064.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£300k - £399,999
£1,250.00
£250.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£150.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£2,244.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£400k - £499,999
£1,300.00
£260.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£150.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£2,304.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£500k - £749,999
£1,650.00
£330.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£295.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£2,869.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£750k - £999,999
£1,800.00
£360.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£295.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£3,049.40
Sale price
Fees
VAT
TT inc VAT
Stamp Duty admin fee inc VAT
Search Pack (Local, Water, FC)
Bankruptcy Search (per person)
Land Registry Search
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
ID Search (Per Person)
Biometric Check (Per Person)
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
Total
£1,000,000.00 and over - TBC WITH FEE EARNER
£2000.00
£360.00
£36.00
£90.00
£269.00
£2.00
£3.00
£500.00
£5.40
£9.00
£180.00
£3,494.40
Purchase Price
£0 –£79,999 £80k – £99,999 £100k –£199,999
Fees
£850.00 £850.00 £950.00
VAT
£170.00 £170.00 £190.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00 £36.00 £36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00 £90.00 £90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00 £269.00. £269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00 £2.00 £2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00 £3.00 £3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£20.00 £40.00 £100.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40 £5.40 £5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00 £9.00 £9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00 £180.00 £180.00
Total
£1,634.40 £1,654.40 £1,834.40
Purchase Price
£200,000.00- £299,999.00
Fees
£1,100.00
VAT
£220.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£150.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£2,064.40
Purchase Price
£300,000.00- £399,999.00
Fees
£1,250.00
VAT
£250.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£150.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£2,244.40
Purchase Price
£300,000.00- £399,999.00
Fees
£1,300.00
VAT
£260.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£150.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£2,304.40
Purchase Price
£400,000.00- £499,999.00
Fees
£1,300.00
VAT
£260.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£150.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£2,304.40
Purchase Price
£500,000.00 -£749,999.00
Fees
£1,650.00
VAT
£330.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£295.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£2,869.40
Purchase Price
£750,000.00- £999,999.00
Fees
£1,800.00
VAT
£360.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£295.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£3,049.40
Purchase Price
£1,000,000.00 and over – TBC WITH FEE EARNER
Fees
£2,000.00
VAT
£400.00
TT inc VAT
£36.00
Stamp Duty admin fee inc vat
£90.00
Search pack (local , water, FC)
£269.00
Bankruptcy search (per person)
£2.00
Land Registry search
£3.00
Land Registry fee (registered titles)
£500.00
ID search (per person)
£5.40
Biometric check (per person)
£9.00
If obtaining mortgage fee inc VAT
£180.00
Total
£3,494.40
Heaton Moor
4 Moorside Rd, Heaton Moor,
Stockport
SK4 4DT
Heaton Chapel
335 Wellington Road North,
Heaton Chapel,
Stockport, SK4 4QG
BJ McKenna is part of the McHale Group with multiple office locations offering full-service support
© BJ McKenna & Co Solicitors 2008 - 2025 - Solicitors Stockport, Heaton Chapel, Heaton Mersey, Reddish, Offerton & Marple
B J McKenna & Co Solicitors is a trading name of B J McKenna & Co Solicitors LLP. The term partner is used to refer to a member of the LLP.
B J McKenna & Co Solicitors LLP is a Limited Liability Partnership registered in England and Wales Number OC376377.
Registered office: 335 Wellington Road North, Heaton Chapel, Stockport, SK4 4QG where a list of members of the LLP is available for inspection.
Authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority www.sra.org.uk SRA Number: 570089.