Our fees cover all of the work required to complete the purchase of your new home, including:
- Handling registration at the Land Registry
- Handling payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) for properties in England
- Handling payment of Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.
We offer a standard fixed fee for our residential property transactions where there are no complicating factors (see below).
Our standard fixed fees start at £1,250 plus VAT* and disbursements and increase in line with the value of the property as detailed below.
| Property Value | Our Fee (ex. VAT*) |
|---|---|
| Up to £200,000 | £1,350 |
| £200,001 – £400,000 | £1,650 |
| £400,001 – £500,000 | £1,950 |
| £500,001 – £750,000 | £2,250 |
| £750,000 – £1,000,000 | £2,450 |
| Above £1,000,000 | 0.3% of the purchase price |
If your purchase falls through before it is completed, we will charge for the time spent to that point. In these cases, our fees will never exceed the agreed fixed fee and charges for dealing with complicating factors.
Complicating factors
- Lack of certification for alterations or building works.
- Reporting and / or remedying title defects or coordinating indemnity insurance.
- Non-standard mortgage conditions.
Additional charges for complicated factors are dependent on the time required. Hourly rates are dependent on the experience of the person handling the transaction and range from £175 to £350 plus VAT*.
We will provide you with an estimate of the total additional charges either at the outset or when we become aware of any complicating factors.
Disbursements are related costs payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.
| Disbursement | Estimated prices |
|---|---|
| Searches including (but not limited to): Local land charge register Standard enquiries the local authority Drainage Environmental Planning history Recommended searches (e.g. mining or flood risk) | £200-400 + VAT* |
| Transferring funds as a same-day payment (e.g. forwarding money to the seller’s solicitor on completion) | £57 incl. VAT |
| ID checking | £14.40 inc. VAT* per person |
| Lawyer Check search to verify the seller’s solicitors’ bank details | £12 plus VAT* |
| Pre-completion searches at the Land Registry: | £7 per title. No VAT required |
| Additional fees for new build properties | £300 plus VAT* |
Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)
- Properties in England: calculate stamp duty via HMRC’s website
- Properties in Wales: Welsh Revenue Authority’s website
How long will my house purchase take?
The time between your offer being accepted and moving into your home will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 8-16 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain.
The process for a first-time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, could take 8 weeks. However, buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease can take significantly longer, between 3 and 6 months. In such a situation, additional charges would apply.
The house buying key stages
- Take instructions and give you initial advice
- Check finances are in, contact lender’s solicitors if needed
- Receive and advise on contract documents
- Carry out searches
- Obtain further planning documentation if required
- Make any necessary enquiries of seller’s solicitor
- Advise on all documents and information received
- Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
- Send final contract to you for signature
- Agree to completion date (date from which you own the property)
- Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
- Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
- Complete purchase
- Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
- Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
Note: the precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances.
*VAT is currently applied at a rate of 20%.
