DATA-BACKED GUIDE · UPDATED JULY 2026
How much are solicitor fees for selling a house in the UK?
Selling a home usually costs a little less in legal fees than buying one, but the quote still splits into the solicitor's charge and the disbursements. If your property is a leasehold flat there are extra costs the freeholder controls, which catch a lot of people out near completion. The real prices below come from people who have actually sold, so you can see the solicitor fee on its own. This is general information, not legal advice.
The quick version
- Selling is usually a bit cheaper than buying because there is no stamp duty and no searches to pay for.
- The main disbursements when selling are the Land Registry documents that prove your title, plus a leasehold information pack if the property is a flat.
- If you are selling a leasehold flat, the freeholder or managing agent charges for the management pack, and that can add a surprising amount.
- Online and national firms tend to undercut high-street solicitors for a standard sale.
- Doing your sale and onward purchase with the same firm often earns a combined rate.
- A quote for a simple freehold sale should be almost all solicitor fee, so a big disbursement line is worth asking about before you instruct anyone.
What people actually paid
Where these 8 prices come from — 3 named sources
Each is a published price list, an official survey, or a receipt/quote a reader shared. The full per-price list with year and area is on the conveyancing (sell) page.
The gap: advertised vs actually paid (medians)
People reported paying 67% more than the advertised list price for conveyancing (sell).
List prices are advertised prices; paid figures are what people reported, often for different cases. Treat the gap as a signal, not a quote.
Real prices, in people's own words
- £1,200“I am currently selling a leasehold flat and my conveyancing costs have been quoted at 1,200 pounds.”
- £2,000“Quotes so far seem incredibly steep, around 2k plus VAT.”
Genuine amounts posted publicly. We publish the price and the quote, never the person.
Why the price varies so much
The main driver is whether the property is freehold or leasehold, because a leasehold sale means gathering a management pack and answering more enquiries, which is extra work and extra cost. Redeeming a mortgage adds a little, and unregistered land or a missing document can add a lot. The firm's model matters too, since a fixed-fee online conveyancer sits well below a high-street solicitor charging by the hour for the same standard sale. Ownership matters as much as location here. Some conveyancers are small local partnerships who know the area and its usual sticking points, others are national chains or online-only firms owned by a larger group and run more like a call centre with set-price packages. That difference in how the business is set up shows up directly in the quote, not just in the service you get. Region plays a part too, because a solicitor working in a busier or higher-value area often prices differently to one covering a quieter patch, even for the same basic freehold sale. If you are extending the lease at the same time as selling, that is separate legal work again, so it is priced on its own. All of this is why a quote for a simple freehold house looks very different from one for an older leasehold flat.
How to pay less
- Ask for the solicitor fee and the disbursements listed separately so the quote is easy to compare.
- Get quotes from an online conveyancer as well as a local firm, since a standard sale is where the price gap is widest.
- If your flat is leasehold, ask early what the freeholder charges for the management pack so it does not surprise you.
- Use one firm for both your sale and your purchase if you are moving, and ask for a bundled fee.
- Look for 'no completion, no fee' cover in case the buyer pulls out.
- Ask whether the fee is fixed or charged by the hour. A fixed fee protects you if the sale drags on or an extra document has to be tracked down.
Common questions
Why is selling cheaper than buying?
When you sell there is no stamp duty to pay and no local searches to commission, both of which sit on the buying side. Your solicitor mainly gathers the title documents, answers the buyer's enquiries and handles the transfer, which is less involved than a purchase. That usually makes the fee for selling a little lower than for buying.
What extra costs come with selling a leasehold flat?
The freeholder or managing agent usually charges for a leasehold information pack that the buyer's solicitor needs. This can run to a few hundred pounds and sometimes more, and it is outside your solicitor's control. If you are also thinking about a lease extension, that is separate legal work again, so ask about it upfront.
Can I use the same solicitor for selling and buying?
Yes, and most people do when they are moving home. Using one firm for both keeps things joined up and often means a combined fee that beats instructing two separate firms. Ask whether the sale and purchase are quoted together or as two jobs, since the way it is priced makes a difference.
Do I have to pay if my sale falls through?
It depends on what you agreed at the start. Some firms offer 'no completion, no fee' cover, so if the buyer pulls out you are not left paying the full solicitor fee. Others still charge for work already done, so it is worth checking this before you instruct anyone rather than after a sale collapses.
Is an online conveyancer cheaper than a local high-street solicitor?
For a straightforward freehold sale, yes, online and national firms are usually the cheapest option because they run on fixed-price packages rather than hourly rates. A local firm can still be worth it if your sale is unusual, such as unregistered land or a title problem, where local knowledge and someone you can talk to in person earns its keep.
Are Land Registry fees included in the solicitor's quote?
They should be listed as a disbursement rather than folded into the headline solicitor fee. Ask for the fee and the disbursements broken out separately so you can see what is the firm's own charge and what is a third-party cost being passed through.