Solicitor Fees for Selling a House

Selling a home can be a long and sometimes frustrating process. Not just finding a buyer and dealing with estate agents, but sorting out solicitors, too. But, solicitors are a crucial part of the process. There are so many things to do, from searches to contract exchanges, there’s a lot of legal work happening behind the scenes, which is why you need to recruit an experienced professional to make sure it all goes as quickly and smoothly as possible.

The only thing is, this expertise comes at a price.

Moving home is expensive, and when it comes to selling your home, solicitors fees can be up there with some of the pricier parts of the whole process. That’s why understanding solicitor fees for selling a house is vital if you want to budget accurately, avoid surprises and keep more of your sale proceeds. These costs vary depending on location, property type and the complexity of your sale. Let’s break down exactly what you’ll pay when you sell your home in 2025 and how you can save.

In this article, we’ll cover:

1. Understanding solicitor fees is crucial for budgeting and maximizing sale proceeds when selling a house.
2. Legal fees vary by location, property type and sale complexity, with both solicitors and conveyancers playing key roles in conveyancing.
3. How hiring an experienced professional can ensure a smooth transaction and safeguard against future issues.

What Are Solicitor Fees for Selling a House?

When you sell a property, a solicitor or conveyancer handles the legal side of things, which is a process known as conveyancing. Their work includes:

• Drafting and reviewing the contract of sale
• Handling property information forms and title deeds
• Liaising with the buyer’s solicitor
• Dealing with mortgage redemption statements, if needed
• Managing completion day funds and legal compliance

 

Conveyancing is a long and complex process. As a result, you need to hire the right solicitor or conveyancer, who can make sure everything is above board from a legal and compliance point of view. They have your interests in mind to make sure you don’t experience any issues down the line.

This skill, experience and guidance come at a cost. When you hire a professional solicitor, they’ll break down their costs so you know how much you’re going to pay or the services they provide. This helps you understand the process a little better and how much each stage will cost.

Solicitors vs. conveyancers

A solicitor is a fully qualified legal professional, while a licensed conveyancer specialises only in property law. Both can handle the sale of your property, but conveyancers are often cheaper because they don’t have as much expertise in other legal matters.

How Much Are Solicitor Fees For Selling a Home in the UK in 2025?

In 2025, typical solicitor fees for selling a house range from £600 to £1,500 plus VAT, depending on the level of service and complexity.

• In London and the South East, fees tend to be higher
• In regions like the Midlands or the North, you might pay a little less
• Leasehold properties and high‑value homes usually attract additional charges due to there being additional 

 

Service type	Average fee range (excl. VAT)	Notes
Basic freehold sale	£500 – £800	Standard property
Leasehold sale	£700 – £1,200	Extra work for leases
Disbursements (searches, ID checks)	£50 – £300	Paid on top of fees

Remember, the above costs only apply to selling your home. There will be additional solicitor costs if you’re also buying a home, which are approximately double this and in addition to the sale cost.

Factors That Affect the Cost of a Solicitor When Selling a House

When budgeting for solicitor fees, it’s important to understand what influences costs and why they vary from one sale to another. Below are the key factors that can influence how much you’ll pay when selling a home in the UK.

Freehold vs leasehold

If you’re selling a freehold property, the legal process is usually fairly straightforward. Your solicitor will handle the title deeds, draft the contract and liaise with the buyer’s legal representative.

However, if you’re selling a leasehold property, such as a flat or maisonette, you can expect solicitor fees to be higher. A leasehold property is usually a property with shared spaces, which comes with leasehold fees that cover the maintenance and management of these shared spaces.

There are usually higher solicitor fees for a leasehold property because:

• Leasehold sales require more paperwork, including a Leasehold Information Pack or Management Pack.
• Your solicitor will need to communicate with the freeholder or management company to gather service charge accounts, ground rent details and maintenance schedules.
• Additional steps are often needed to clarify lease terms, which adds to the time and cost.

Property value and location

Solicitor fees may also vary depending on your home’s market value and location in the UK:

• High-value properties tend to involve more detailed legal checks and may require specific contract terms, especially if there are complex ownership structures or high-risk buyer enquiries.
• Unique or listed properties may trigger additional due diligence from your solicitor to verify planning restrictions, easements or special covenants.
• Solicitors in London and the South East typically charge more due to higher overheads and property prices than solicitors in more rural areas.

Online vs traditional solicitors

How you choose to engage your solicitor can impact the cost:

• Online conveyancing firms often offer lower, fixed-fee packages and handle everything remotely via email, phone or client portals. They’re best suited to simple, freehold sales with clear timelines.
• High street or local solicitors may charge more but offer a personalised service, including face-to-face meetings, and they do have familiarity with local authority procedures and agents.
• Traditional firms may be better equipped to handle complex or time-sensitive cases but can involve longer response times during busy periods.

 

While online firms can be cheaper, they often require you to do a lot more chasing, as they have a busy client list that means they’re sometimes spread thin.

Complexity

Not all property sales are the same. Some situations may demand more time and effort from your solicitor, which will increase the cost. These may include:

• Shared ownership properties, where part of the home is owned by a housing association. Your solicitor must deal with multiple parties and ensure all conditions are met for the sale.
• Help to Buy equity loan repayments, which involve liaising with Homes England (or the relevant administrator) and settling the outstanding government loan before completion.
• Unregistered properties, which require your solicitor to reconstruct the legal title from old deeds and documents.
• Sales involving probate or power of attorney, which add legal layers and third-party approvals.
• Boundary disputes, access rights or title issues, which can delay progress and involve extra investigation or even legal advice outside conveyancing.

 

Each of these adds time, paperwork and communication, which leads to higher solicitor fees. Naturally, the more time and work needed, the higher the final bill will be.

Can You Negotiate Solicitor Fees?

Generally, you can negotiate solicitor fees when it comes to selling your home. For many firms, their fees aren’t set in stone. 

It never hurts to ask if there’s wiggle room when it comes to fees. If you shop around, it gives you more leverage to negotiate, especially if there’s a firm you’re keen to use, but a rival firm has lower rates. There may also be package deals if an estate agent has partnered with a specific conveyancer.

Alternatively, you can ask for a fixed-fee arrangement, rather than an open-ended hourly rate. This will help you manage your budget and keep costs transparent. There’s no guarantee that your chosen firm will lower its rates, but it’s always worth asking if it’s something they’d consider.

Do You Pay Solicitor Fees Upfront or at Completion?

Some solicitors will ask you to pay a small upfront fee, usually between £100 and £400, to open your case. The rest of the money is then paid at completion and automatically deducted from the proceeds of the property sale.

When appointing a solicitor, make sure you ask them about payment schedules so you know what to expect.

Tips to Reduce Legal Fees When Selling

While legal costs are necessary, they aren’t always fixed, and with a little research and planning, there are several ways to keep them as low as possible without sacrificing quality.

One of the most effective ways to lower legal fees is by choosing an online conveyancer rather than a traditional high street solicitor. Online firms typically operate with lower overheads, allowing them to charge less. Just make sure you read independent reviews and check what services they offer first.

Make sure you always get three to five quotes, so you have a full understanding of what various firms charge. When comparing quotes, request an itemised breakdown. Some solicitors may advertise a low base fee but add on numerous extras, such as ID checks or bank transfer fees, which will bump up the overall cost. A detailed quote allows you to understand exactly what’s included and what could push the final bill higher.

When selling your home through an estate agent, you should also be wary of simply going with the first agency they recommend as part of a package deal. This is the most convenient option, but these arrangements can come with a premium price or limited flexibility. You should compare their offer with independent firms, both online and local, to make sure you’re not paying more than necessary.

You can also ask whether a fixed fee is available. Fixed-fee conveyancing means you know upfront what you’ll pay, regardless of delays or extra work. This can protect you from unexpected costs, especially if the transaction becomes more time-consuming than anticipated. The only thing is, this isn’t offered by all firms – but you should definitely ask.

Hidden Costs to Watch Out For

Even if you’ve received a clear quote from your solicitor or conveyancer, there can still be hidden extras that catch sellers off guard. These additional charges may not always be included in the advertised fee, so it’s important to ask what’s covered and what isn’t before proceeding.

• Bank transfer fees: Usually charged for each electronic transfer of funds, especially the final sale proceeds. Fees are often set at £25 – £50, depending on the solicitor’s policy.
• ID verification checks: Solicitors must verify your identity. This is typically charged per person to comply with anti-money laundering regulations, with checks costing around £25 each.
• Charges for expedited service: If you need the legal work completed urgently, some firms charge an expedited processing fee.
• Document postage and courier fees: While many firms operate digitally, some may still charge for postal delivery of contracts or original documents.
• Help to Buy or shared ownership admin fees: If you’re selling a home under one of these schemes, solicitors may charge more for dealing with government paperwork or third-party correspondence.

Do You Need a Solicitor to Sell a House?

Technically, there’s no legal requirement for a seller in the UK to hire a solicitor or licensed conveyancer when selling a property. However, it’s definitely not the norm and it’s highly recommended that you hire a professional.

Selling a property involves more than collating some documents. You need to have experience dealing with complex legal contracts, anti-money laundering regulations, coordinating with legal teams and transferring large sums of money securely. Even a small mistake can have a massive knock-on effect, which could compromise the entire sale. And that’s the last thing you need, especially if you’re going on to buy a new home.

For the vast majority of sellers, hiring a qualified solicitor or professional conveyancer is the safest and most practical way forward. Their expertise ensures all legal obligations are met, your interests are protected and the transaction moves forward smoothly. Yes, it’s expensive, but it’s absolutely worth it to make sure everything goes through as it should. A legal professional can also spot and resolve any potential issues, such as title defects, boundary disputes or missing documentation, which you might miss.

Initially, you might think it’s a great way to save money, but we can’t recommend doing it alone.

Want to Avoid the Legal Hassle?

Selling a house can quickly become stressful. There’s a lot of plates to spin, which often need to be spun by someone who knows what they’re doing. But, even then, it can be a long and frustrating process.

Key takeaways:

1. Solicitor fees are negotiable, and fixed-fee arrangements can prevent unexpected costs.
2. Online conveyancers may offer lower fees with efficient service, but thorough research and comparisons are essential.
3. Zapperty provides a hassle-free, rapid home sale option, eliminating solicitor fees and reducing the stress typically associated with traditional property sales.

 

If you’d rather avoid the uncertainty, delays and hidden costs that often come with traditional sales, there’s a simpler solution.

Zapperty offers a fast, straightforward alternative. We can buy your home in as little as seven days, and we’ll cover the legal work, so there are no solicitor fees to worry about, no chains to break and no risk of the sale falling through at the last minute. Whether you need to move quickly or just want a stress-free sale, our process is designed with speed and transparency in mind.Why wait for things to move at a snail’s pace? Sell your house fast and make your selling process fast, effective and with way less stress.