Conveyancing Hidden Costs: What Quotes Often Leave Out

Why quotes differ

• Some show the legal fee only, with disbursements listed separately, or not at all.
• Some show a "from" price that rises once the details of your move are known.
• Supplements for leasehold, new-build or other work are added after you've instructed.
• VAT is left off the headline figure.

Extras that are often added later

• Leasehold supplement.
• New-build supplement.
• Lifetime ISA handling fee.
• Gifted deposit or source-of-funds checks.
• Acting for your mortgage lender.
• Stamp Duty return administration fee.
• Bank transfer fees for sending money on completion.
• Identity and anti-money-laundering checks.
• Unregistered property or shared ownership work.
• Fees for speeding the matter up.

Costs no conveyancer can include

Some costs sit outside any conveyancing quote, because the conveyancer doesn't set them:

• Stamp Duty Land Tax (Land Transaction Tax in Wales), a tax that depends on the price and your circumstances.
• A leasehold management pack, priced by the landlord or managing agent.
• Landlord's fees on a leasehold purchase, such as for a notice of transfer or deed of covenant.
• Your survey, mortgage arrangement fees and estate agent's fees.

These aren't hidden costs in themselves, but a good quote should tell you they exist.

How Conveyancing Network quotes handle it

• One all-in fixed fee: the firm's legal fee plus every third-party cost it lists, including VAT.
• Supplements that apply to your move, such as leasehold or a Lifetime ISA, are built in from your answers, not added afterwards.
• If you don't know something, such as whether a property is leasehold, the possible extra is shown beside the quote, not hidden.
• Every quote carries notes on what it doesn't include, such as Stamp Duty and any leasehold management pack, so you know before you choose.

Questions to ask any conveyancer

• Is this a fixed fee, and what would make it change?
• Does the total include VAT and all disbursements?
• Are there supplements for anything about my move?
• What costs will I pay that aren't in this figure?