Conveyancing fees, explained

Legal fee

The firm's charge for the core legal work. It usually depends on the property price and the type of transaction. VAT at 20% is added if the firm is VAT registered.

Supplements

Extra work costs extra. Common supplements include leasehold properties, acting for your mortgage lender, new builds, shared ownership, Help to Buy-style schemes, buying through a company, Islamic finance, and each gifted deposit. Firms also often charge for ID checks per person, bank transfers, and submitting your Stamp Duty or Land Transaction Tax return.

Disbursements

Payments the firm makes to third parties on your behalf — such as property searches and HM Land Registry fees. VAT depends on the item: some include VAT, some are exempt and some are outside the scope of VAT. ConveyMatch applies each firm's stated VAT treatment line by line, rather than adding VAT to everything.

What's usually not included

• Leasehold management packs and landlord or managing-agent fees
• Indemnity insurance, if needed
• Unexpected work, such as defective titles or disputes

Property tax

Property tax is separate and is not included in any conveyancing quote. Check what you may owe using the official calculators: HMRC Stamp Duty Land Tax calculator (England) and Welsh Revenue Authority Land Transaction Tax calculator (Wales).

Estimates, not final bills

Quotes are estimates based on the information you give. The firm will confirm its fees in its client care letter after it accepts your instruction.