Conveyancing Pricing - Price Transparency Guide

Price Transparency Guide

Introduction

We are proud to have assisted countless individuals in the purchase or sale of their homes.

As one of the most reliable property law firms nationwide, our reputation is upheld by consistently high ratings based on client feedback over the past several years. See our reviews here

We operate under the regulation of the SRA and boast accreditation from the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme, a symbol of superior quality in the home buying process.

Our team of over 30 professionals is based in Norwich.

Like all regulated solicitors, we’re upfront about our conveyancing service costs. But we don’t stop there. We spill the beans on what’s packed into that price tag and what’s not, even if you’d think it was. We also showcase the qualifications and experience of our team who’ll be in your corner. Plus, you’ll get a sneak peek at usual timelines and key moments for your case.

What services do we offer?

Our services exclusively focus on residential conveyancing, encompassing Freehold and leasehold transactions, both sale and purchase, alongside equity transfers and remortgaging.

Our expertise lies in handling leasehold work, particularly transactions related to the Building Safety Act.

We represent clients across the nation for property transactions taking place within England and Wales.

Most of the premier mortgage lenders in the country place their trust in our services.

It’s important to note that your selected solicitor typically needs to be on the panel of your preferred mortgage lender, as they will also be representing your lender’s interests.

What services do we not offer?

Just to let you know, we’re not typically involved in helping companies buy, sell or remortgage properties.

Commercial property transactions are not part of our services.

Additionally, if a property’s value is over £2 million, we tend not to handle the sale and purchase transactions.

Also, if the funds for the purchase are coming from overseas, we normally wouldn’t be involved in that transaction.

What is residential conveyancing?

Residential conveyancing service is basically a legal process that helps people buy or sell their houses. Let’s break down the terms you mentioned:

Freehold sale and purchase: This is when you buy or sell a property outright, including the land it’s on. You own it completely.
Leasehold sale and purchase: This is when you buy or sell the right to live in a property for a certain period of time, but you don’t own the land it’s on. The owner of the land is called the ‘freeholder’.
Transfer of Equity: This is the legal process of adding or removing someone from the ownership of a property. For example, if a couple gets married and wants to add one spouse’s name to the house deed.
Remortgages: This is when you switch your existing mortgage to a new deal, either with your current lender or a different one. You might do this to get a better interest rate, borrow more money, or change the terms of your loan.

In simple terms, residential conveyancing services help you legally move house, whether you’re buying, selling, or changing who owns a property.

How do we deliver our service?

We operate a remote online conveyancing service where clients never have to visit our offices. Most of the process is carried out through secure document sharing and paperless workflows using our in-house cloud-based, digital case management system known as ‘QC’

Price information and requesting a quote

We have a set cost for our services. You can check out the average price we usually charge for each service here.

VAT is payable on some of the elements of the fees, and this is charged at 20%.

Our quoted price includes our fee for the work we do and disbursements (money we pay to third parties). You can get a better understanding of this here

Please note that these prices are just an estimate. The final price might be different because several factors can affect it. You can find these factors here. If you want a more specific quote that could be higher or lower than the average price, please fill out and submit the form here.

We shall endeavour to come back to you within 24 hours during the working week. Alternatively, you can talk to one of our Onboarding team to get your individual quote, by calling on 01603 877067 (9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday) or by sending an email to onboarding@mjpconveyancing.com.

If you choose to email us, please include your full name, a phone number where we can reach you, and a short description of your property transaction, like the sale or purchase price and location. Please don’t attach any documents or share links. We’ll respond to your email as soon as we can during working hours.

Unexpected costs

From time to time we may need to seek your consent to alter our quoted fee. If the task becomes more difficult or takes longer than expected for any reason, we might need to adjust our cost estimate. This could also happen if we have to prioritise your task over others or if there are changes in VAT rates or third-party expenses that we can’t control. If this happens, we’ll let you know about the extra costs before they occur.

The written estimate we give you is based on the information you provide. If it turns out that this information is incorrect or incomplete, or if unexpected problems come up, we may have to increase our fee. We’ve listed some examples of situations where additional fees might apply below:

All figures below are exclusive of VAT at 20%

Unexpected Problem	Cost
Where the quote is based on a Freehold Tenure but a Leasehold Tenure is discovered	£795
Where it is revealed that a gifting element is involved in the transaction:	£75 for the first donor £25 for each additional donor
Declaration of Trust	Price range of £500 - £1500
SDLT Form	£25
Where the quote is based on a registered property, and it is discovered the property is unregistered	£150
Establishment of indemnity Policy	£50
Deed of Covenant or Easement	£150
Statutory Declaration / Statement of Truth	£200
Where we are required to retain at the request of the buyer a sum of money to cover a shortfall of service charge	£50
Sending out hard copies of documents at the end of the transaction	£100
Where your Lender has separate representation	Price range of £500 - £1500
Where we are not acting on an unconnected related transaction	£150
Lifetime ISA/ HTB ISA element	£50 per element

Unquantifiable fees

When buying or remortgaging a leasehold property, you may incur fees from the landlord or management company, as specified in the lease. Common fees include:

All figures below are exclusive of VAT at 20%

Fee	Fee
Notice of Transfer fee	£50 - £300
Notice of Charge fee if mortgaging the property	£50 - £300
Deed of Covenant fee	£50 - £300
Share Certificate fee	£50 - £300
Certificate of Compliance fee	£50 - £300

These fees can vary and might be higher depending on the property. More fees may apply if multiple management companies are involved. Ground rent and service charges will likely apply throughout your ownership.

Selling or remortgaging a leasehold property may require a Landlords Sales Pack or Management Company Pack, costing between £100 and £500. These packs contain information about service charges, ground rent, buildings insurance, and necessary notices.

Additional fees may occur if there’s an outstanding mortgage to be repaid when selling or if a secured loan is registered against the property. We’ll provide accurate figures upon reviewing your specific documents.

How much will need to be paid upfront?

Other than the initial £100 deposit (for a sale only) or the initial £100 deposit and your search fees (for a purchase transaction), all fees and disbursement, including Stamp Duty, must be paid and cleared 24 hours before your agreed completion date. Upon prior agreement, you can make payments from the proceeds of your sale.