The solicitor's costs for selling a house are generally lower than for buying because the legal work on the sale side involves preparing and providing title information rather than commissioning searches and investigating title from scratch. The seller's conveyancing is simpler in most cases, and this is reflected in the fees.

The Solicitor's Professional Fee for Selling

The conveyancing fee for a property sale typically ranges from six hundred to one thousand two hundred pounds plus VAT for a standard freehold property. As with buying, leasehold properties attract a higher fee because of the additional work involved in obtaining management packs, service charge accounts, and landlord information. The professional fee for a leasehold sale might be three hundred to five hundred pounds more than for an equivalent freehold.

The fee may also vary with the property's value, with some firms charging a percentage of the sale price rather than a fixed fee. Fixed fees are more common and make budgeting more straightforward.

Disbursements on a Sale

Sellers pay fewer disbursements than buyers because the main search costs fall on the buyer's solicitor rather than the seller's. The seller's solicitor disbursements typically include an office copies fee to obtain official copies of the title register from the Land Registry, a few pounds each; a bankruptcy search on any joint owners, a nominal fee; and in some cases a management pack fee for leasehold properties, which can be one hundred to three hundred pounds charged by the managing agent or freeholder.

Repayment of Mortgage

If the property has a mortgage, the solicitor will obtain a redemption figure and pay it from the completion proceeds on the day of completion. There is no fee for this in most cases; it is included in the solicitor's general fee for the sale. If there are multiple charges or a complex mortgage situation requiring additional correspondence with lenders, a small additional charge may be levied.

Comparing Quotes

When choosing a conveyancing solicitor for your sale, obtain at least two or three quotes and compare them on a fully inclusive basis including VAT, disbursements, and any leasehold supplements. The cheapest quote is not always the best value; the responsiveness and experience of the firm handling the sale matters to whether the transaction progresses smoothly. An experienced solicitor who responds quickly to enquiries and chases the buyer's solicitor proactively is worth more than the saving from the cheapest online option.

Total Costs of Selling

The total cost of selling a house includes the solicitor's fees and disbursements, the estate agent's fee, any early repayment charge if a fixed-rate mortgage is being redeemed before the end of the term, and removal costs. Of these, the estate agent's fee is by far the largest, typically one to three percent of the sale price. The solicitor's total costs are typically eight hundred to one thousand eight hundred pounds including VAT and disbursements for most straightforward sales.

Summary

Solicitors fees for selling a house typically range from six hundred to one thousand two hundred pounds plus VAT for the professional fee, with leasehold properties higher. Disbursements are modest compared with buying, as search costs fall on the buyer's solicitor. Total legal costs for a standard freehold sale are typically eight hundred to one thousand eight hundred pounds all-inclusive. Fees are usually deducted from completion proceeds rather than being paid upfront.