How Much Are Solicitor Fees When Selling a House?
When selling a property in England or Wales, typical solicitor fees range from £850 to £1,700 in total — including legal fees and disbursements. Selling is cheaper than buying because there are fewer legal requirements: no searches, no stamp duty, and a simpler process overall.
For a typical freehold property sold at £300,000, expect total conveyancing costs of £900–£1,400.
💡 Key saving: Seller conveyancing fees for the same transaction can vary by £300–£600 between solicitors. A quick comparison on Moving Merchant takes 2 minutes and can save you hundreds.
Seller's Solicitor Fees — Complete Breakdown
| Cost Item | What It Covers | Typical Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Solicitor's legal fee | All legal work — drafting contract, dealing with enquiries, managing completion and redemption of mortgage | £650 – £1,200 |
| Land Registry office copies | Official copies of the title register (deeds) required to sell | £6 – £25 |
| Electronic transfer fee (CHAPS) | Sending your sale proceeds and paying off any mortgage | £25 – £50 |
| ID and AML verification | Anti-money laundering identity checks required by law | £15 – £40 |
| Mortgage redemption fee | If you have a mortgage, your solicitor redeems it from sale proceeds | £50 – £150 |
| Leasehold management pack | If selling a leasehold, your managing agent charges for providing information | £200 – £600 |
| Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | Required by law before marketing — usually arranged by estate agent | £60 – £120 |
Total Seller Solicitor Costs by Property Price
| Sale Price | Legal Fee | Disbursements | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £150,000 | £650 – £850 | £150 – £250 | £800 – £1,100 |
| £150,001 – £250,000 | £700 – £950 | £160 – £280 | £860 – £1,230 |
| £250,001 – £400,000 | £750 – £1,100 | £180 – £300 | £930 – £1,400 |
| £400,001 – £600,000 | £850 – £1,250 | £200 – £350 | £1,050 – £1,600 |
| £600,001 – £1,000,000 | £1,000 – £1,700 | £250 – £450 | £1,250 – £2,150 |
| Over £1,000,000 | £1,500+ | £350+ | £1,850+ |
Leasehold Selling — Additional Costs
Selling a leasehold property (most flats) involves extra charges because the seller's solicitor must obtain information from the freeholder and managing agent:
| Additional Leasehold Item | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Leasehold additional legal fee | £150 – £450 | Extra work reviewing service charges, managing agent info pack |
| Management information pack | £200 – £600 | Charged by managing agent — varies enormously between agents |
| Freeholder consent (if needed) | £100 – £300 | Some leases require freeholder's consent to sell |
⚠️ Watch out for management packs: Managing agents can charge anywhere from £150 to £800+ for a leasehold information pack. Ask your agent upfront for an estimate — this is often one of the most variable costs in a flat sale.
What Does a Seller's Solicitor Do?
Your conveyancing solicitor manages the legal side of selling your property, including:
- Obtaining title documents from the Land Registry and any existing mortgage lender
- Preparing the draft contract and property information forms (TA6, TA10)
- Answering enquiries raised by the buyer's solicitor
- Dealing with any issues on the title — restrictive covenants, missing certificates, boundary disputes
- Arranging and managing exchange of contracts
- Completing the sale — receiving the purchase price and repaying your mortgage
- Distributing net proceeds to you after deducting fees and mortgage redemption
Do Sellers Pay Stamp Duty?
No — sellers do not pay Stamp Duty Land Tax. SDLT is a buyer's tax only. However, sellers may be liable for Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if the property being sold is not their primary residence (e.g., a buy-to-let or second home). CGT is not handled by your conveyancing solicitor — you'll need to declare it on your self-assessment tax return.
What Other Costs Do Sellers Pay?
Solicitor fees are just one part of the total cost of selling a house. As a seller, you'll also typically pay:
| Cost | Typical Amount |
|---|---|
| Estate agent fee | 1.0% – 3.5% of sale price (+ VAT) |
| Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | £60 – £120 |
| Solicitor / conveyancing fees | £850 – £1,700 |
| Mortgage early repayment charge (if applicable) | 1% – 5% of outstanding balance |
| Removal costs | £300 – £4,800 depending on property size |
For a full guide to all selling costs, see our Cost of Selling a House guide →
How to Reduce Your Seller's Solicitor Fees
- Use a comparison service — seller's fees for identical work vary by £300–£600. Moving Merchant compares and sends you one competitive quote.
- Use the same solicitor as the buyer's recommended conveyancer — some firms offer discounts for related transactions.
- Choose fixed-fee conveyancing — avoid percentage-based fees that increase with sale price.
- Ask about no-sale-no-fee — many firms offer this for sellers; it protects you if the buyer pulls out before exchange.
- Gather your paperwork early — building regulations certificates, planning permissions, boiler service records — having these ready avoids delays and re-work charges.
- Don't use your estate agent's recommended solicitor automatically — agents earn referral fees; their recommendation may not be the best value for you.
Instruct a Solicitor Before You Accept an Offer
Many sellers wait until they have an accepted offer before instructing a solicitor. However, instructing earlier — even when you first list — means your solicitor can prepare the draft contract and property information forms in advance, potentially cutting weeks off your transaction time.
Speed is particularly important if your buyer is in a chain or has a mortgage offer with an expiry date. A well-prepared seller can exchange within 6–8 weeks; a poorly-prepared seller can take 20+ weeks.