Residential Conveyancing
Buying or selling a home is one of the biggest moves most of us ever make — having the right person looking after it makes all the difference.
Personal service, from start to finish.
One person, start to finish
You deal with the same dedicated person throughout — someone you can call directly or sit down with at one of our offices whenever you need an update or a little reassurance.
Experience that counts
We don’t treat your move as a tick-box exercise. Whether you’re buying a two-bed terrace in town or selling a house in the country, you get the same care and attention to detail.
No surprises on cost
Personal service doesn’t have to mean a bigger bill. Our estimate includes things other firms charge for on top, so it’s worth comparing what’s actually covered, not just the headline figure.
Get a conveyancing quote.
Buying a brand-new home is a particular specialism of ours — you’ll find more on our New Homes and Are You Looking to Buy? pages. Otherwise, get a quick estimate using our online calculator below, or simply get in touch and we’ll be glad to talk you through your move.
Our costs on sales and purchases.
We aim to be clear and upfront about what your move will cost. The figures below are our standard fees for residential sales and purchases. If your property needs extra work over and above our standard retainer, we’ll explain exactly what’s required, discuss any additional costs and agree these with you first, before we go any further.
Residential sales & purchases
| Property value | Sale (Freehold) | Sale (Leasehold) | Purchase / remortgage (Freehold) | Purchase / remortgage (Leasehold) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Up to £500k | £1,560.00£1,300 + VAT | £1,860.00£1,550 + VAT | £1,800.00£1,500 + VAT | £2,340.00£1,950 + VAT |
| £500,001 to £750k | £2,040.00£1,700 + VAT | £2,340.00£1,950 + VAT | £2,280.00£1,900 + VAT | £2,820.00£2,350 + VAT |
| £750k – £1M | £2,640.00£2,200 + VAT | £2,940.00£2,450 + VAT | £2,880.00£2,400 + VAT | £3,420.00£2,850 + VAT |
| Beach huts & chalets below £100k | £1,074.00£895 + VAT | £1,074.00£895 + VAT | £1,074.00£895 + VAT | £1,074.00£895 + VAT |
Prices shown include VAT at 20%, with our net fee (plus VAT) given beneath.
Properties over £1M
For properties over £1M, tell us a little about your transaction and we’ll prepare a tailored quote.
Additional fees
Some transactions involve extra work, charged as follows (each plus VAT):
| Matter | Fee |
|---|---|
| Shared ownership | £600£500 + VAT |
| Auction purchases | £540£450 + VAT |
| Auction sales | £300£250 + VAT |
| Help to Buy mortgage redemption | £540£450 + VAT |
| Retirement property (sale) | £420£350 + VAT |
| Retirement property (purchase) | £540£450 + VAT |
| Unregistered property* | from £360£300 + VAT |
* The fee for unregistered property is confirmed once we’ve seen the title deeds.
Searches & disbursements
Disbursements are costs we pay out on your behalf as part of your transaction, such as searches and bank charges. Some of the usual disbursements are set out below.
On a sale
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Land Registry official copies (per document) | £8.40£7.00 + VAT |
| Bank transfer (CHAPS) fee | £42.00£35.00 + VAT |
On a purchase
Our standard search pack — environmental, regulated local authority, and water & drainage searches — costs £265.80 (£221.50 + VAT). This can vary depending on the local authority or your lender’s requirements, and some locations need additional searches.
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Chancel check | £31.20£26.00 + VAT |
| Bank transfer (CHAPS) fee | £42.00£35.00 + VAT |
| Panel management fee | £43.20£36.00 + VAT |
| Bankruptcy search (per person) | £7.20£6.00 + VAT |
| Land Registry search | £8.40£7.00 + VAT |
| Forms fee (per form) | £6.00£5.00 + VAT |
Land Registry fees & Stamp Duty
These costs depend on your particular property and circumstances, so they’re best checked directly:
- Land Registry fees: see HM Land Registry’s published fee guidance on gov.uk.
- Stamp Duty Land Tax: the amount depends on the purchase price and your circumstances. You can work it out using HMRC’s Stamp Duty calculator, or the Welsh Revenue Authority’s calculator if the property is in Wales.
Other costs to be aware of
Some costs vary from property to property and can occasionally be significantly higher than the ranges above. We’ll give you an accurate figure once we’ve seen your documents.
If you’re buying a leasehold property, ground rent and a service charge may apply throughout your ownership, and we’ll confirm these as soon as we have the information. Leasehold properties, and freehold or leasehold homes on managed estates, can also carry an estate charge, along with additional fees to deal with the management company’s requirements on completion. We’ll advise on all of this once we’ve seen the title documents.
How long will it take?
How long your move takes, from your offer being accepted to getting the keys, depends on a number of things — not least the other people in the chain. On average it takes around 6 to 12 weeks.
It can be quicker or slower. A first-time buyer purchasing a new-build home with a mortgage in principle might complete in 4 to 6 weeks, provided the property is built or will be very soon. A leasehold purchase that needs something like a lease extension can take longer, often 2 to 3 months.
The likely stages of a purchase.
Every transaction is a little different, but a purchase usually runs through these stages:
- 1Taking your instructions and giving you initial advice
- 2Checking your finances are in place and liaising with your lender’s solicitors if needed
- 3Receiving and advising on the contract documents
- 4Carrying out searches
- 5Obtaining any further planning or title documents required
- 6Raising enquiries with the seller’s solicitor
- 7Reviewing the search results and advising you
- 8Going through the conditions of your mortgage offer with you
- 9Sending you the final contract to sign
- 10Drafting the transfer deed
- 11Agreeing a completion date — the day you become the owner
- 12Advising you on joint ownership
- 13Exchanging contracts and confirming this has happened
- 14Arranging for the funds needed from you and your lender
- 15Carrying out final searches
- 16Completing the purchase
- 17Dealing with Stamp Duty Land Tax
- 18Registering you as the new owner at the Land Registry
Our trusted team.
Our team combines decades of legal expertise with a personal approach. Every client gets a named lawyer who knows their case inside out.
Click a card to find out more about each team member.
Get in touch.
We want to make it easy to reach us. Choose whichever suits you best:
Speak to someone directly
Call the person looking after your matter on their direct number, shown with the team above.
Call one of our offices
- Lowestoft: 01502 532300
- Norwich: 01603 558700
- Great Yarmouth: 01493 923170
Email us
resiassistants@nicholsonslaw.comFill in the form
Send us your enquiry using the form and a member of our team will get back to you promptly.
"In the current climate it was encouraging to find that the process of Probate and House Conveyance could be completed so quickly and efficiently."
