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Purchase of a freehold property

At Hewitson & Harker, we have a team of experts that make our service stand out. Our experienced property team provide a competitively priced, personal and dedicated service. We offer fixed fees on all our property matters, and explain the costs involved upfront so there are no hidden surprises.

How much does it cost?

Our fees cover all of the work* required to complete the purchase of your new home, including dealing with registration at the Land Registry and dealing with the payment of Stamp Duty Land Tax (Stamp Duty) if the property is in England, or Land Transaction Tax (Land Tax) if the property you wish to buy is in Wales.

Conveyancer's fees and disbursements

  • Legal fees starting at £600 plus VAT at 20%
  • VAT payable £120 (starts at)
  • Search fees £190
  • HM Land Registry fee £20 (starts at and depends on purchase price)
  • Electronic money transfer fee £30 plus vat
  • Pre-completion searches-£5 plus vat (starts at)
  • Subtotal £972

Additional costs payable

  • Conveyancing transactions can be unpredictable and a sale or purchase that might at first seem straightforward can contain many unexpected twists, requiring extra work and time on the part of a party’s solicitor. At Hewitson and Harker we believe in being as clear as possible about the costs involved in any additional work. Accordingly, the following is a list of the types of matters that are likely to attract additional fees in the context of a transaction and which the parties to it should be aware of as early as possible: Description of matter Costs (ex VAT)*
  • Unregistered Land £125.00
  • Dealing with Leasehold Flat/Management Company £150.00
  • Preparing detailed Transfer of Part of a Title £200.00
  • Solar Panel lease (Checking) £200.00
  • Negotiating and preparing Trust Deed/Declaration of Trust £200.00
  • Negotiating and preparing Deed of Easement £250.00
  • Legal Marketing Services Lender (Purchase) Admin Fee £15.00
  • Preparing a Statutory Declaration/Key Undertaking £150.00-£250.00
  • Dealing with Help to Buy £175.00
  • Dealing with Government ISA £50.00
  • Lifetime ISA’s £100.00
  • Shared Ownership purchase £200.00
  • Duplicate Correspondence/To more than one Client at separate addresses £50.00
  • Administration of Indemnity/Insurance Policies £75.00
  • Discharge of additional Mortgage £100.00
  • Preparing and registering a Restriction/Equitable Charge Title Defect Referral to the Mortgage Lender £50.00
  • Failed Environmental Search/Adverse Search/ Mining Subsidence £150.00
  • Freehold Rentcharge/Amenity Land £150.00
  • Sale of Property subject to tenant in situ £100.00
  • Dealing with a Third Party Monetary Gift £125.00 VAT at 20% is payable on the items listed above.

    • Referral fee (if any)

    • The amount of referral fee payable ranges from £50 -£100 plus VAT. Your quotation provided will detail any referral fee payable (if applicable)
    Disbursements are costs related to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as Land Registry fees. We handle the payment of the disbursements on your behalf to ensure a smoother process.

    Stamp Duty or Land Tax (on purchase)

    This depends on the purchase price of your property. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay by using HMRC's website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority's website

    How long will my house purchase take?

    How long it will take from your offer being accepted until you can move in to your house will depend on a number of factors. The average process takes between 8-12 weeks. It can be quicker or slower, depending on the parties in the chain. For example, if you are a first time buyer, purchasing a new build property with a mortgage in principle, it could take 8-10 weeks. However, if you are buying a leasehold property that requires an extension of the lease, this can take significantly longer, between 4 and 8 months. In such, a situation additional charges would apply.

    Stages of the process

    The precise stages involved in the purchase of a residential property vary according to the circumstances. However, below we have suggested some key stages that you may wish to include:
    • Take your instructions and give you initial advice
    • Check finances are in place to fund purchase and contact lender's solicitors if needed
    • Receive and advise on contract documents
    • Carry out searches
    • Obtain further planning documentation if required
    • Make any necessary enquiries of seller's solicitor
    • Give you advice on all documents and information received
    • Go through conditions of mortgage offer with you
    • Send final contract to you for signature
    • Agree completion date (date from which you own the property)
    • Exchange contracts and notify you that this has happened
    • Arrange for all monies needed to be received from lender and you
    • Complete purchase
    • Deal with payment of Stamp Duty/Land Tax
    • Deal with application for registration at Land Registry
    * Our fee assumes that:
    • this is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example (but not limited to) a defect in title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents ancillary to the main transaction
    • the transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complication arise
    • all parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing documentation
    • no indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.