There are two aspects to the charges that we make – the fees that we charge for doing the work and the payments we need to make to others (some of which are called disbursements) on your behalf. Both will depend upon several factors including the value of the property, the nature of the transaction and where the property is located.

We want you to be as clear as possible about the charges we will make and the additional payments that will be required.  Although we have set out below our range of charges and the disbursements we might need to make, you can obtain from us a quotation as to the actual cost for your particular transaction. So, if you have any questions as to our charges, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Janet Sinden & Co offer fixed fees for most of our residential conveyancing services.  This means that you can be sure exactly how much you are going to pay from the start of the process. This includes the transfer of ownership of a house or a flat from the current owner to its new owner, mortgages and remortgages and transfers of equity. We are happy to act for you in both a sale and a purchase and also to act for your mortgage lender.

The tables below set out our basic charging structure.  Please note that these are for information purposes only and do not constitute a legally binding quotation. We will always provide you with a quotation as to all of the charges at the start of any matter.

Please note that VAT will need to be added to our charges and to some of the payments that we need to make on your behalf.  Others, such as Stamp Duty land Tax, do not carry VAT.

Please note also that these charges do not apply to auction sales or purchases, high value sales or purchases in excess of £750,000 nor to certain new build properties. In all such cases we will provide you with a bespoke quotation once we have received details of the proposed transaction from you.

Freehold Sales and Purchases

Under £350,000£895 – £1,345 + VAT
£351,000 to £500,000£995 – £1.495 + VAT
Over £500,000Please contact us for a quotation

Leasehold sales and purchases

Under £350,000£945 – £1,345 + VAT
£351,000 to £500,000£1,045 – £1,645 + VAT
Over £500,000Please contact us for a quotation

Our Standard Other Fees

The Fees that apply in relation to transactions which are not standard sales or purchases. These are figures for guidance only and a personalised quotation will be provided in each case.

Transfer of Equity (without any mortgage(s))£475 + VAT
Transfer of Equity (with mortgage(s))£575 + VAT
Mortgage or Remortgage£450 + VAT
Buying with a New Build Help to Buy Mortgage£375 + VAT on top of standard fee
Dealing with a Help to Buy ISA or a Lifetime ISA£50 + VAT per ISA
Completing your transaction in less than 2 weeks£100 + VAT

Purchase Disbursements and Additional Charges

In addition to our charges, the following approximate disbursements and other charges are likely to be incurred. Please see below as to what these involve:

Search fees – these are payments that we need to make to others in order to find out things about the property – for example issues relating to the local authority, issues related to previous coal mining beneath the property or whether the property is liable to flooding. They range from approximately £200 to £500 or sometimes more depending upon the factors. We will usually order a personal local authority search, drainage search, enviro search and a “no search” chancel insurance policy. We have estimated them to be £300.  It is not possible to be more specific as the actual cost will depend upon the location of the property, the number of specific searches required and the requirements of any lender. Properties in different parts of the country require different types of search(es). We will always ensure that you are aware of the searches that need to be made and how much they will cost.

Personal Searches – Please note that we will usually order a personal local authority search. If it transpires that any mortgage lender you are working with does not accept these, then we will order an official local authority search. The payment for the personal search will be put towards the cost of the official search.

Bank Transfer – this includes the charge that is made by the bank for transferring money from our bank account to the account of another solicitor, or to you, and also includes an administration charge by this firm of £40 + VAT per transfer (which is not classed as a disbursement).

Identity, Funds and AML Checks – the law requires that we take steps to ensure that any transaction we are dealing with is not one that is being used to assist with money laundering.  To achieve this, we need to undertake various checks to confirm the identity of clients and their source of funds. Our fees for these searches are around £21 + VAT per person.

Land Registry Searches – the fee we pay to HM Land Registry to carry out a search of the property in their register. The cost is £3.90 per title.

Bankruptcy Search – we need to make sure on behalf of a lender that, for example, a purchaser is not subject to a bankruptcy. The cost is £2.90 per name.

Land Registry Fees – the fee at H M Land Registry varies significantly depending on various factors. We will advise you of the exact fee in relation to your transaction once we have all the required details but can give you an idea at the outset upon any enquiry with us.

Stamp Duty Land Tax/Land Transaction Tax – this will apply to purchases and, in some cases, to transfers of equity.

The amount of tax that is payable depends on a number of different factors including the purchase price of your property and the nature of the purchase. You can calculate the amount you will need to pay in England by using HMRC’s website or if the property is located in Wales by using the Welsh Revenue Authority’s website.

Additional Leasehold/Management Company Payments – it may be necessary for additional payments to be made to a landlord or to a management company in relation to the property.  We will always advise you as to these payments as soon as we are able to ascertain if they are payable and the amount involved.  These  may include a formal notice of the acquisition (and any mortgage) being notified in writing to the freeholder, with a registration fee often being required by the lease or, if the property you are purchasing has “common parts” i.e. areas that you share with others such as hallways, stairs, drives, parking areas, communal gardens etc., there may also be additional payments to be made to the management company responsible for the common areas.

E-Conveyancing fee – In order that we can use the most efficient, secure and up to date method of communication with both the Land Registry and HMRC  we use a trusted software provider to interface with their systems. This also allows us to access bank level security checks on your ID and for you to complete some documentation online. We charge a fee of £20 + VAT per person for this.

Sale Disbursements and Additional Charges

In addition to our charges, the following approximate disbursements and other charges are likely to be incurred. Please see below as to what these mean:

Land Registry Documents – the fee that we pay for obtaining copies of the register for your property to supply to a purchaser’s solicitor/conveyancer. Each document is a minimum of £3.90

Identity and AML Checks – the law requires that we take steps to ensure that any transaction we are dealing with is not one that is being used to assist with money laundering.  To achieve this, we need to undertake various checks to confirm the identity of clients and the origin of funds. Our fees for this service are £21 + VAT

Bank Transfer – this includes the charge that is made by the bank for transferring money from our bank account to the account of another solicitor, or to you, and also includes an administration charge by this firm of £40 + VAT per transfer (which is not classed as a disbursement).

Estate Agent – the costs agreed with your agent where you have one.

E-Conveyancing fee – In order that we can use the most efficient, secure and up to date method of communication with both the Land Registry and HMRC  we use a trusted software provider to interface with their systems. This also allows us to access bank level security checks on your ID and for you to complete some documentation online. We charge a fee of £10 + VAT per person for this.

The various fees, charges and disbursements that we set out above are illustrative and subject to individual clients needs and there matter and therefore can vary. If we anticipate any additional fees arising we will inform you of those. If your matter does not reach exchange of contracts and therefore your matter does not proceed as expected we will let you have an invoice for work undertaken until that point. This will be a proportion of any previously agreed fixed fee.

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