Solicitor Fees for Selling a House in Central London 

Whether you’re selling in Mayfair, Camden or Soho to free equity, disposing of buy-to-let assets in Regent’s Park,Primrose Hill or Fitzrovia, or in a chain as you move up Central London’s property ladder, there will be costs involved. 

We outline all the costs involved in buying and selling in this fee guide but there’s one area our clients love to know more about: legal fees. The surprise is not that fees are due but how many different costs there are. Kubie Gold explains what solicitor fees for selling a house you can expect. 

How much are solicitors’ fees for selling a house?  

In 2026, typical solicitor fees for selling a house will range from £610 to £950 but that’s a UK-wide average. London sellers can expect to pay more, typically in the region of £1,000 to £3,000. The final fee will be impacted by the value of the property, the complexity of the sale and the property’s tenure (freehold legal work tends to be cheaper than leasehold).   

Typical UK conveyancing fees for selling a house (2026) 

What do solicitors’ fees for selling a house cover?  

Want to know how your conveyancing fees are being spent? Here’s a guide to what a solicitor or conveyancer does for their fee.  

• Pre-contract enquiries 
• Answering questions from third parties 
• Drafting the exchange of contracts 
• Liaising with the buyer’s solicitor and associated mortgage lender 
• Obtaining the seller’s redemption figure, if a mortgage is being paid off 
• Processing TA6, TA7 and TA10 forms 
• Completing anti-money laundering and property fraud checks 
• Organising telegraphic transfers or bank transfers of funds 
• Obtaining title deeds 
• Registering an unregistered property 
• Obtaining and summarising Leasehold Management Pack  
• Searches (if you’re also buying a property) 
• Exchanging contracts 
• Transferring legal property ownership 
• Overseeing completion and the receipt of any funds due 

Solicitor fees vs conveyancing fees: what’s the difference?  

Solicitor or conveyancer? If you’re selling your home, both can complete the legal work. If you’re curious about the difference, a conveyancer deals exclusively in property transactions and is regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers. Their narrow focus tends to make conveyancers a little cheaper to use. 

A solicitor is trained in all areas of law including divorce and probate, and can be regulated by a number of authorities, including the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Solicitor charges can be more due to their broad spectrum of knowledge. 

What are disbursements when selling a house?  

Disbursements are fees a licensed conveyancer or solicitor has to pay to a third-party when accessing information and carrying out necessary checks. These costs are passed on to the seller as part of their bill. A buyer’s disbursement costs are generally more than a seller’s due to the addition of search fees. 

The main disbursements a seller typically encounters include: 

1. Official copies of title deeds: Land Registry fees in the region of £6 to £15  
2. Transfer of property ownership: £200 to £300 
3. Bank transfer/telegraphic transfer fees: typically £20 to £45  
4. Anti-money laundering / ID verification: £5 to £20 per person  
5. Leasehold Management Pack: £100 to £350+  
6. Indemnity insurance: £108 (where required) 
7. Office copy entries and searches £250 to £450 (where applicable) 
8. Unregistered Property Supplement Fee: £120 to £240 

Does the sale price affect solicitor fees?  

Legal fees can vary depending on the practice instructed. Typical solicitor fees for selling a house usually scale in line with the property’s sale price. This can be attributed to higher-value transactions carrying greater legal responsibility.  

If you’d like to ringfence solicitor fees for selling a house, choose a legal firm that offers fixed-fee conveyancing, regardless of value.    

Freehold vs leasehold: how does property type affect costs?  

Freehold properties are simpler to sell as the seller owns the land as well as the property. There’s usually a freeholder involved in the sale of a leasehold property and that brings complexities. A legal team will spend time obtaining a leasehold management pack from the freeholder or managing agent, reviewing the lease and clarifying fees, such as service charges and ground rent. This additional legal work can typically add £200 to £400 to conveyancing fees.     

Average solicitors’ fees for buying and selling at the same time  

We help many home movers in London who are buying and selling at the same time. They often ask us if there’s any benefit to using the same conveyancer for both transactions. It can be neater to have one firm handling both but there’s always an underlying question: will the client get a discount? 

Average solicitors’ fees for buying and selling a house at the same time in the UK are £2,434, including disbursements. You may qualify for a discount if placing both transactions with the same firm but you should get any price in writing, including the discount.  

How to reduce your solicitor fees when selling  

There are some ways Central London sellers can minimise conveyancing fees but remember, if your sale is complex or time sensitive, it’s usually worth paying for experience. Cost-saving measures include: 

• Compare quotes: obtain at least three quotes from regulated solicitors or licensed conveyancers  
• Look for fixed-fee conveyancing: this will avoid open-ended hourly billing and cap what you spend 
• Check what disbursements are included: establish whether an attractive quote includes extras fees 
• Consider whether you need a full solicitor: a conveyancer may be suitable for your transaction and work out cheaper 
• Plan for failure: ask whether the firm offers a ‘no sale, no fee’ guarantee  
• Consider an online conveyancing company: but ensure they are regulated and check reviews 

When do you pay solicitor fees when selling a house?  

Some solicitors and conveyancers will ask for a small amount of money upfront to cover the cost of disbursements. This is usually true of buyers, who will require searches. Sellers are more likely to have one final bill after completion. If the sale has generated any profit, the law firm can deduct its costs from this amount from the settlement.  

Frequently asked questions 

Looking to sell your home in central London?  

If you are considering selling your home in St John’s Wood, Fitzrovia, Baker Streetor elsewhere in Central London, you can book a valuation with Kubie Gold. Knowing what your home is likely to sell for is vital when talking to potential solicitors and conveyancers.   

We can help you pull together the information you need to brief a legal team, so please get in touch.