EPC certificates explained

An EPC certificates are shows how energy efficient your property is, the document includes estimated costs for energy and the homes energy performance features.

Epic Ratings

A certificate will have an efficiency rating between A and G and will look like example as below

Since Energy Ratings have been very significant in home sales for the last few years , new build home are geared towards achieving very good energy ratings , this is older homes sometimes need some or a lot of work to get a better energy rating as properties in the past were not built for energy conservation .

Things that will help energy ratings are as below 

Windows that are double glazed 

If you don’t yet have double glazing fitted, you could be surprised at the difference it can make to your annual energy bills.

Your initial investment will be fairly high but double-glazed windows will trap more heat inside your home, meaning they will save you money in the long term.

Double glazing is available in a variety of styles, so it doesn’t have to ruin the look of your home. When you are choosing your windows, look out for the ‘Energy Saving Trust recommended’ logo as this seal of approval is only given to the more efficient windows.

Wall with cavity insulation   

Un-insulated walls are another big cause of the heat lost in your home. Filling cavity walls could save you between £70 and £255 a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

However, a job like this doesn’t come cheap – cavity wall insulation costs from £330 upwards depending on the size of your property – but some energy suppliers will offer funding if you’re on certain benefits. Give yours a ring to find out.

Insulated loft

Poorly insulated roofs and walls can be a major cause of energy wastage. But with decent loft insulation, you could save between £120 and £225 a year, depending on the type of property you have and where you live, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Upgraded energy efficient boiler 

Did you know inefficient boilers could be adding a few hundred pounds to your energy bills? That means that upgrading yours could be a great way to cut what you pay in the long term.

It’s also a great way to dramatically reduce your home’s carbon emissions – boilers account for 60% of the carbon dioxide emissions in a gas heated home.

Boilers are rated on a scale of A to G, with A being the most energy efficient. If yours is at the lower end of the scale then investing in a new one could save you a packet over the long-term.

Some simple things that you can do that will not cost a fortune 

Thicker curtains 

Energy efficient kettle and oven 

Turn off appliances that are not being used 

Get energy supplier to fit a smart meter 

Change habits make sure lights are off when not needed 

Keep doors shut.

If you have the money to do this 

Solar panels  

Solar panels enable you to generate some of your own heat or power so you’ll save money on your bills. Previously, you could even sell energy back to the National Grid with a feed-in tariff, but this scheme closed to new applicants on 31 March 2019 (anyone who has had solar panels installed before this date will still benefit).

However, the government is introducing a Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) that means most suppliers will need to pay you for your exported excess electricity. This won’t start until January 2020, but some companies, such as Octopus, are already offering SEG tariffs to customers.

Northern Irish customers can already get paid for any surplus power they export.

Some solar panels warm the water in your tanks by a small amount, reducing your overall bills.

But those with photovoltaic (PV) cells actually generate energy and the Energy Saving Trust thinks the average home can provide 40% of its power this way.

The average PV system costs between £5,000 and £8,000, so it’s a big initial outlay, although it depends on the amount you want to generate and the space you have for the panels.

But the good news is solar panels work even when it’s cloudy, so don’t let the UK weather put you off. It’s also sensible to set appliances such as washing machines to run when it’s lightest outside to get maximum benefit.

What is the EPC register? EPC checker 

This is a government database that stores every property that has a proper PEC certificate and you can use it to look up a property energy rating, if an EPC certificate hasn’t ever been attached to a property it will not show on the register.

How long does an energy performance certificate last? EPCs are valid for 10 years. They were first introduced in England and Wales in 2007 so, depending on when you moved in, your property may already have a valid certificate. Use the EPC register's look-up tool to check if you have one - and, if so, whether it's still valid.

How much do EPCs cost? EPCs can cost up to £120, although the price is much lower for most properties. While all homes need to have an EPC before they can be sold or let, there's no benefit in choosing a more expensive provider, so make sure you shop around for the best deal. Going directly to a domestic energy assessor rather than getting one through an estate agent is generally cheaper.

Finding an energy assessor

If your property doesn't already have an EPC, you'll need to get one before you can sell. Many people do this via their estate agent for convenience, but this is generally the pricier option. To save money by arranging your EPC independently, search the EPC register's assessor page to find an accredited domestic energy assessor. How long does an energy performance certificate last? EPCs are valid for 10 years. They were first introduced in England and Wales in 2007 so, depending on when you moved in, your property may already have a valid certificate. Use the EPC register's look-up tool to check if you have one - and, if so, whether it's still valid. How much do EPCs cost? EPCs can cost up to £120, although the price is much lower for most properties. While all homes need to have an EPC before they can be sold or let, there's no benefit in choosing a more expensive provider, so make sure you shop around for the best deal. Going directly to a domestic energy assessor rather than getting one through an estate agent is generally cheaper.

 

How long does an energy performance certificate last? EPCs are valid for 10 years. They were first introduced in England and Wales in 2007 so, depending on when you moved in, your property may already have a valid certificate. Use the EPC register's look-up tool to check if you have one - and, if so, whether it's still valid. How much do EPCs cost? EPCs can cost up to £120, although the price is much lower for most properties. While all homes need to have an EPC before they can be sold or let, there's no benefit in choosing a more expensive provider, so make sure you shop around for the best deal. Going directly to a domestic energy assessor rather than getting one through an estate agent is generally cheaper.

 

How the money laundering rules affect you

You may not have given much thought to money laundering and conveyancing – after all, you just want to buy or sell your home! But did you know: * Money laundering is the third biggest industry in the world * £90 billion in cash is laundered in the UK each year * Residential property transactions made up 32% of all suspected money laundering activity in the last 3 years (as reported to the National Crime Agency) * Solicitors can go to prison and incur heavy fines if they don’t report suspicious activity The anti-money laundering rules for law firms are very rigorous. And, as you can see above, the penalties for not following the rules are very severe. So money laundering has a real impact on how we handle your conveyancing transaction. What is money laundering?

Money laundering means putting money from illegal activities into the legitimate economy so its murky origins can’t be detected. Moving funds between different bank accounts, people and even countries helps the criminals to ‘clean’ their funds. Conveyancing firms are a prime target for money launderers.

With hundreds of thousands of pounds changing hands in one transaction, they see it as an easy way to launder a lot of cash in one go. Why ID checks are so strict One of the most important aspects of the anti-money laundering rules is client identification. It’s the first thing we do when you instruct us to act for you; without satisfactory ID, we can’t proceed. When we ask for your ID at the start of the process, we have to check the following: * That you are who you say you are * If you are selling a property, that you are the owner of the property * If you are buying a property, that the funds you are using are from a legitimate source We analyse all clients through an electronic ID verification system. This screens personal details against a wide range of databases and is a quick and thorough method of verification.

We also check that the bank account details we have for you, match your address. If you are selling a property, we check the Land Registry for details of who is registered as the owner. If you are buying, we ask for 6 months of bank statements and will query if the source of funds for the deposit isn’t clear. When someone else has given you your deposit funds (e.g. a parent or other family member) this does mean asking for more information. We understand that this might seem intrusive, but we have to track where the money came from originally. In addition to these initial checks, we also have to monitor transactions as they progress and report any suspicious activity. How money laundering rules affect conveyancers Solicitors who don’t follow the rules are at risk of very heavy penalties. In January 2019 solicitor Ross McKay was sentenced to 7 years in prison for money laundering activities. He had not made the required checks in more than 80 property transactions for clients who were subsequently jailed for money laundering and fraud. In 2017 international law firm Clyde & Co. was fined £50,000 and three of its partners were fined £10,000 each for breaching money laundering rules.
They had allowed a client account to be used as a banking facility when there was no actual legal transaction in place. So you’ll understand why we’re so scrupulous about those checks! Yes, the rules can be cumbersome and can mean your property transaction doesn’t move as quickly as you may want it to in the early stages. But without this system of checks, you could be inadvertently helping a criminal to prosper.

Right to Buy - Meaning and Eligibility

Have you ever thought about purchasing your council/housing association property? Perhaps as a way to climb the property ladder or secure your home for your future and that of your family? If eligible, the scheme would allow you to purchase the property at below market value. The discount can be more that £100,000 in some cases. Many people appear to have profited from the scheme; especially as none of the discount will need to be repaid if you sell after 5 years and house prices continue to rise.

The RTB scheme is currently available for properties in England, but we don’t know for how long. The RTB scheme ended in Scotland on 1 August 2016 and in Wales on 26 January 2019.

What does it all mean?

The Right to Buy (“RTB”) scheme is an arrangement to allow eligible Local Authority Tenants and some Non-Charitable Housing Association Tenants the right to purchase the property they live in. It is a right as set out in the Housing Act 1980. The type of property is often houses and flats (the scheme allows for freehold and leasehold properties).

You can buy your home if:-

• It is your only property;
• You rent the whole of the property (i.e. not just a room within it);
• You are an “eligible tenant” (see “RTB Eligibility” below); and
• You have an eligible tenant for at least 3 years.

The RTB scheme offers a discount to eligible individuals. The maximum discount for inside London is £108,000 and the maximum discount for the rest of England is £80,900. There is a calculator on the gov.uk website to help you work out your discount. The discount is dependant on how long you have been an eligible tenant, in the property. We encourage you to speak with your Landlord or one of the Government Advisors (see “RTB Eligibility” below) who should be able to give you specific information.

RTB Eligibility

The RTB scheme is predominantly for Local Authority Tenants rather than Non-Charitable Housing Association Tenants, although the scheme does offer a “preserved right” for previous Council Tenants who are now Housing Association Tenants.

There is a very useful quiz  on the gov.uk website which will help you to assess your eligibility. Alternatively if you would prefer to speak to someone, the Government have set up an advisory service. The agent should be able to run through the eligibility quiz with you and answer the questions you may have. The agent should also be able to help you with the application process.

Please note, you will not be eligible for the RTB scheme if you have been ordered to leave your home by way of a court order. In addition you cannot buy your home if you are an undischarged bankrupt, have a bankruptcy petition pending against you, or have made an arrangement with creditors (people you owe money to) and you still owe them money.

Finally, it is worth mentioning that, you can jointly apply for the RTB scheme with members of your family (as long as they have lived with you for the last 12 months) or someone that you are already a joint tenant with.

RTB Process

The first step is to have a chat with your Landlord or one of the Government Advisors, to establish your eligibility. If eligible there is an initial claim form for you to complete. This is known as the RTB1 Form. The Government Advisory Service will be able to help you with this form. You will also need to find a Solicitor to help you with the legal side of the process – this is where we can help you – and a Mortgage Advisor to help you with your mortgage (if applicable). We can recommend Mortgage Advisors for you.

How does Right to Acquire compare?

The Right to Acquire (“RTA”) scheme is an arrangement to allow tenants not eligible for the RTB scheme the right to purchase their homes, in accordance with the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

The RTA scheme should cover the majority of other Non-Charitable Housing Association Tenants. We encourage you to speak with your Landlord to assess you eligibility and options.

The process of the RTA scheme is not too different from the RTB scheme. It just covers a different pool of eligible people and the discount is different. There is a very useful link of the GOV.UK website should you wish to know more about this particular scheme.

Here at Brethertons LLP we are experienced in the RTB and RTA processes and we would be more than happy to help you. Please do get in touch with your enquiry. We can discuss any questions you may have and provide our quotation for you.

What is conveyancing

You are thinking of buying your first house

What is a conveyancer and what is their role in the moving process

To be able to move house, everyone needs a conveyancer, they are necessary in every house purchase. You will find a conveyancer in some solicitor firms; they will usually list on the front of their premises or on their website a list of services they offer, or you will be able to approach a conveyancing firm that specialises only in conveyancing.

First thing you need to check with them if you are buying a house with a mortgage if they can work with the lender that you are using , the technical term for this is ask them if they are on the panel for Your lender .If they are then ask them for a full quotation, this should include the cost of actually doing the work, this is usually called the Administration charge, and then you have the disbursements this will include things like, Bankruptcy searches , money transfer fees , Electronic Id checks etc one of the main and biggest disbursement cost is local authority searches we will be adding a  another blog one how these work and what effect they can have on your house purchase .

As conveyancing is one of the main parts to the house purchase process then if the quote is agreeable and you haven’t been specifically recommended to the conveyancer, it is advisable to do some background research on them, a good place to start is resources like trustpilot .

Now then you have the quote, you’ve checked the service and you are happy to proceed with the chosen conveyancer, then it’s time to get them working for you, the technical term for this is to instruct them.

Once instructed the conveyancer will issue you with a pack, this is referred to by many as a welcome pack, it will ask questions about you the purchaser and include things like a purchase questioner, this will go into things like what you have agreed with the seller will be included in the sale , Furnishings and fixture and fittings etc , that will form part of the contract .

It will also ask for details of the selling agent and if known the sellers solicitors details, if the conveyancer is local you will need to go to see them with your ID and proof off address , if they are not a local conveyancer you will be able to send them copies of these items but they will need to be certified by a professional person ( we will add a  blog on this and some of the other stuff mentioned previous as a guide) so that you will know exactly what to do in each circumstance .

So you’ve returned the filled in and signed in pack to them with ID and your proof off address, now they will be ready to start their work.

 There are various aims the conveyancer needs to satisfy; the main one is making sure that the property you are buying has no issues that will cause you problems after the completion of the purchase. The next is to communicate with the seller’s conveyancer and move towards completion of the transaction. Usually the first thing that will be done is order the local searches from the relevant local authority or search agent. Searches we will cover in more detail in another blog, but in short they will identify any issues with the land the property stands on and the surrounding area , also anything that has been specifically registered against the property .

When the searches are back anything that might look like and issue your conveyancer will raise enquiries with the seller’s solicitor and will expect satisfactory answers to the questions before proceeding any further, this can be planning permission registered against the property, or no planning permission showing but the property has had a recent extension. A major road is planned near the property, flooding risk etc the list goes on.

Then we get to all the enquiries being satisfied that will make the property a good investment for you and also satisfy and issue that would affect the lenders security we will go into this one another Blog.  If all the enquiries are agreeable the conveyancer will then move towards drawing up contract papers and getting documents prepared for the re registration of the property at land registry in your name and the part you need to sign will be posted or emailed to you .

The conveyancer will then ask you for a suitable date to complete so you can move into the new property. They will also communicate with the seller’s conveyancer to agree a mutually suitable time for completion. Once this is agreed they can move towards exchange of contracts. But another factor if a mortgage is involved is they will need to satisfy all the conditions the lender has put on the special conditions part of the offer to lend.

Once enquiries, special conditions on offer from the lender and all due diligence has been carried out then the next stage is to get the deposit from you. The deposit will be sent to them via electronic banking, but before they will accept the deposit the source of the deposit under UK money laundering laws will need to be thoroughly checked and satisfy the current law. This usually involves evidence of the money in a UK bank account and a good explanation of how it was put there.

So the deposit is in, the contract and land registration forms are all in and signed by you and the seller. The solicitor will then negotiate a date to exchange contracts with completion to follow shortly after.

How will coronavirus affect property prices?

The UK property market has ground to a halt amid the coronavirus outbreak, but to what degree will house prices be affected by the slowdown?

Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/04/how-will-the-coronavirus-affect-house-prices/ - Which?

The UK property market has ground to a halt amid the coronavirus outbreak, but to what degree will house prices be affected by the slowdown? Read more: https://www.which.co.uk/news/2020/04/how-will-the-coronavirus-affect-house-prices. The property market in 2020 Optimism briefly returned to the property market following December’s general election, with the number of sales rising by more than 12% in January as buyers and sellers awoke from a Brexit-induced slumber. But now the market is experiencing a significant slowdown, with estate agents having closed their doors and UK residents told to stay at home and put any moves on hold. Zoopla says this could result in house sales plunging by as much as 60% in the second quarter of the year, when compared with the same period in 2019. The property portal says buyer demand dropped significantly before the lockdown, with a ‘rapidly growing’ proportion of sales falling through. The estate agency Knight Frank echoes these sentiments. It predicts the number of UK house sales will plummet from the 1.175 million recorded last year to just 734,000 this year.

What’s happened to house prices?
The most reliable barometer of house prices is the Land Registry’s UK House Price Index. The most recent data only goes up to February, when overall house prices fell by 0.6% month-on-month, but grew by 1.1% year-on-year to reach £230,232. This timeframe isn’t particularly useful in helping us understand the impact of coronavirus, as it covers transactions that would have been agreed before the government introduced its stay-at-home measures. Earlier this week, the property portal Rightmove released its monthly index of asking prices without a headline figure, as it said there were ‘not enough properties coming to market to provide meaningful new asking prices’.

Price rises before the lockdown Nationwide and Halifax released their house price indices for March earlier this month.
Nationwide found that house prices increased by £3,000, but stressed that the figures didn’t cover the lockdown period. Halifax claims prices increased by 3% year-on-year in March, but says fewer transactions will make it ‘more challenging’ to calculate house price changes in the next few months.

Will coronavirus affect house prices?
It’s too early to say exactly what impact the outbreak will have on the property market, but this is likely to mirror the rest of the economy. In the short-term, house price growth will stagnate and price data may be volatile and unreliable, as there will be very few transactions going through. But as we saw with Brexit, the UK property market is very robust, so it’s highly unlikely that prices will crash. Knight Frank forecasts that UK prices will fall by 3% this year, but then bounce back by 5% in 2021, in line with its predictions around the economy as a whole shrinking this year. Rightmove says three things will be required to kick-start the market after lockdown: a continuation of low-cost mortgage lending and government incentives, lenders limiting forced sales and safe and innovative house viewing procedures.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) and residential conveyancing transactions

 
 The government has issued some guidance for the public and the industry in relation to home buying and selling Buying and selling homes during this stay-at-home period Given the situation in the UK with regard to the outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19), we urge parties involved in home moving to adapt and be flexible to alter their usual processes. There is no need to pull out of transactions, but we all need to ensure we are following guidance to stay at home and away from others at all times, including the specific measures for those who are presenting symptoms, self-isolating or shielding. Prioritising the health of individuals and the public must be the priority. 

Where the property being moved into is vacant, then you can continue with this transaction although you should follow the guidance in this document on home removals. Where the property is currently occupied, we encourage all parties to do all they can to amicably agree alternative dates to move, for a time when it is likely that stay-at-home measures against coronavirus (COVID-19) will no longer be in place. In the new emergency enforcement powers that the police have been given to respond to coronavirus, there is an exemption for critical home moves, in the event that a new date is unable to be agreed. 

 Recognising parties will need to alter common practice, we have sought to ease this process for all involved by: Issuing this guidance, developed with Public Health England, to home buyers and those involved in the selling and moving process. Agreeing with banks that mortgage offers should be extended where delay to completions takes place in order to prioritise safety. Working with conveyancers to develop a standard legal process for moving completion dates. government spokesperson said on 25 March: "Home buyers and renters should, as far as possible, delay moving to a new house while emergency measures are in place to fight coronavirus. “If moving is unavoidable for contractual reasons and the parties are unable to reach an agreement to delay, people must follow advice on social distancing to minimise the spread of the virus. 

 “Anyone with symptoms, self-isolating or shielding from the virus, should follow medical advice and not move house for the time being.” We’ll be publishing further guidance as soon as possible. Where moves do need to go ahead, all those involved should take care to follow government guidance on social distancing and hygiene. See Public Health England’s guidance for households with possible coronavirus (COVID-19) infection. If you’re acting for someone who has exchanged contracts and has a completion date within the next few days, and you, your client and the other side are able to proceed, which may be very difficult given the position with removal firms, there’s currently nothing to prevent you doing so. This is subject to following current guidelines in respect of public health: properties not being occupied with cases (or suspected cases of) coronavirus (COVID-19) occupants not being in a state of isolation, and all parties abiding to social distancing requirements .

 This is a very high bar and it may not be possible to comply. We’re seeking further clarity from government and will monitor closely as the situation develops. We’re hoping for official guidance to be published in the next few days. The announcement about social distancing has obviously increased the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on conveyancing transactions. We continue to receive many questions from members but the nature of these has now changed. Many relate to the immediate issues in relation to completion where contracts have been exchanged. We understand that this is a very difficult time for you and your clients. The situation is unprecedented, and we’re becoming aware all the time of different aspects of the impact of the pandemic on those moving home and our members. 
The restricted movement requirements impact on many parts of a conveyancing transaction. What everyone wants to understand (and ideally control) is who bears the risk in various situations. The focus of this note, now that the restrictions on movement are severe, are on those transactions where contracts have already been exchanged. After exchange The key issue at every stage is to point out as many of the likely risks as you can. You’ll want to assess the clients’ appetite for risk, set out the options and likely consequences for each option and establish whether your client wants to proceed and, if they do, how they want to do this. It’s important to: explain all risks confirm advice in writing make sure the client acknowledges having had the advice in writing You may need to discuss these issues across any chain. 
 The contract may need to set out how completion might happen in the circumstances to satisfy the requirements of Public Health England: information for the public guidance for employees, employers and businesses The transaction will be governed by the provisions in the contract unless the parties agree otherwise. If completion does not take place after contracts have been exchanged due to COVID-19, the parties not completing will be in default. 

 The contract provisions relating to default will probably apply unless the non-defaulting party takes a ‘good faith’ view. Notices to complete, penalty interest and deposit loss may all come into play. If the transaction forms part of a chain of transactions, it may not be possible to take such a view without incurring a penalty. There’s no specific ‘force majeure’ provision in the Standard Conditions of Sale and it may be that it would be difficult to imply one. Frustration A contract is frustrated if it’s incapable of being performed due to an unforeseen event (or events) which is not the fault of either party. It may be that the contract might be frustrated by isolation or restrictions on movement and activity, but it’ll depend on the circumstances of the individual case and, ultimately, the attitude of the courts. 

 It’s difficult to envisage what might happen to a contract if it’s frustrated. Some commentators have suggested that the provisions relating to rescission might apply. It may be that contracts will not be frustrated. So many factors are involved in making the determinations and the court has, in recent times, shown a marked reluctance to make such a finding. The expectations, assumptions and responsibilities of the parties must be taken into consideration. That a contract would be held to be frustrated in the current circumstance is not something that can be treated as a presumption. Each situation is likely to have different implications and a different outcome. There’s no certain and fixed answer. 

Variation to contracts after exchange If contracts have been exchanged but completion has not taken place, and the parties want to vary the contract, care must be taken not to create a new contract unintentionally. Creation of a new contract may impact on insurance. Risk passes on exchange – will insurers need to be notified that technically a new contract has been formed? Even changing the date of completion may create a new contract rather than varying an existing one. You’ll need to review the standard and special conditions if a new contract may be formed on the revised date. Remember there are risks in giving professional undertakings rather than expressly varying a contract. 

Undertakings In response to the question ‘What if I am struggling to comply with a conveyancing undertaking?’, the Solicitors Regulation Authority say: “Our rules provide that you should perform all undertakings given by you within an agreed timescale or if no timescale has been agreed then within a reasonable amount of time. Before giving any undertaking in these current circumstances you should always consider if you can properly implement it and you should have regard to all the eventualities that may affect your ability to perform it. You may want to add something new into your undertakings to take account of the risk of delay due to the effects of coronavirus. “If you find yourself in a situation that you are not able to comply with an undertaking that you have given, you should let your client or the other side know as soon as possible. If a failure to comply or delay is beyond your control due to the impact of coronavirus, should any complaint be made, this would be taken into account by us as a mitigating circumstance”.

What is conveyancing?

Conveyancing is an umbrella term that refers to the legal and administrative work associated with transferring ownership of a property from one party to another. It is undertaken principally by property solicitors who receive instruction once an offer has been made on a property and accepted by a second party. Following the successful offer, solicitors representing the seller and buyer will exchange details and begin the conveyancing process.

Homeowners remortgaging their property will also need to find a provider to complete the associated conveyancing process.

Who undertakes conveyancing? Traditionally conveyancing is completed by solicitors acting on behalf of the buyer and seller, all solicitors practising in England and Wales must be registered with the Law Society and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). In recent years ‘conveyancers’ have become more popular – these specialists are licensed and regulated by the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

Many conveyancers are solicitors who now choose to specialise in conveyancing only. Homeowners are legally able to undertake conveyancing themselves but the process can be complicated, as well as time consuming. Specialist legal knowledge may be required in more complex cases, such as on leasehold properties. In addition, mortgage lenders are invariably keen to protect their investments and will often insist on professional conveyancing services, as will other parties who may not wish to risk the process falling through. Incorrect conveyancing can also open you up to legal issues, for example over boundaries or planning permission.

Who needs conveyancing? If you are buying, selling or remortgaging a house you will need to undertake conveyancing.

How much does conveyancing cost? Conveyancing fees vary widely depending on the service used (solicitors, online conveyancing or DIY conveyancing) and the price of the property you are selling, buying or remortgaging. Research shows that UK homeowners can expect to pay anything from between £330 to £1050 for conveyancing costs.
What is included in a conveyancing quote? Conveyancing quotes are made up of two distinct costs:

 1. Basic Fee This covers the cost of the solicitor or conveyancer’s time and varies depending on the method used to calculate the figure. Some solicitors charge by a fixed-fee, although this is becoming rare. Others charge on a per-hour basis which should be avoided as the costs can mount quickly if there are any irregularities. The most common – and most cost-effective option – is based on a sliding scale depending on the selling or buying price of the property concerned.
 If you are selling a leasehold property your basic fee should be higher than if you are purchasing a freehold property as there is extra paperwork involved. Your solicitor should ask you whether the property is freehold or leasehold – if they don’t, be wary. Your basic fee may also increase if you are purchasing a Shared Ownership, new build, Right to Buy, Buy to Let or Help to Buy (ISA) property.

2. Disbursements Disbursements are costs incurred by the solicitor that are passed onto you. These should be similar across all conveyancing quotes as they are fixed charges incurred during the conveyancing process.

Here are the common disbursements and the amount you should expect to pay:
For Buying a Property

 Bankruptcy search – [£2 - £4 per person taking out the mortgage] – your mortgage lender will need confirmation you have not been declared bankrupt, and this check is a formality of the pre-completion searches (also known as ‘priority searches’).

 Local authority searches – [£100 - £200] – the cost of these will vary depending on which Borough your property resides in. Quotes that do not ask for your postcode will only give an approximate figure. These searches are designed to protect you from council plans that may affect your property in the time after you’ve moved in.
Land registry office copies – [£4 - £8] – a pre-completion search to ensure the vendor owns the property you are attempting to purchase.

 Electronic ID Verification- [£2-£18 per person taking out a mortgage] – you will need to give your conveyancer proof of your current address and ID documentation.

 Environmental search – [£30 - £35 + VAT] – this checks for ground contamination in close proximity to the property. If contamination is found you may be liable even though you did not cause it.

Water and drainage search – [£30 - £40 + VAT] – this ensures the property is connected to fresh and foul water sewers. The cost will vary between water companies but should not fall too far outside the range given above.

Chancel repair liability search – [£10 + VAT] – if you buy or inherit a property that is located within the parishes of the church you may have to pay a contribution towards the upkeep, so it is worth checking to see if you are liable.

 Telegraphic transfer fee – [£25 - £45 + VAT] – this fee is charged by your bank and covers the cost of sending the money used to purchase the property to the seller’s conveyancing provider.

Mortgage handling fee – [£60-£80] – a fee may be charged by your solicitor for dealing with the legal aspects involved in setting up your mortgage.

HMLR final search- [£3-£7] – this is a final search that is carried out just before completion

 Land registration fee – [£20 - £910] – this is a fixed cost disbursement that depends on the cost of the property being purchased. Conveyancing quotes should factor in the real cost of the land registration fee.