Approximate costs for Solicitors?

Xinpei

Hi there, I have just recieved two very different quotes for buying my property (135K). The first is from Countrywide property lawyers who quotes £1600 total and second is from Close Thornton £680. Both include legal fees and disbursements. Am I missing something very important or is Countrywide really overpriced?

Thanks very much!

poppysarah

Have you had a quote in writing from each? Get a third - local solicitor to give you a quote too

Xinpei

Thanks for the reply Sarah. I just rang another local solicitor Hewitts up and their quote is £510.75. Also asked for both quotes in writing. Does it sound like they're in the right ballpark? Are there any other costs that Close Thornton and Hewitts are not disclosing now then adding later? Or I could be plain paranoid!

Premier_2

Have the solicitors detailed what they expect to include as disbursements, and their anticipated cost?

A recent post on MSE suggested disbusements could possibly be:

£150 Land Registration fee
£150 Local authority search
£20 Telegraphic Transfer fees (per payment, usually 2 off)
£25 Stamp duty form (even though no stamp duty payable)
£50 other minor searches (e.g. environmental, LR search, bankruptcy search, etc)

So expect total disbursements of around £400, perhaps add another £50-£100 if the property were leasehold.

Personally I would expect legal fees to be about £200-£300 plus VAT
At £510.75, it suggests the legal fees are less than £100 plus VAT which seems too low.
The £680 fee sounds about right

jenny74

Country wide are a national firm and are in my opinion very overpriced.

stolt

I had bairstow eves reccomend countrywide this week and they were nearly double the price of other solicitors/conveyancers.

jenny74

stolt wrote: »

I had bairstow eves reccomend countrywide this week and they were nearly double the price of other solicitors/conveyancers.

Bairstow Eves would recommend Countrywide ... They're part of the same company!

Jen

Premier_2

jenny74 wrote: »

Bairstow Eves would recommend Countrywide ... They're part of the same company!

Jen

They are not known as bar steward thieves for nowt

Xinpei

Thanks to all for your replies. It is reassuring then - to know Countrywide is notorious for high prices. I read on some other threads about some buyers having to pay through their noses for fees unheard of.

Troubled_Joe

My firm (small, highstreet firm in North West) would charge £350 plus vat plus disbursements and that's one of the cheaper prices round here.

I think Premier has quoted disbursements a bit on the high side as well.

defimkina

we currently buying a house and our fees 570 with attey's this includes everything but our house price is only £88000, also we have been told before that some solicitors have a set price and some charge by hour and house price, hope this is of any help to you!

Good Luck!