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Is this Solicitors fee reasonable?

I'm in the process of buying my first house for £77,000 and I was given a quote over the phone of £962 by this solicitors. They've now sent me a letter staying they have opened my case with the following charges being quoted.

Costs

Costs on purchase £350.00 + £61.25 VAT
Telegraphic Transer Administration Fee £45.00 + £7.88 VAT
Lenders Fee £70.00 + £12.25 VAT
Completion of Stamp Duty Form £60.00 + £10.50 VAT

Disbursements

HM Land Registry fee on completion £60
Land Registry Search Fee £3
Bankruptcy Search £2
NSS Search Package £240.00 + £42.00 VAT
Chancel Check Search £17.63

TOTAL £981.51


So it's already about £20 over what they told me.

They go on to say that they will pay £182.13 to the Law Firm Services but that is already included in the search fee.

They then say that they'll add on £75.00 + VAT if the property is Leasehold and that if I am taking out a mortgage on the property I'm buying then they will add on another £90 + VAT


The Leasehold thing I can understand but why are they charging me £70.50 to complete a Stamp Duty form when I won't be paying any SD? And why are they charging me over £100 for having a mortgage?

Comments

  • mhay_3
    mhay_3 Posts: 72 Forumite
    reckon you can do a lot better than that, shop around!
    I am a Mortgage Adviser

    You should note that this site doesn't check my status as a Mortgage Adviser, so you need to take my word for it. This signature is here as I follow MSE's Mortgage Adviser Code of Conduct. Any posts on here are for information and discussion purposes only and shouldn't be seen as financial advice.
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