Fees added to conveyancing quote (SDLT Form and Mortgagee Solicitors)

rw76

Hi,

I have received a quote from a local solicitors to purchase a property. I am happy with the flat fee (£700) however there is also a fee listed in the quote to complete the Stamp Duty Tax form (£50) and also for the "mortgagees solictors costs" (£100). I have read elsewhere that this should/could perhaps be considered part of the flat fee (as it is not a disbursement), and is perhaps a little cheeky to be an additional fee.

So I guess my question is whether or not this behaviour is common with other people's experience of getting quotes? Has it become "accepted practice", for want of a better phrase?

Many thanks for any replies, comments etc etc

DVardysShadow

Mortgagee's solicitor's costs is normal and, I think, correctly quoted as a separate item - if you were buying cash, this would not arise.

Filling in the SDLT form is part and parcel of the job and to my mind it is deceptive pricing to exclude it from the headline price

G_M

Different conveyancers quote in different ways. You have to read the small print (as you have found!)

Some firms will quote a low figure, to get mugs to sign up, but have loads of 'extras' like this in their Terms of Business.

Read more here.