What should be included in conveyancing costs

Calleja

Hi,

I'm currently getting quotes from conveyancers/solicitors and each quote seems to list different searches and I'm not sure whats normal and what I should be looking out for.

For example, one mentions the chancel search, others don't (I've read up on this and understand what it is, sort of, but don't understand why its included in one quote and not the others?)

One says its carrying out an environmental search which isn't mentioned in the other.

Not included in the quote but a footnote is a mention of an additional cost for filling in the SD form - £75. The other doesn't mention this at all - will they hit me with it later?

Another mentions that the mortgage provider will ask them to do checks and this will cost me up to £250 - again, not actually in the quote but a footnote, and not mentioned at all in the other quote.

I'm confused! How can I compare costs and ensure that they are performing all the tasks I need them to? Thanks for your help!

ValHaller

The first thing is to distinguish between fees and disbursements.

• Fees are what the conveyancer charges for the work they do
• Disbursements are money paid out on your behalf to 3rd parties

Generally, disbursements are what they are, assuming that the different conveyancers do all the same searches. So, to compare prices, you compare just the fee element. But remember that filling in the SDLT form is a fee, not a disbursement and many solicitors have adopted the rather deceitful practice of separating out the SDLT form fee so it looks like a disbursement to make their headline fee look less.

mr-bob_2

Ask them what their conveyencing "fee" is. The searches should remain the same for everyone - and everyone "should" do the same searches.

Those that ommit them would simply then add them in when they need them - and some may ommit these from their quotes so they sound cheaper.

When I was ringing looking for quotes, I got a few claiming their fee some a couple of the searches were cheaper than everyone else for such and such a reason - I tended to write off the ones that said this.

I'd advise speaking to someone on the phone - and discount the ones that seem pretty useless or as if they are sales persons. And I'd also advise a smaller firm that has been around a long time and is local to you.

If it important to get the conveyencing quickly, then when you get a quote - mention that - and ask what they can do to speed things up if you went with them.

mr-bob_2

To add to the above.

I rang 5 local firms for a quote - and I asked whether it could be e-mailed to me.

One I got within 10 minutes, 2 others arrived the next day and 2 never arrived.

The one I got in 10 minutes sounded best on the phone but was £10 more expensive for their fees. I went with them and made a great choice.

If it takes them a day to give you a quote, it'll take them a day to do whatever it is you want them to do or to answer queries you have etc..

Calleja

Ok, so the SD form filling fee is most likely in the actualconveyancing fee? Which means the one that has quoted a conveyancing fee of£380 is possibly a LOT cheaper than the one that has quoted a conveyancing feeof £375 (but has the footnote adding £75 for completion of the form)?

The fees of searches are similar but not the same...butmaybe just a few pound here and there. But one has specified environmentalsearch, chancel search and land transaction fee and the other one doesn’t. If I need these, isthe one that hasn’t quoted likely to come back at a later date and add it on?

Anyone got any advice on the mortgage lender search fee ofup to £250 that one quotes and not the other?

I agree with your advice, mr-bob – some are very quick,others have never got back to me....doesn’t fill me with confidence!

Calleja

Update - on googling, I think the Land Transaction Return fee is the same thing as the 'SD form filling' fee - agree?

outdoorcjc

Calleja wrote: »

]Anyone got any advice on the mortgage lender search fee ofup to £250 that one quotes and not the other?

If you are buying using the mortgage then this fee would be applicable, some quotes exclude it on the grounds that they don't know if you are buying with a mortgage or not from the info you have provided. If you have a quote you are interested in I would speak to them and ask to have this fee included in the quote.

They put a cost of up to £250 as I think this is the maximum that can be charged for the work they do on behalf of the mortgage lender, the actual amount I believe depends on your lender, I think mine ended up at £180.

Calleja

Thanks outdoorcjc! I had seen on my mortgage in principle form legal fees of £160, so I assume that is what they are referring to and not an additional 'up to £250'. Thanks

Calleja

OK - I'm also discovering the environmental search is 'optional' hence why it isn't included in some....

All this research is making me beware some of the cheap conveyancing quotes I'm receiving, I'm convinced they are just going to come back to me and ask for extra money to do them.