Selling a property? We connect you with conveyancing solicitors who manage the legal side of your sale from accepting an offer to completion day.
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Quick facts: seller conveyancing
- Typical cost: £500-£1,200 for legal fees
- What sellers pay: Legal fees and EPC (buyers pay searches and stamp duty)
- When to instruct: As soon as you accept an offer
- Average timeline: 8-12 weeks from accepting offer to completion
- What's included: Contract drafting, enquiry responses, completion and Land Registry discharge
- Our promise: Fixed legal fees with no hidden costs
How much does conveyancing cost when selling?
Selling a house involves legal fees, but they're generally lower than buying because sellers don't pay for property searches.
Legal fees for sellers
Conveyancing legal fees for sellers typically range from £500 to £1,200 depending on:
- Property value
- Whether it's leasehold or freehold
- Property location
- Transaction complexity
At Homeward Legal, the quote we give you is the price you pay. No hidden fees, no surprises.
What costs do sellers actually pay?
When selling a property, you're responsible for these costs:
Cost | Typical amount | When you pay |
Solicitor legal fees | £500-£1,200 | Deducted from sale proceeds on completion |
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | £60-£120 | Before marketing the property |
Early repayment charge (if applicable) | Varies by mortgage | Deducted from sale proceeds |
Outstanding mortgage balance | Your remaining mortgage | Paid to lender on completion |
Estate agent fees | 1-3% + VAT of sale price | Deducted from sale proceeds |
Note: Buyers pay for property searches, stamp duty and Land Registry fees. You only pay for your legal work, EPC and mortgage redemption.
What does a conveyancing solicitor do for sellers?
Your solicitor handles all legal aspects of selling your property. They manage:
Before exchange:
- Draft the contract and send it to the buyer's solicitor
- Complete property information forms (TA6, TA10)
- Respond to enquiries from the buyer's solicitor about the property
- Liaise with your mortgage lender for redemption figures
Exchange and completion:
- Agree the completion date with all parties
- Exchange contracts (making the sale legally binding)
- Receive funds from the buyer's solicitor and pay off your mortgage
- Transfer ownership to the buyer
After completion:
- Confirm mortgage is discharged with Land Registry
- Send you the net proceeds of the sale
- Provide completion statements
The seller conveyancing process explained
Here's a quick overview of what happens once you accept an offer:
Week 1: Instruct your solicitor - Provide property documents, mortgage details and proof of ID. Your solicitor prepares the contract pack.
Weeks 1-2: Draft and send contract - Your solicitor sends the contract, title deeds, property information forms and other documents to the buyer's solicitor.
Weeks 2-4: Answer enquiries - The buyer's solicitor asks questions about the property. Your solicitor helps you respond promptly and accurately.
Weeks 4-6: Agree terms - Once the buyer's solicitor is satisfied, both sides agree the completion date and final contract terms.
Weeks 6-10: Exchange contracts - Contracts are exchanged, making the sale legally binding. The buyer pays their deposit.
Weeks 8-12: Completion - The buyer's solicitor sends the balance of funds. Your solicitor pays off your mortgage and forwards your net proceeds. Keys are released.
Weeks 12+: Post-completion - Your solicitor confirms the mortgage discharge with Land Registry and sends you completion paperwork.
Total average time: 8-12 weeks
Seller vs buyer: who pays what?
Understanding cost responsibilities helps you budget properly:
Cost | Seller | Buyer |
Solicitor legal fees | ✓ | ✓ |
Property searches | - | ✓ |
Stamp duty | - | ✓ |
Land Registry fees | - | ✓ |
Survey costs | - | ✓ |
Energy Performance Certificate | ✓ | - |
Estate agent fees | ✓ | - |
Early repayment charges | ✓ (if applicable) | - |
Mortgage redemption | ✓ | - |
Sellers pay less than buyers because you don't pay for searches, stamp duty or surveys. Your main costs are legal fees, estate agent commission and paying off your existing mortgage.
When should I instruct a solicitor?
Best time: As soon as you accept an offer.
Don't wait for the buyer to instruct their solicitor. Getting your solicitor working immediately means:
- Contract pack prepared and ready to send
- Property forms completed while details are fresh
- Fast response to buyer enquiries
- Less risk of buyer pulling out due to delays
Can I instruct before accepting an offer? Yes, but most solicitors won't start work until you have an accepted offer. You can get quotes and choose your solicitor in advance.
What if I wait too long? Delays in instructing a solicitor slow the entire process. Buyers may become frustrated and withdraw if you're not ready to proceed.
What documents do sellers need?
Your solicitor will request these documents when you instruct them:
Property documents
- Title deeds (if you have paper copies)
- Mortgage details (lender name, account number, redemption statement)
- Lease (for leasehold properties)
- Building regulations certificates (for any extensions or alterations)
- Planning permissions (if you've made structural changes)
- Guarantees and warranties (for damp-proofing, double glazing, boiler, etc.)
Seller information
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) - legally required before marketing.
- Property information form (TA6) - details about the property, boundaries, disputes
- Fittings and contents form (TA10) - what you're including in the sale
- Leasehold information form (TA7) - if selling a leasehold property
- Proof of identity (passport or driving licence)
- Proof of address (utility bill or bank statement)
Common missing items
Building certificates - if you've done work without building regulations approval, you may need an indemnity insurance policy.
Planning permissions - unauthorized alterations can delay or derail sales. Get retrospective permission or indemnity insurance.
EPC - you cannot market a property without a valid EPC. Arrange one before listing with the estate agent.
Leasehold vs freehold: what's different when selling?
Selling freehold properties
- Simpler process
- Fewer forms to complete
- No lease or service charge information needed
- Lower legal costs
- Faster transactions
Selling leasehold properties
- More complex legal work
- Additional forms required (TA7 leasehold information form)
- Must provide lease details, service charge accounts and ground rent information
- Freeholder management pack required
- Notice to freeholder/management company
- Higher legal costs (typically £200-£400 more)
- Buyers more cautious with short leases (under 80 years)
Short lease? Properties with under 80 years remaining are harder to sell and worth less. Consider extending the lease before selling. Our lease extension solicitors can help.
Common seller delays and how to avoid them
Most seller transactions take 8-12 weeks, but delays can add time:
Main causes of delay:
- Missing documents - building certificates, planning permissions or EPC not available (add 2-4 weeks)
- Property chains - one delay affects everyone in the chain (add 2-4 weeks)
- Slow enquiry responses - taking too long to answer buyer questions (add 1-2 weeks)
- Mortgage redemption delays - lender slow to provide final figures (add 1-2 weeks)
- Title problems - boundary disputes, missing deeds or restrictions (add 2-8 weeks)
How to avoid delays:
- Get your EPC done before marketing
- Gather building certificates and planning permissions early
- Respond to your solicitor within 24 hours
- Be honest about property issues on information forms
- Get mortgage redemption figures from your lender early
Why choose Homeward Legal for your sale?
We've established an excellent reputation you can trust and helped over 34,000 customers in the past 15 years.
Editable block title (hide option available)
Fixed Legal Fee policy
No hidden costs - the legal fee you get quoted is definitive.
No-Completion, No-Fee policy
You won't pay any legal fees if your move falls through for any reason.
Search & survey protection
You won't pay for your next search and survey if your transaction falls through.
Complete support
Dedicated customer service from start to finish. We are open 6 days a week.
Local knowledge
Solicitors with offices across England and Wales.
Simple & straightforward
No confusion with legal jargon - just plain and simple English.
Our residential conveyancing solicitors are regulated under the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).
Mark was a great help
Explained the process clearly and made sure we were updated when ever we needed to be. I really liked the fact that unlike other companies providing this service, we never felt this was a hard sell.
Different types of property sale
Different sale types require different legal approaches:
Probate sales
- Selling inherited property
- Grant of probate required before completion
- Multiple beneficiaries may be involved
- Potential inheritance tax considerations
Help to Buy resales
- Repaying Help to Buy equity loan
- Government charges based on current market value
- Additional completion steps required
Shared ownership resales
- Housing association must approve buyer
- Staircasing opportunities
- Lease assignment process
Learn more: Shared ownership
Auction sales
- Fast-track process with 28-day completion
- Legal pack prepared before auction
- Exchange happens when hammer falls
Learn more: Selling at auction
Leasehold sales
- Additional forms and information required
- Management pack from freeholder
- Service charge and ground rent details
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Frequently asked questions about conveyancing for sellers
Do I need a solicitor to sell a house?
Legally, no. You can handle your own conveyancing. However, it's strongly advised to use a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer. Property sales involve complex legal work, strict deadlines and significant financial risk. Mistakes can lead to the sale falling through or legal disputes. Professional conveyancers have indemnity insurance if something goes wrong.
Can the buyer and seller use the same solicitor?
No. This creates a conflict of interest. Your solicitor represents your interests, the buyer's solicitor represents theirs. Both need to negotiate independently. Using the same solicitor would compromise your legal protection.
When do I pay my solicitor's fees?
You don't pay upfront. Your solicitor's fees are deducted from the sale proceeds on completion day. The buyer's solicitor sends the full purchase price to your solicitor, who then pays off your mortgage, deducts their fees and sends you the balance.
What if I don't have an EPC?
You cannot legally market your property without a valid Energy Performance Certificate. Arrange one through an accredited assessor before instructing your estate agent. EPCs cost £60-£120 and are valid for 10 years.
What happens if I can't find building certificates?
If you've had building work done but can't provide building regulations certificates, you have three options: apply for a regularisation certificate from your local authority (expensive and time-consuming), get indemnity insurance to cover the risk (usually £50-£150), or accept that some buyers may withdraw. Discuss with your solicitor early.
What if the buyer's mortgage is declined?
If this happens before exchange of contracts, both parties can walk away without penalty. You'll lose any money spent on legal fees and EPC, but you can re-market the property. If it happens after exchange, the buyer is in breach of contract and may lose their deposit.
What is a property information form and why does it matter?
The TA6 property information form asks detailed questions about your property, including disputes with neighbours, alterations, guarantees and any problems you're aware of. You must complete this honestly. Deliberately hiding problems can lead to legal action after completion. Your solicitor will help you complete it accurately.
Do I need to declare problems with the property?
Yes. You must disclose any material defects you're aware of when completing property information forms. This includes damp, subsidence, disputes with neighbours, noisy neighbours, Japanese knotweed or any other issues that might affect the buyer's decision. Failing to disclose known problems can result in legal action after sale.
What if I'm selling a leasehold property?
Leasehold sales require additional work. You'll need to provide the lease, service charge accounts, ground rent details, buildings insurance information and a management pack from your freeholder or management company. Your solicitor will complete a TA7 form with this information. Budget for higher legal fees (typically £200-£400 more than freehold).
What happens if my property is in a chain?
In a property chain, your sale depends on your buyer completing their purchase, which may depend on their buyer completing theirs. Chains can cause delays if any transaction hits problems. Maintain open communication with your solicitor and respond quickly to enquiries. Consider accepting offers from chain-free buyers if speed is important to you.
Can I pull out after accepting an offer?
Yes, until you exchange contracts. After exchange, you're legally bound and pulling out would put you in breach of contract. You could face legal action and lose your deposit. Only exchange when you're certain you want to proceed.
What if my sale falls through?
If your sale falls through before exchange, you'll lose money spent on legal fees and EPC. With Homeward Legal's No Completion No Fee guarantee, you won't pay any legal fees if your sale doesn't complete for any reason.
