What are the conveyancing costs in Preston?
The conveyancing costs are broken into two sections: the fixed fee you pay your solicitor, and the conveyancing disbursements (known as third-party costs). Here is a transparent breakdown of both costs for property transactions in your area.
1. Solicitor Legal Fees
At SAM Conveyancing, our fixed legal fees remain consistent nationwide, regardless of your property's location. We provide a guaranteed fixed fee for standard residential conveyancing based on your property's purchase price, its tenure (freehold or leasehold), and whether your transaction involves a mortgage or utilises affordable housing schemes such as shared ownership. Below are the current fixed conveyancing fees for a standard freehold valued at £250,000.
- Sale or Purchase: £748 INC VAT INC VAT (plus an additional £60 INC VAT if purchasing with a mortgage).
- Transfer of Equity: £399 INC VAT INC VAT
- Help to Buy Loan Repayment: £333 INC VAT INC VAT
- Shared Ownership Staircasing: £748 INC VAT INC VAT
- Remortgage: £399 INC VAT INC VAT
- Lease Extension: £720 INC VAT INC VAT
2. Conveyancing Disbursements (Third-Party Costs)
Disbursements are fixed third-party fees paid to external bodies (like local councils and HM Land Registry) to complete your legal paperwork. These costs shouldn't vary too much from solicitor to solicitor.
- Property Purchase Tax (SDLT / LTT): Calculated dynamically based on your purchase price, your buyer status (such as a first-time buyer), and whether the property is located in England or Wales.
- HM Land Registry Fee: Ranges from £20.00 to £1,105.00, scale-calculated dynamically based on your property’s purchase price and whether it is an existing registered property or a new build.
- Conveyancing Search Bundle: £325 INC VAT (Includes Local Authority, Water & Drainage & Environmental)
- Online ID Fee: Ranges from £15 to £48 and avoids having to send personal documents in the post or visit our office in order to prove your ID.
- Mortgage Portal Fee: The cost to download your mortgage offer and communicate with your lender. It is £12 if your mortgage lender uses the Lender Exchange portal, or £45 INC VAT if they use the LMS Portal.
Conveyancing search costs and turnaround for Preston
Search Provider | Cost | Turnaround Time |
|---|---|---|
Search Provider Preston City Council This is the local authority search, which is mandatory if you are obtaining a mortgage. | Cost £100.00 INC any VAT | Turnaround Time 5 Working Days |
Search Provider United Utilities This is the Water & Drainage Search, which is mandatory if you are obtaining a mortgage. | Cost £83.40 INC VAT | Turnaround Time 1 to 3 working days |
Preston Specific Searches |
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Why choose SAM Conveyancing Solicitors in Preston?
We are a hand-selected panel of SRA-regulated solicitors who deliver to you the high standards we expect, and you'll have a member of the SAM team to guide you through the process from start to finish. Just 1 person you know by name can email or call directly and get your question answered on the same day (normally instantly).
Doing it our way, we've helped over 56,000 clients and gained all the experience from the different transactions. From pressurising agents to complex legal enquiries, and even overcoming issues with your mortgage lender. Our strap line is Property Challenges Solved because that is simply what we do, day in, day out.
Get in contact today and see from the very first call why we are the best conveyancing solicitors for a property transaction in Preston.
Expert Tip: Check your Title Register
Older properties and private estates in Preston often carry complex restrictive covenants on the title register. Your solicitor must review these carefully, as they can legally prevent you from building an extension, running a home business, or even parking a commercial vehicle on your own driveway.
You can find this information in the Official Copy of the Title Register downloaded from the Land Registry.
Partner & Conveyancing Solicitor
We're first-time-buyer friendly
86% of our purchase clients are First-Time Buyers, so we are hyper-attuned to what you need when buying your first home.
- We take the time to explain the process
- We offer tips on timescales
- We keep it real, never overpromising
Islamic finance solicitors
Specialists in Sharia-compliant conveyancing for Islamic mortgages.
- Can review, advise and negotiate with all Sharia Mortgage Lenders.
- Terms of the contract fully explained with confirmation of Sharia compliance and UK legal compliance.
- We can help with Ijara (Lease), Diminishing Musharaka (Reducing Partnership), and Murabaha (Cost-Plus Financing).
New build solicitors
Our conveyancing solicitors are skilled with new-build purchases to help you navigate the transaction.
- Fixed Fees
- Your conveyancing deposit will be protected by our no sale, no fee policy.
- Independent advice, not developer-led.
Our Conveyancing Services
We can help with all of your conveyancing needs; simple to complex, and always affordable.
- Purchase
- Sale
- Transfer
- Remortgage
- Help to Buy Repayment
- Help to Buy Sale or Transfer
- Auction Sale or Purchase
- Shared Ownership Sale & Purchase
- Shared Ownership Staircasing
- Lease Extension
- Purchase of Freehold
- New Builds & Off-plan Purchases
- First Time Buyers
- Second Homes
- Buy to Let landlords
Fixed quote for our legal costs plus a budget-friendly breakdown of third-party disbursements.
Your sale or purchase is protected by our no sale, no fee guarantee.
Our panel solicitors are pre-approved to work with 99% of mortgage lenders in England & Wales.
Panel solicitors accredited by the Conveyancing Quality Scheme; regulated by the SRA.
Residential Conveyancing Solicitors in and around Preston
Our Preston conveyancing solicitors can help you with your conveyance locally or in any of the surrounding areas, including Wigan, Southport, Lancaster, Rochdale, Bolton, Blackburn and Blackburn.
We have many offices throughout England and Wales, so you can find a solicitor near you.
- Mosley Street, PR1 5PD
- Christ Church Street, PR1 8PH
- Fishwick Parade PR1 4XR
- Studholme Avenue PR1 9PA
- Watling Street Road PR2 6UA
- Cottam Gardens (3 & 4 bedroom freehold family homes) – Cottam Way, Cottam, Preston, Lancashire, PR4 0AZ.
Developed by Barratt Homes
Preston Property Prices
Average property price in Preston Source: UK House Price Index lasted updated on 26/06/2026 | £178,039 |
What is the population of Preston: Source: Office for National Statistics lasted updated in the 2021 Cencus | 122,719 (2011) |
Thinking of moving to Preston?
Preston is a city and the administrative centre of Lancashire. There is evidence of settlement there going back to the Roman period. It has been associated with the textiles and wool industries from the 13th century until midway through the 20th Century.
Landmarks and attractions in the area include St Walburge's Church, built in the mid-19th Century, the Harris Museum, the Turbary Woods Owl and Bird of Prey Sanctuary, Avenham and Miller Parks, the British Commercial Vehicle Museum and the Bowland Wild Boar Park.
Greater Lancashire Hospital, Wyder Court, Millennium City Park, Preston PR2 5BW
Royal Preston Hospital, Sharoe Green Ln, Fulwood, Preston PR2 9HT
St Joseph's Hospital, 4 Mount St, Preston PR1 8BS
Preston is easily accessed by road given that the M55, M6, M55 and M65 are close by. Preston Railway Station is on the West Coast Main Line and, as such, offers rail travel to a number of destinations, including major UK conurbations such as London.
Distance to Airports from Preston
| Airport | miles by car |
| Blackpool Airport | 16.9 miles |
| Liverpool John Lennon Airport | 30.41 miles |
| Manchester Airport | 33.8 miles |
Moor Park High School and Sixth Form, Moor Park Ave, Preston PR1 6DT
Sir Tom Finney Community High School, Ribbleton Hall Dr, Preston PR2 6EE
Penwortham Priory Academy, Crow Hills Rd, Penwortham, Preston PR1 0JE
Local conveyancing solicitor
What are the Pros and Cons of using a licensed conveyancing solicitor in Preston?
The Pros of using property lawyers nearby
- You may have an existing relationship with your local conveyancing solicitors already
- You can drop your documents and ID off in person (although with scanned ID and online ID checks, there's no need to post your passport either way).
The Cons of using property solicitors nearby
- Not on your mortgage lender's panel - local law firms are often smaller, with fewer principals, which may exclude them from working with certain major high street solicitors.
- Taking time off from work - it isn't always easy to visit your solicitor, and having to see them in person 2 or 3 times during the conveyancing process may add a strain onto your work life, or be unachievable if you live abroad.
- Locally inexperienced - your local solicitor may not specialise in conveyancing and may have more experience in other areas of law.
- Less competition, higher prices - with less competition, your local solicitor's legal fees are most likely to cost more, especially if they have to keep premises in premium high-street real estate.
Affordable Housing Schemes
Several affordable housing schemes in Preston help make buying a property more achievable. The work is more complex, and we have specialist conveyancing solicitors to handle the following:
- Shared Ownership Solicitors
- Right to Buy Solicitors - speak to Preston City Council to find out if you are eligible
- Discount Market Sale - check with Preston City Council if they are running a DMS scheme
Preston conveyancing solicitors
You can rest assured that you're in good hands with us. We hand select our panel for skill and experience, from a simple purchase to complex transactions with specialist ownership structures and deeds of trust.
Is the property over 5 storeys (11m)?
Many leasehold properties in Preston are in large buildings which now require an EWS1 certificate to confirm if the cladding is fire safe. Thankfully 2022's leaseholder protections mean that most leaseholders are not burdened with the cost of remediation of any defective cladding, but you will need to see the seller's Deed of Certificate to prove that the lease doesn't come with a nasty (and expensive) surprise.
Be particularly wary of purchasing a share of freehold as the freeholders may become liable for the cost of remedying defective cladding. Our specialist leasehold solicitors Preston are well experienced with handling all of these added complications, so you will be in safe hands with SAM. Property Challenges Solved.
Look no further for your residential conveyancing solicitor in Preston
Whatever your property challenge, we can solve it.
Selling a property
Your expert conveyancing solicitor's role when selling a property will include:
- Draft contracts – Your conveyancing solicitor drafts the initial legal contract to be sent to the buyer's solicitor.
- Responding to enquiries – your solicitor responds to any questions the buyer's solicitor may have (this is where you'll find out if you are missing documents, which can cause delays to your sale).
- Investigating issues – your solicitor may need to complete further investigation to try and satisfy them.
- Exchange contracts – once the buyer's solicitor has satisfied their enquiries, contracts are finalised and exchanged.
- On the day of completion – your solicitor receives the money for the sale, discharges the mortgage (if required), pays the estate agent, deducts their fee and then sends the net sale proceeds to you.
- Post completion – your solicitor receives the DS1 discharge documents and, when leasehold, settles your liabilities for ground rent and service charges.
Our conveyancing solicitors' cost for selling a property starts from £748 INC VAT.
Buying a home
- Draft contracts – Your solicitor reviews the draft contract sent by the seller's solicitor.
- Raising enquiries – your solicitor will ask the seller's solicitor questions based on the contract, title, and property documents to protect you from any nasty surprises.
- Exchange contracts – once your solicitor is satisfied with their enquiries, they agree with the seller to finalise and exchange contracts
- Day of completion – on the day of completion, your solicitor transfers the money for the sale.
- Post completion – following completion, your solicitor makes an application to HM Land Registry to register you as the new owner.
Our Preston conveyancing solicitors' cost for buying a property starts from £748 INC VAT.
Add or remove someone from a property title
With a Transfer of Equity, you can buy someone out of a shared property and remove them from the title, or add someone to the title to transfer ownership of a share of the property, making them a joint owner. This service includes:
- Property solicitors' fees, including ID checks, office copies
- HM Land Registration fees
- (if party being removed) ID1 Form verification fee
- (if mortgage) Change of mortgage fee
- (if leasehold) Notice fee to freeholder
Our Preston conveyancing solicitors' cost for a Transfer of Equity starts at £399 INC VAT.
If someone is giving up their share of the property for less than market value, they may be required to get independent legal advice, which will be an additional expense.
Switch your mortgage deal in Preston
Your remortgage solicitor will perform all the necessary checks, review your new mortgage offer, and update HM Land Registry post-completion. The process is similar to when you purchase but should take less time, as the solicitor doesn't need to raise any legal enquiries.
If you own a leasehold property, your solicitor must carry out extra work to investigate the lease terms. Our conveyancing solicitors' cost for a remortgage in Preston starts at £399 INC VAT.
Purchase the next chunk of your equity
When you're ready to buy the next chunk of the equity in your shared ownership property, a conveyancer will be required to handle:
- The bank transfer;
- obtaining a mortgage redemption statement from your existing lender;
- receiving your new mortgage offer and confirming the lender terms;
- receiving the memorandum of staircasing;
- handling completion;
- filing SDLT form (if required); and
- registration at the Land Registry.
Our conveyancing solicitors' cost for shared ownership staircasing in Preston starts at £823 INC VAT.
If you need to add someone to the legal title, you will need to pay an additional fee for a transfer of equity.
Paying off your Help to Buy equity loan
You'll need a solicitor to:
- Receive redemption letter;
- review title for ownership and restrictions;
- obtain Authority to Complete;
- draft a deed of postponement for your current lender;
- handling completion;
- bank transfer; and
- if repaid in full, removal of the loan restriction at the Land Registry.
Our conveyancing solicitors' cost for Help to Buy loan redemption in Preston starts at £333 INC VAT.
Price based on a freehold with the loan being repaid in full using savings.
Conveyancing FAQs
What are the conveyancing costs?
Fees vary between online conveyancing solicitors, high street conveyancers or housing solicitors introduced by your estate agent.
The actual conveyancing costs, outside of the legal work, should be fixed, including:
For buyers: stamp duty, land registration, property searches, ID searches and leasehold charges (if buying a leasehold property).
For sellers: office copies, title plan and management information (if selling a leasehold property).
Make sure to budget for all of the above conveyancing costs and to get a fixed fee conveyancing quote from several firms, to compare value.
Making the right choice of solicitor is key to the whole process:
- Cheap Conveyancing
- Fast Conveyancing
- Best Conveyancing Service
Can you have a pet in a leasehold property?
As a freeholder, you have no restriction on having a pet in your property, assuming it isn't something like a pet tiger! However, you shouldn't assume this is okay if you're buying a leasehold.
As a leaseholder, you are effectively still a tenant but with a much longer term than if you were renting, and leasehold agreements often have what are called restrictive covenants, which may prohibit the keeping of pets (dogs and cats rather than goldfish!).
The challenge you face is that you might only find out about such a restrictive covenant quite far into the conveyancing process - at the legal enquiries stage - when your solicitor examines the leasehold contract.
Sometimes a freeholder can be persuaded to consent to waive the particular clause - your solicitor organises what is known as a deed of variation - but there's no guarantee. If you choose to go ahead regardless, you might ultimately risk a court ordering you to remove the pet from the premises.
