Remortgage Legal Fees: Should I Take the Lender's Free Legals?
The legal work for a remortgage must be carried out by an SRA-regulated solicitor or a CLC-regulated conveyancer, and costs are around £300 to £1,000 EXC VAT, plus disbursements of up to £675. Prices vary between firms, so pick a few options with 4 to 5-star reviews, and compare quotes from each; just make sure they're on your lenders' panel.
If you're coming to the end of your mortgage deal, you've got two main options: remortgage to a new lender or stay with your current one on a new deal. While some lenders offer "free" legal work to get you to switch, that can come with unexpected costs and limitations.
To help you make the decision, you need to know what you give up when opting for a free legal service through Optima Legal or Integra (the largest providers), what their limitations are, i.e., if it isn't just a remortgage, and do you really get what you pay for with free legals?
How much are remortgage conveyancing fees?
When you use your own solicitor for a remortgage, you agree to a legal fee for their services. Their charge for doing the work typically ranges from £300 to £1,000, plus disbursements. Most good remortgage conveyancing solicitors offer a fixed fee for standard work, which gives you cost certainty. Hourly rates are often reserved for more complex cases and can quickly add up.
Our fixed fee for a freehold remortgage starts at £399 and is SRA-compliant.
Get a remortgage conveyancing quote
- Specialist panel of remortgage solicitors
- All products catered for including residential, buy-to-let, staircasing, and many more.
- Faster than the "free legals" on offer by lenders.
- Completions to any deadline.
- Competitive fixed fees starting from £333 EXC VAT for a Freehold.
Summary: Remortgage Legal Fees & Disbursements
Disbursement | Cost Range |
Land Registry Fee The fee the Land Registry charges to update the title with the new mortgage. The cost is lower than when you bought the property. You pay using the Land Registry Scale 2 scale fees, which are based on the property's value. | £20 to £140 (no VAT) |
Local Authority Search Indemnity Most lenders allow you to get indemnity insurance instead of a full local authority search. The indemnity cost varies with the property's value. | £45 to £140 (no VAT) |
Online Identification Used as "know your client" checks by the solicitor. It avoids the need to send original passports and other documents. What ID does a solicitor need? | £10 to £50 per name |
Official Copy of Register & Title Plan Used to provide a snapshot of your title deeds at the Land Registry, and confirm the registered boundary. What are Official Copies? | £7 to £10 per title |
Bankruptcy Land Registry Searches Used to confirm that you aren't being made bankrupt. | £7 to £20 |
OS1 Priority Land Registry Searches Used to stop anyone from registering any updates to your title until the lender's charge is updated to the Land Registry. | £7 to £20 |
If Leasehold | |
Official Copy of the Lease Used to download the lease of a leasehold property. | £7 to £10 |
Notice or Certificate of Compliance Fee The freeholder/management company requires a notice confirming that the new mortgage has been registered post-completion. They may also require a Certificate of Compliance. | £36 to £360 INC VAT |
Are free remortgage legal fees worth it?
When a mortgage lender offers a deal with "free legal fees," they are covering the basic legal work to register their charge on your property. This is great if your transaction is limited to just remortgaging; you'll probably pay the bank transfer fee and the disbursements as listed above.
Where free legal fee solicitors don't work is where you have a complicated legal title, such as Help to Buy Repayment, Shared Ownership, or even a complicated leasehold title. The firm will either state that they can't help, or the additional costs make the work more expensive than an online solicitor.
Who are the most common free legal service firms?
Common providers are Optima & Integra.
Expert Tip - What don't free legal fees include?
"Free" applies only to the legal fee itself. You will still have to pay for additional costs and disbursements, which can add up to hundreds of pounds. These hidden costs often include:
- Bank Transfer Fees: To transfer the funds to pay off your old mortgage.
- Form LL Verification: If you have a Form LL anti-fraud restriction, then you'll need to pay to get the anti-fraud certificate. Neither Optima nor Integra provide this service; however, we do at SAM Conveyancing.
- Form LL Verification: If you have a Form LL anti-fraud restriction, then you'll need to pay to get the anti-fraud certificate. Neither Optima nor Integra provide this service; however, we do at SAM Conveyancing, costing from £180.
- Non-standard Legal Work: Any work outside of the lender's basic requirements, such as a Deed of Postponement or Transfer of Equity.
- Title Indemnity Insurance: If your title has a defect, the lender's solicitor might not deal with it and will instead require you to pay for indemnity insurance.
Andrew Boast FMAAT
CEO of SAM Conveyancing
Free vs. Fixed-Fee: Which is right for you?
When comparing a "free" deal to a fixed-fee service, you should consider more than just the cost.
Lender Free Remortgage Legal Fees | Using an Independent Solicitor |
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Lender Free Remortgage Legal Fees
| Using an Independent Solicitor
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Lender Free Remortgage Legal Fees
| Using an Independent Solicitor
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SAM Conveyancing offers a fixed-fee remortgage conveyancing service with no hidden costs. Our transparent quotes are tailored to your specifications, starting at £399 INC VAT, and we provide a full breakdown of all fees upfront, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Which lenders offer free legal services?
Many lenders offer "free legal" or "fee-assisted" remortgage deals as an incentive to attract new customers. While the specifics can change often, some of the lenders who regularly include this incentive in their products include:
- Foundation Home Loans: They have launched fee-assisted legal services on some residential remortgage products.
- West One: They offer a "fast-track legal service" free of charge to remortgage customers on certain products.
- Many mainstream banks: Lenders like Nationwide, Halifax, and NatWest often include either free legal services or a cashback incentive on their remortgage products to help with legal fees.
Always check the full details of the mortgage offer. The "free" service will be provided by a solicitor from the lender's pre-approved panel, not a firm you choose.
Other remortgage costs to factor in
Beyond legal fees and disbursements, there are other potential costs to be aware of when you remortgage. Knowing about these will help you avoid surprises and budget correctly.
Type | Detail | Cost Range |
Valuation Fee | If you are obtaining a mortgage offer from a new mortgage lender, then they will require a mortgage valuation to be undertaken, similar to when you purchased the property. The valuation is often free, but some mortgage products charge for it, especially for more unique properties. If you remain with the same lender, then it is unlikely they will ask for a mortgage valuation, unless you are asking for more money. | Free to £1,500. |
Early Repayment Charge (ERC) | You pay an Early Repayment Charge if you pay off your existing mortgage before the fixed rate term expires. This can sometimes be waived if you remortgage with the same mortgage lender. Lenders frequently use a tiered structure for the charge; 4 years left, so chsrge 4%. | 1% to 5% based on the expired term. |
Product or Arrangement Fee | This is a fee charged by the new lender for setting up your new mortgage deal. Often, deals with a lower interest rate have a higher arrangement fee. | Free to £2,000(+) . |
Mortgage Broker Fee | If you use a mortgage broker, they may charge a fee for their service. This is usually a flat fee or a percentage of the mortgage amount. However, many brokers are paid by commission from the lender, so you may not have to pay them directly | Free to £2,000(+) . |
Checklist: Should you use the lender's free legals?
Here is a concise decision matrix to help you decide whether you should use free remortgage options.
- Do you have a timeframe? If you want a more personal service where you can speak to your solicitor and push for a fast deadline, then don't use free legals. Free legal fees work better for no timeframe, no chasing, and just wait until the job is done - fast or slow.
- Do you have a complicated remortgage? Help to Buy, Shared Ownership, leasehold, freehold with management companies, restrictions; if you have any of these, then you may not be able to use free legals, or you may need to use them in tandem with another solicitor, or you just use a remortgage solicitor who can handle all complexities like SAM Conveyancing offers.
- Do you need extras? Ask the firm to provide their additional costs for the transfer of equity, managing property disputes if you are separating, or removing a Form A restriction. You will then have a complete picture of all the fees for the work you need alongside the remortgage.
- Check online reviews Whether you are offered Optima, Integra or any other free legal services provider, you should review their online review profile on Trustpilot, Google, or Feefo.
Common Remortgage Cost Questions
Andrew Boast FMAAT is a qualified accountant, conveyancing specialist and author with over 25 years of experience in the UK property sector. Since beginning his career in 2000 within established SRA and CLC-regulated conveyancing solicitor firms, Andrew has overseen the legal journeys of more than 75,000 clients.
He is the author of the property guide 'How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone' and a frequent contributor to mainstream UK media on legislative updates, property law, first-time buyer guides, conveyancing best practices, and stamp duty changes. Andrew specialises in resolving complex title issues, property conflict disputes, and property tax options, streamlining the enquiry process to reduce transaction times and maintaining a client-friendly focus.
Caragh Bailey is a Lead Property Content Specialist at SAM Conveyancing, having joined the firm in 2020. With a portfolio of over 150 technical conveyancing, house survey and mortgage guides, she has become a primary authority on the end-to-end sale and purchase process.
Caragh specialises in complex legal workflows, including Help to Buy redemptions, equity transfers, shared ownership structures, trust deeds for tax planning, and joint ownership disputes. Her expertise extends to leasehold reform and RICS home surveys, where she provides clear, factual guidance on independent legal advice for specialist mortgage products and intricate ownership structures.
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