Conveyancing fees have fallen in real terms as competition and subdued housing activity prevent firms from passing rising business costs on to consumers.
The average cost of handling a combined property sale and purchase was £2,438 during the second quarter of 2026, including VAT, expenses and disbursements.
This was 0.1% lower than the previous quarter and just 0.1% higher than a year earlier, according to analysis of more than 82,000 quotes generated through home-moving comparison website reallymoving.
With CPI inflation running at 2.6%, the figures indicate that consumers are paying less for conveyancing services in real terms than they were 12 months ago.
PURCHASES ACCOUNT FOR £1,509
The average legal cost associated with purchasing a home stood at £1,509 during the quarter, while selling costs averaged £929.
Combined fees have remained relatively stable over the past year, having stood at £2,435 in Q2 2025. They reached £2,451 during the following quarter before falling to £2,372 at the end of last year.
Prices subsequently recovered to £2,440 in the first quarter of 2026 before edging down again.
Seven of the UK’s 12 regions recorded a quarterly fall, led by the North West, where average costs declined by 6.9%.
Scotland experienced the strongest increase, with fees rising by 9.7% quarter-on-quarter and 17.7% annually to £2,543.
The East and West Midlands also recorded substantial annual increases of 8.7% and 8% respectively. London remains the most expensive region, with movers paying an average of £3,096.
LOW FEES PUT PRESSURE ON FIRMS
Rob Houghton, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of reallymoving, says challenging market conditions are placing pressure on conveyancers.
“With mortgage approvals down by around 10% year on year, conditions remain challenging for the conveyancing sector,” he says.
“Prices have barely moved over the past 12 months and once inflation is taken into account, home movers are paying considerably less in real terms for conveyancing services compared to the pandemic period.
“While that’s positive for consumers, persistently low fees place significant pressure on conveyancing firms at a time when investing in technology and skills is increasingly important.”
Houghton adds that service levels remain particularly important when consumers select a conveyancer.
“Communicating positive reviews is therefore crucial to highlight why the cheapest quote may not always represent the best value,” he says.
