A scrabble for instructions in the final quarter of 2025 has resulted in a real-term fall in the cost of conveyancing, with a quarterly average purchase and sale fee (including disbursements and expenses) of £2440 in the first quarter of 2026, compared with £2437 a year ago. With inflation currently at 3%, conveyancing costs have fallen over the past year.
The latest Conveyancing Costs Index from comparison website reallymoving reveals a 3% fall in conveyancing pricing in the final quarter of 2025 when the uncertainty created by the autumn budget caused momentum to stall in the property market.
With data going back to 2018, the index provides a regular update on the average prices paid for legal services by home movers across the country, and how they are changing over time. The costs published include expenses and disbursements, for combined sale and purchase. The data also reveals four in every 10 home movers opt for the cheapest quote.
The analysis of over 86,000 conveyancing quotes shows it now costs a total of £2,440 including VAT to handle the legal side of a combined property sale and purchase, including expenses and disbursements.
| Period | Purchase Fees
Inc. Disbursements & Expenses |
Sale Fees
Inc. Disbursements & Expenses |
Total
(inc. VAT) |
Quarterly Change | Annual Change |
| 2025 Q1 | £1,495 | £942 | £2,437 | 2.2% | 11.7% |
| 2025 Q2 | £1,506 | £928 | £2,435 | -0.1% | 2.3% |
| 2025 Q3 | £1,519 | £932 | £2,451 | 0.7% | 4.7% |
| 2025 Q4 | £1,486 | £886 | £2,372 | -3.2% | -0.5% |
| 2026 Q1 | £1,520 | £920 | £2,440 | 2.8% | 0.1% |
Source: reallymoving
Scotland, the North East, North West and the West Midlands recorded the largest increases in fees over the past 12 months, with above inflation increases. London and the South East, East Midlands and Yorkshire & Humber all recorded a negative year-on-year change in pricing, reflecting undulating transaction levels, said reallymoving.
Reflecting on the the latest statistics, reallymoving founder and CEO Rob Houghton said: “The market is stabilising after a difficult final quarter of 2025, but not yet delivering the kind of growth conveyancers need. A modest quarterly uplift is welcome, but annual growth is currently flat and when adjusted for inflation, conveyancing costs have fallen in real terms. This means conveyancers are effectively earning less per transaction in real terms than a year ago.
“Firms are facing rising costs on multiple fronts, from compliance and tech to overheads and staff, yet fees are not keeping pace, which is eating into already slim margins. We can see from our data that while price is certainly a key factor in decision-making, only 40% of customers using reallymoving opt for the cheapest quote. The majority choose to pay more for good reviews and ratings, specific service features such as a live app or portal, or just a better sales process.
“In comparison, for surveys and removals, around 50% of customers opt for the cheapest quote, highlighting that service carries extra weight in conveyancing. Firms that can consistently deliver a high-quality service while investing in technology are best placed for growth in the current market.”
One Response
The costs of disbursements are rising, which means that even without inflation, the actual professional fees being charged are falling even further from the point at which a decent profit can be made. It’s a real shame that consumers are rarely advised to choose anything other than the cheapest quote, with inevitable consequences.