Is a conveyancer or solicitor needed for a remortgage?
If you remortgage with a new lender you will need a conveyancing solicitor to complete the legal work on your behalf. This includes registering your new mortgage with the Land Registry, liaising with your lender, and ensuring all legal requirements are met. If you stay with the same lender and are simply doing a product transfer you may not need a conveyancer.
Find out more about the remortgaging conveyancing process.
What is the average conveyancing fee for remortgaging a house?
Conveyancing for a remortgage costs between £250 and £500 on average for a freehold property. This covers your conveyancer’s legal fee plus standard disbursements such as Land Registry charges, ID verification, and searches.
However, the average cost can vary depending on:
Property value: Higher-value properties fall into higher Land Registry fee brackets, and legal fees may also increase. For properties over £1m, total costs are usually around £800 to £900.
Property tenure: Leasehold remortgages are more complex and usually add around £100 to your conveyancing fees.
Additional services: If you’re also doing a transfer of equity, redeeming a Help to Buy loan, or remortgaging a house or flat with special requirements, your costs could increase by £250–£500 for each additional service.
How much should remortgaging conveyancing fees cost?
When remortgaging a freehold property, you can typically expect to pay £250-£500 in conveyancing fees. This includes legal fees and standard disbursements such as Land Registry fees and a search indemnity policy. If a quote seems unusually low, it may mean the quoted price excludes essential checks or indicates a reduced level of service - so always check what’s included.
For leasehold properties or higher-value homes, remortgaging fees are usually higher, typically ranging between £500 and £900. This reflects the added complexity of reviewing leasehold documentation and higher Land Registry fee brackets.
In addition, if you have extra requirements, such as transferring equity, redeeming a Help to Buy loan, or where your lender requires additional checks (for example flats affected by the Building Safety Act), costs may exceed £1,500, especially if multiple extras apply.
When comparing remortgage conveyancing quotes, look for clear, transparent breakdowns of both legal fees and disbursements so you can review and compare the costs accurately.
Can I remortgage my Help to Buy home?
Yes, you can. You should look into remortgaging around six months before your current mortgage deal comes to an end, to avoid rolling onto the standard variable rate (SVR) which usually has a higher interest rate.
Remortgaging your Help to Buy is more complicated than a standard remortgage as you’re essentially managing two loans: your mortgage and your equity loan. Because of the complexity, Help to Buy remortgage deals often have higher interest rates and fees, however, they are still usually cheaper than defaulting to the SVR, making it a worthwhile step. Find out more about remortgaging your Help to Buy.
What are the conveyancing legal fees for a buy-to-let remortgage?
Conveyancing fees for buy-to-let remortgages are usually higher than a standard residential remortgage due to the extra legal and regulatory checks involved. Legal fees typically start from around £300, however, you may also need to pay for searches, Land Registry fees, bank transfer fees and leaseholder or mortgage-related fees, if applicable.
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