Freehold House Purchase, Sale & Remortgage Pricing

WHY AIM LEGAL

Why choose Aim Legal

Our team at Aim Legal has a breadth of experience to provide you with the expert legal support and quality of service you are looking for. As part of our core values, we provide you with clear and transparent cost information from the outset. Working in partnership with you on your requirements, matters are assigned to the most appropriate level of fee earner (always subject to partner supervision) to support you throughout your matter and ensure absolute cost effectiveness and efficiency.

We set out below a summary of our charges which, when combined with our prestige conveyancing service, represents excellent value. We would be happy to discuss our fees with you further, contact us here.

PURCHASE PRICING

Purchasing a residential property

Our fees cover all the work required to complete the purchase of your property as set out in the stages of the process below.

FIXED-FEE GUIDE

Buying legal fees

Our standard fixed fees start at £750 plus VAT and disbursements, subject to the assumptions and complexity points set out below.

Property Value	Our Fees
Up to £100,000.00	£750 + VAT
Up to £200,000.00	£950 + VAT
Up to £300,000.00	£1,100 + VAT

All quoted legal fees are plus VAT unless stated otherwise. Third-party costs and disbursements are shown separately.

Lender involved? If there is a lender involved, an additional £350.00 plus VAT will be charged.

ADDITIONAL COSTS

Additional professional charges

Charges that may apply in addition to the standard legal fee.

Disbursement	Indicative Cost
Same-day bank transfer	£45 + VAT
Identification check	£15 + VAT per person
Lawyer Check search	£15 + VAT
Pre-completion Land Registry search	£3 + VAT per title
Pre-completion bankruptcy search	£2 + VAT per name
SDLT return preparation	£95 + VAT (SDLT itself varies)

HOW FEES ARE CALCULATED

Our approach to fees

Our fees will be determined by the value and complexity of the transaction and will also take into account any work required to deal with any unusual aspects of the purchase.

We offer a standard fixed fee for our residential property transactions subject to the proviso that the transaction has no complicating factors such as lack of certification for any alterations or building works carried out, title defects that need to be reported to lenders, remedied or indemnity insurance put in place or nonstandard mortgage conditions to be complied with. Our standard fixed fees start at £750.00 plus VAT and disbursements and increase in line with the value of the property as detailed below.

Additional charges to cover complicated factors will be based upon the time needed to deal with them. The hourly rates charged will be dependent on the experience of the Solicitor dealing with the transaction and start at £155 plus VAT. If we need to liaise with other solicitors in other departments within the firm then their hourly rates are also set out below. We will provide you with an estimate of the total additional charges either at the outset of the transaction or when we become aware of any complicating factors.

We will charge on additional fee of £450 +VAT when dealing with bridging loans / lender.

If your purchase falls through before it is completed then we will charge for the time spent to the point where the matter became aborted subject to our fees never exceeding the agreed fixed fee and charges for dealing with any complicating factors.

If complicating factors arise then we will charge for the extra time involved based on our standard hourly rates set out below:

All rates are subject to VAT at 20%.

THIRD-PARTY COSTS

Typical disbursements

Disbursement	Indicative Cost
Land Registry fee	Varies depending on the purchase price
Land charge search fee (OS1)	£8.00
Companies House – per legal charge via post	£24.00
Companies House – via online	£14.00 per charge
Bankruptcy search (per name)	£6.00
Stamp Duty Land Tax	Varies depending on property value and whether this is an additional property
Searches	Varies depending on searches required; typically £350–£480 + VAT

If the property is leasehold there can be additional fees payable for notice fee and notice of charge, deed of covenant and other management-company or landlord fees. These vary by provider and can only be confirmed once the relevant packs are received.

See the full supplied disbursement wording

Typical Disbursements

Disbursements are costs relating to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the Land Registry.

On a freehold house purchase we would expect disbursements to include:

Searches including but not limited to a search of the local land charge register and standard enquiries of the local authority, drainage search, environmental search, planning history and also any other recommended searches such as mining or flood risk. Prices depend on the area and search provider so we can only estimate that these will be between £300-400 plus VAT.
A fee for transferring any money as a same day payment. For example, to forward the money to the sellers solicitors on completion: £45 plus VAT
Identification check to satisfy money laundering requirements: £15 plus VAT per person
Lawyer Check search to verify the seller’s solicitors bank details: £15.00 plus VAT
Pre completion searches at the Land Registry: £3.00 plus VAT per title
Pre completion bankruptcy search: £2.00 plus VAT per name searched
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT). This varies dependent on the transaction and we recommend you use the official SDLT calculator to ascertain the likely to complete this form on your behalf we charge £95+VAT
Land Registry registration fees. The fee will dependent on the value and nature of the transaction and we recommend that you use the official Land Registry fee calculator to ascertain the likely charge
Fees payable to a third party such as a rentcharge collector, when providing notice of the purchase to them. These will be dependent on the provisions in the lease and the individual landlord or managing agents.

IF EXTRA WORK IS REQUIRED

Hourly rates of our solicitors

If complicating factors arise, additional work may be charged at the applicable hourly rate. These are the rates shown on Aim Legal's existing pricing page.

Role	Hourly Rate
Partners	£245 - £285
Senior Solicitors	£195 - £245
Solicitors	£165 - £195
Trainee Solicitors	£135 - £155
Legal Assistants	£110 - £130

What’s included in our legal fee?+

What’s involved?

The stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to each particular transaction, however, we have listed below the key stages that will be covered by our legal fee:

Taking your instructions and providing you with initial advice;
Obtaining contract, title and supporting information documents from the seller’s solicitors
Reviewing the contract and supporting documents and raising any necessary title enquiries with the seller’s solicitors
Obtaining the usual searches for a property and reviewing the contents of the same
If you are obtaining mortgage funding, receiving mortgage instructions, reviewing the same and ensure compliance with any conditions
Preparing an SDLT return form, transfer and other documents relevant to that particular transaction
Reporting to you on the title, information documents, searches and other relevant matters
Meeting with you to obtain your signature on the Contract and Transfer document;
Taking your instructions on suitable completion dates
Exchanging contracts to confirm the completion date and secure the purchase of the Property;
Completing the purchase transaction
Paying any SDLT due as a result of the transaction and filing the SDLT return
Registering the property and your mortgage with the Land Registry, if any
Serving notice of purchase and charge, if any, on any relevant third parties
Providing you with confirmation of the registration of the property into your name and any pre-registration deeds and documents
Providing your mortgage lender with a copy of the updated title documents

SALE PRICING

Selling a residential property

Our fees cover all the work required to complete the sale of your property. We have set out below the key stages of a standard freehold sale.

FIXED-FEE GUIDE

Selling legal fees

Our standard fixed fees start at £750 plus VAT and disbursements, subject to the assumptions and complexity points set out below.

Property Value	Our Fees
Up to £100,000.00	£750 + VAT
Up to £200,000.00	£950 + VAT
Up to £300,000.00	£1,100 + VAT

All quoted legal fees are plus VAT unless stated otherwise. Third-party costs and disbursements are shown separately.

HOW FEES ARE CALCULATED

Our approach to fees

Our fees will be determined by the value and complexity of the transaction and will also take into account any work required to deal with any unusual aspects of the sale.

We offer a standard fixed fee for our residential property transactions subject to the proviso that the transaction has no complicating factors such as lack of certification for any alterations or building works carried out, title defects that need to be reported to lenders, remedied or indemnity insurance put in place or nonstandard mortgage conditions to be complied with. Our standard fixed fees start at £750.00 plus VAT and disbursements and increase in line with the value of the property as detailed below.

Additional charges to cover complicated factors will be based upon the time needed to deal with them. The hourly rates charged will be dependent on the experience of the Solicitor dealing with the transaction and start at £155 plus VAT. If we need to liaise with other solicitors in other departments within the firm then their hourly rates are also set out below. We will provide you with an estimate of the total additional charges either at the outset of the transaction or when we become aware of any complicating factors.

If your sale falls through before it is completed then we will charge for the time spent to the point where the matter became aborted subject to our fees never exceeding the agreed fixed fee and charges for dealing with any complicating factors.

If complicating factors arise then we will charge for the extra time involved. Our standard hourly rates (excluding VAT) are as follows:

All rates are subject to VAT at 20%.

THIRD-PARTY COSTS

Typical disbursements

Disbursement	Indicative Cost
Land Registry title / register / plan copies	£3 + VAT per document
Same-day bank transfer	£40 + VAT
Identification check	£7.20 + VAT per person
HM Land Registry copy / conveyance	£5 - £25 + VAT per document

See the full supplied disbursement wording

Typical Disbursements

Disbursements are costs relating to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the Land Registry.

On a freehold house sale we would expect disbursements to include:

Copies of Land Registry Title, register, plan and documents at £3 plus VAT per document obtained
Fee for transferring any money as a same day payment, for example to redeem an existing charge or account to you for the balance: £40 plus VAT
Identification check to satisfy money laundering requirements: £7.20 plus VAT per person
Copy or conveyance from HM land registry vary between £5 – 25.00 plus VAT per document

IF EXTRA WORK IS REQUIRED

Hourly rates of our solicitors

If complicating factors arise, additional work may be charged at the applicable hourly rate. These are the rates shown on Aim Legal's existing pricing page.

Role	Hourly Rate
Partners	£245 - £285
Senior Solicitors	£195 - £245
Solicitors	£165 - £195
Trainee Solicitors	£135 - £155
Legal Assistants	£110 - £130

What’s included in our legal fee?+

What’s involved?

The stages involved in the sale of a residential property vary according to each particular transaction, however, we have listed below the key stages that will be covered by our legal fee

Taking your instructions and providing you with initial advice;
Obtaining title documents and prepare a Contract for Sale for submission to your buyer’s solicitors;
Dealing with any title enquiries raised by the buyer’s solicitors;
Obtaining a settlement figure for any charges secured against your property;
Approving the form of Transfer supplied by the buyer’s solicitor;
Meeting with you to obtain your signature on the Contract and Transfer document;
Taking your instructions regarding proposed completion dates;
Exchanging contracts to confirm the completion date and secure the sale of the Property;
Completing the sale transaction and accounting to you and any existing lender for the sale proceeds;
Accounting to any Estate Agents for settlement of their fees as pre-approved by you;

REMORTGAGE PRICING

Remortgaging a residential property

Our fees cover all the work required to complete the re-mortgage of your property as step out below in the key stages of a re-mortgage transaction.

FIXED-FEE GUIDE

Remortgaging legal fees

Our standard fixed fees start at £750 plus VAT and disbursements, subject to the assumptions and complexity points set out below.

Property Value	Our Fees
Up to £100,000.00	£750 + VAT
Up to £200,000.00	£950 + VAT
Up to £300,000.00	£1,100 + VAT

All quoted legal fees are plus VAT unless stated otherwise. Third-party costs and disbursements are shown separately.

HOW FEES ARE CALCULATED

Our approach to fees

Our fees will be determined by the value and complexity of the transaction and will also take into account any work required to deal with any unusual aspects of the remortgage.

We offer a standard fixed fee for our residential property transactions subject to the proviso that the transaction has no complicating factors such as lack of certification for any alterations or building works carried out, title defects that need to be reported to lenders, remedied or indemnity insurance put in place or nonstandard mortgage conditions to be complied with. Our standard fixed fees start at £750.00 plus VAT and disbursements and increase in line with the value of the property as detailed below.

Additional charges to cover complicated factors will be based upon the time needed to deal with them. The hourly rates charged will be dependent on the experience of the Solicitor dealing with the transaction and start at £155 plus VAT. If we need to liaise with other solicitors in other departments within the firm then their hourly rates are also set out below. We will provide you with an estimate of the total additional charges either at the outset of the transaction or when we become aware of any complicating factors.

If your remortgage falls through before it is completed then we will charge for the time spent to the point where the matter became aborted subject to our fees never exceeding the agreed fixed fee and charges for dealing with any complicating factors.

If complicating factors arise then we will charge for the extra time involved. Our standard hourly rates (excluding VAT) are as follows:

All rates are subject to VAT at 20%.

THIRD-PARTY COSTS

Typical disbursements

Disbursement	Indicative Cost
Same-day bank transfer	£45 + VAT
Identification check	From £15 + VAT per person
Property searches (if required)	Estimated £300 - £400 + VAT
Search indemnity insurance (if lender accepts)	Usually £50 - £100
Leasehold information pack (if applicable)	Approx. £100 to £500+
Pre-completion Land Registry search	£3 + VAT per title
Pre-completion bankruptcy search	£2 + VAT per name
Land Registry fee	Varies by value and transaction
Third-party notice of charge fees	Set by the third party

See the full supplied disbursement wording

Typical Disbursements

Disbursements are costs relating to your matter that are payable to third parties, such as the Land Registry.

On a re-mortgage we would expect disbursements to include:

Fee for transferring any money as a same day payment, for example to redeem an existing charge or account due for the balance: £45 plus VAT
Identification check to satisfy money laundering requirements: From £15 plus VAT per person
Searches (if required) including but not limited to, a search of the local land charge register and standard enquiries of the local authority, drainage search, environmental search, planning history and also any other recommended searches such as mining or flood risk. Prices depend on the area and search provider so we can only estimate that these will be between £300-400 plus VAT.
Search indemnity insurance (taken in lieu of the above searches if your lender accepts the same): price depends on value but are usually in the region of £50 – £100
If the property is leasehold, a sales information pack from the landlord/managing agent: these fees vary on the provider and can range from around £100 to in excess of £500
Pre completion searches at the Land Registry: £3.00 plus VAT per title
Pre completion bankruptcy search: £2.00 plus VAT per name searched
Land registry fees. The fee will dependent on the value and nature of the transaction and we recommend that you use the official Land Registry fee calculator to ascertain the likely charge
Fees payable to a third party such as a rentcharge collector or landlord/managing, when providing notice of the new charge to them: these will be set by the third party

IF EXTRA WORK IS REQUIRED

Hourly rates of our solicitors

If complicating factors arise, additional work may be charged at the applicable hourly rate. These are the rates shown on Aim Legal's existing pricing page.

Role	Hourly Rate
Partners	£245 - £285
Senior Solicitors	£195 - £245
Solicitors	£165 - £195
Trainee Solicitors	£135 - £155
Legal Assistants	£110 - £130

What’s included in our legal fee?+

What’s involved?

The stages involved in the re-mortgage of a residential property vary according to each particular transaction, however, we have listed below the key stages that will be covered by our legal fee:

Taking your instructions and providing you with initial advice;
Obtaining contract, title and supporting information documents from the Land Registry and any documents you may hold
Obtaining an information pack from any landlord or managing agent if the property is leasehold
Reviewing the title and supporting documents and raise any necessary enquiries with you or a third party such as a landlord or managing agent if your property is leasehold
Obtaining the usual searches for a property in the area in which your property is located and reviewing the contents or if your lender accepts insurance, obtain quotes in lieu of searches for a policy on completion
Receiving mortgage instructions, reviewing the same and ensuring compliance with any conditions
Meeting with you to obtain your signature on the Mortgage Deed and any other relevant documents
Taking your instructions on suitable completion dates
Obtaining settlement figures for any existing charges which are being repaid on completion
Preparing a statement of account and obtaining any balance required from you
Completing the new mortgage and redeeming any existing charges, as agreed with you and the new lender
Registering the new mortgage with the Land Registry
Serving a notice of charge on any relevant third parties
Implementing any search indemnity insurance as necessary
Providing you with confirmation of the registration of the new charge
Providing your mortgage lender with a copy of the updated title documents

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

What our fees assume

We will deal with all aspects of the purchase/sale/remortgage of your property, we will liaise with estate agents, lending institutions and other parties solicitors to ensure the smooth conveyance of your property. We do not provide financial advice and we are not qualified to do so. Our fees assume the following;

This is a standard transaction and that no unforeseen matters arise including for example, but not limited to, a defect in the title which requires remedying prior to completion or the preparation of additional documents.
This is the assignment of an existing lease and not the grant of a new lease.
The transaction is concluded in a timely manner and no unforeseen complications arise.
All parties to the transaction are co-operative and there is no unreasonable delay from third parties providing relevant documentation.
No indemnity policies are required. Additional disbursements may apply if indemnity policies are required.

*Fees and third-party costs shown on this page reproduce the pricing information supplied by Aim Legal. Please confirm the current quote and disbursements before instructing.