How to compare conveyancing quotes: fees, costs and protection

Compare conveyancing quotes by the total price, the work included and what happens if your move falls through—not just the headline legal fee. This guide uses an onthemoov test quote to show exactly why those checks matter.

onthemoov is a conveyancing broker. Your appointed solicitor or licensed conveyancer carries out the legal work. This example explains our quotation; it is not a quote for your own property.

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The example: a £300,000 freehold purchase

We generated a moov Plus test quote on 5 October 2026 for a £300,000 freehold purchase, one buyer and a Barclays mortgage. It used onthemoov Support as the test applicant. No customer transaction or completion is represented.

The quotation was valid until 12 October 2026 and included an October discount expiring on 31 October 2026. The figures below are a dated illustration, not an ongoing offer or a price promise for every £300,000 purchase.

£492 legal fees does not mean a £492 total

The legal fee was £510 plus £102 VAT. The discount reduced this by £100 plus £20 VAT, leaving £492 including VAT. The other listed costs totalled £796.60, giving a quoted total of £1,288.60.

Without that discount, the same listed charges would have totalled £1,408.60. This is why two headline prices can look very different even before you compare the work and protection included.

The full quote breakdown

Each amount below includes the VAT shown on the test quotation. The quotation's total VAT was £137; do not add that again to these amounts.

Total shown: £1,288.60. Property tax is not shown in this breakdown. Check any applicable tax separately for your circumstances; the total above is not a complete budget for buying a home.

Which charges should you compare?

1. The legal fee and VAT

Ask whether the headline price includes VAT, what legal work it covers and whether a discount has an expiry date. Compare the price you will actually pay under the applicable quotation, rather than an advertised starting price.

2. Searches and registration costs

Check whether searches are included, which searches are covered and how registration fees have been calculated. HM Land Registry fees depend on the application; the £150 in this example is not a universal charge. Use the official registration fee guidance when checking the basis of a quote.

3. Provider charges and upfront payments

A quote may group transfer, identity-check or protection charges under a heading such as “disbursements”. That heading alone does not establish that every item is a payment to an independent third party. Ask what each charge pays for, who receives it and when it is due.

Do not add a payment twice. Ask whether an upfront payment forms part of the quoted total or is an additional charge. A £0 separate guarantee line does not mean the whole package is free.

4. Additional legal work

Give each provider the same property and funding details. A freehold example cannot be treated as a leasehold quote. Tell them about a gifted deposit, shared ownership, a new build or other relevant requirements, and ask which charges apply.

5. Protection if the move falls through

Compare the conditions as carefully as the price. Ask which legal fees would be waived, which payments remain payable and whether searches or file opening payments have separate protection. Read our no sale, no legal fee guide and package terms and additional fee information. The labels on this test quote do not replace those conditions.

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Your conveyancing quote comparison checklist

• Have I supplied the same details to every provider?
• Does the total include VAT and all the listed charges?
• Which searches, checks and registration costs are included?
• What work is excluded or charged separately?
• How much is due upfront, and is it already in the total?
• What happens to each payment if the transaction falls through?
• Who will carry out the legal work, and can they act for my mortgage lender?
• How will I receive updates and contact the person handling my case?
• When does the quote or any discount expire?

Does a fixed fee mean the whole price cannot change?

A fixed legal fee concerns the work described in your quotation. It does not make property tax or every third-party cost fixed. If new information means additional work, ask for the reason and price to be explained before agreeing to it.

Is the cheapest conveyancing quote always best?

Price matters, but compare the same scope of work, communication arrangements and package conditions. A higher total might include items missing from a lower headline price. Equally, do not assume a higher price automatically means a better service.

Get a quote for your own move

Have your transaction type, property price, postcode, tenure and mortgage details ready. Your own quote will reflect the details you provide. Review it alongside the terms before deciding whether to instruct.

Get an instant conveyancing quote →   Prefer to talk? Call 03330 065 569.

For more detail, read conveyancing costs explained or our leasehold conveyancing guide.

About this example and sources

Prepared by onthemoov using its own test quotation dated 5 October 2026. Figures reproduce the charges in that quotation; this is general information, not individual legal or tax advice.

The SRA's price and service transparency guidance explains the importance of clear information about VAT, included work and exclusions for the firms it regulates. onthemoov is a broker, not a solicitor firm.

onthemoov was named Best Conveyancing Specialist Company 2023 in SME News's UK Enterprise Awards. This company award is separate from the regulatory status of the firm carrying out your legal work.