Quick answer
Selling one home and buying another? We can act on both, on one file. We usually exchange contracts on both on the same day, so you are not committed to buying before your sale is secure. On completion day, the money from your sale goes towards your new home. You get a written, itemised quote before you instruct us.
On this page
What we do for you
- Run your sale and your purchase together, on one file
- On your sale: prepare the contract pack, answer your buyer's solicitor's questions and get the figure to pay off your mortgage
- On your purchase: check the contract and title, order the searches (local authority, water and drainage, environmental) and explain what they show
- Check your mortgage offer and report to your lender
- Agree exchange and completion dates that work for both sides, with the other solicitors in the chain
- On completion day, repay the mortgage on the home you are selling and pay the seller's solicitor for the one you are buying
- Afterwards, deal with the Stamp Duty (or Land Transaction Tax) return and register you at HM Land Registry
Selling and buying at the same time
Most people who move need the money from their sale to pay for the next home. So the two have to move together: neither side should be legally binding until both are ready.
With one firm on both, we can see where each side has got to and keep them in step. When both are ready, we usually exchange contracts on your sale and your purchase on the same day and fix one completion date. If the dates cannot line up, we tell you early and explain what that means for you before you commit.
What it costs
| Selling a residential property | £660 to £1,060 + VAT (£792 to £1,272 including VAT) Standard sale of a freehold home under £2m, with one registered mortgage to redeem. Includes our legal fee plus File Opening Fee (Non-refundable), Telegraphic Transfer Fee (Per Transfer), Mortgage Redemption Fee and Lender Portal Management Fee. |
|---|---|
| Buying a residential property | £1,010 to £1,910 + VAT (£1,212 to £2,292 including VAT) Standard purchase of a freehold home under £2m, with one mortgage. Includes our legal fee plus Preparation of SDLT forms, Application for Registration, File Opening Fee (Non-refundable), Telegraphic Transfer Fee (Per Transfer), Mortgage Handling/Admin Fee and Lender Portal Management Fee. |
| One file for both | Because your sale and purchase run on one file, your quote charges the File Opening Fee (Non-refundable) once and carries out your identity checks once. |
| VAT | 20% on our fee and on some third-party costs (shown in your quote) |
| Third-party costs (disbursements), e.g. searches and ID checks | Typically £46 to £78 on a sale and £319 to £341 on a purchase For one or two people, including VAT where it applies, itemised in your quote. |
| Extra work, if it applies | Typically £50 to £750 + VAT per item for other extra work (shared ownership, defective title, or bridging, buy-to-let or Sharia-compliant finance), charged as an additional fixed fee and agreed in writing before the work is carried out. Leasehold and new-build homes are priced on a higher fee scale. |
Selling a leasehold flat? The freeholder or managing agent charges for a pack of information about the building. They set that price, not us, so it is not part of our quote.
Our published fee ranges, and what they cover, are on our fees page.
Set by the government, shown separately: on the home you buy, Stamp Duty Land Tax (paid to HMRC) and the HM Land Registry fee depend on the price and your circumstances, so they aren't part of our fee. HMRC has a Stamp Duty calculator. In Wales, Land Transaction Tax applies instead, paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority (LTT calculator).
How it works
How long it takes depends on everyone in the chain, the lenders and the searches. We give you an estimate when you instruct us and tell you if anything changes it.
- Getting startedQuote, ID and paperwork
You accept the quote and send your ID. We send the contract pack for your sale to your buyer's solicitor and ask your seller's solicitor for theirs.
- Both sidesChecks and searches
We answer your buyer's solicitor's questions on your sale and raise our own on your purchase. The searches come back and your mortgage offer arrives.
- Before exchangeReport and sign
We send you a clear report on the home you're buying. You sign both contracts and the transfer for your sale, and arrange your deposit.
- ExchangeBoth contracts are binding
We exchange contracts on your sale and your purchase, usually on the same day, and the completion date is fixed. From this point, both sides are legally bound.
- Completion dayMoving day
Your buyer's money arrives, we pay off your mortgage and send the money for your new home to the seller's solicitor. You hand over your old keys and collect your new ones. Afterwards we file the Stamp Duty (or Land Transaction Tax) return and register you at HM Land Registry.
Who leads our conveyancing
What clients say
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4.6 from 249 reviews London office, 6 October 2026
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Regulated by the SRA SRA No. 605949, view our record
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CQS accredited Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme
Where we act
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Leicester office 3rd Floor, St George's House, 6 St George's Way, Leicester LE1 1QZ 0116 393 0334
Conveyancing in Leicester
Questions movers ask
Can one solicitor handle my sale and my purchase?
Yes. We can act on both, on one file. Because we see both sides, we can keep the dates in step, and on completion day the money from your sale goes straight on to your purchase.
How much does conveyancing cost when you are buying and selling?
Our published ranges are £660 to £1,060 + VAT for a standard sale and £1,010 to £1,910 + VAT for a standard purchase, each for a freehold home under £2m. Third-party costs, any extra work, Stamp Duty and the HM Land Registry fee are on top. Your quote shows every line separately. See what it costs.
Do I have to sell before I buy?
Not always. But if you need the money from your sale to pay for your next home, the two have to happen together. That is why most people in your position exchange contracts on both on the same day. If your dates may not line up, tell us early and we will explain where that leaves you.
Will my sale and purchase complete on the same day?
Usually, yes. The completion dates are agreed with everyone in the chain before exchange and become fixed at exchange. If they cannot match, we explain what that means for you before you commit.
What happens if my buyer pulls out?
Until contracts are exchanged, anyone in the chain can withdraw. If your buyer pulls out, we tell you straight away and talk you through where that leaves your purchase. Once contracts are exchanged, both sides are legally bound.
Can you act for me and my mortgage lender?
We can if your lender has us on its approved list (its panel). One firm then does the legal work for both of you. We check your lender when we quote.
What's the difference between exchange and completion?
Exchange is when the contracts become binding and the completion date is set. Completion is the day the money goes through on both sides: you hand over the keys to your old home and collect the keys to your new one.
I am selling a leasehold flat. Does anything change?
Yes. The freeholder or managing agent charges for a pack of information about the building. They set that price, not us, so it is not part of our quote. Our own leasehold work is an additional fixed fee, shown in your quote before you instruct us.
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