East of England -- Property Law
Conveyancing Solicitors in Cambridge: £900 to £2,300
Updated July 2026. Typical conveyancing solicitor fees in Cambridge for buying and selling a home in 2026, with worked cost examples by property price, the disbursements you pay on top, and how to find a regulated local conveyancer.
A conveyancing solicitor in Cambridge handles the legal transfer of a property: checking the title, running searches, raising and answering enquiries, exchanging contracts, and registering the sale with the Land Registry. Your bill has two parts: the solicitor's legal fee (plus 20 per cent VAT) and disbursements (third-party costs the solicitor pays on your behalf and recharges). Buyers also pay Stamp Duty Land Tax separately.
Worked cost examples in Cambridge
The legal fee rises with the property price and complexity. These worked totals use Cambridge rates for a standard freehold purchase, including VAT, searches, and the Land Registry fee. Leasehold, new-build, and shared-ownership purchases add supplements.
| Purchase price | Legal fee (inc VAT) | Searches | Land Registry | Typical total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £200,000 | £1,152 | £300 | £100 | £1,612 |
| £400,000 | £1,740 | £300 | £150 | £2,250 |
| £750,000 | £2,760 | £300 | £295 | £3,415 |
Totals exclude Stamp Duty Land Tax, which buyers pay separately to HMRC. Selling costs less as there are fewer searches and no SDLT.
Disbursements you pay on top in Cambridge
| Disbursement | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Local authority searches | £200-£350 | Set by the local council, not the solicitor |
| Land Registry fee | £20-£500 | Tiered by property value |
| Environmental + drainage searches | £90-£160 | Flood, contamination, water and sewerage |
| Bankruptcy + ID checks | £10-£25 | Anti-money-laundering and insolvency |
| Telegraphic transfer fee | £30-£50 | Sending completion funds |
| Leasehold supplement | £150-£300 | Leasehold flats only |
Cambridge's legal market mirrors Oxford's: technology and life-sciences commercial work serving the local spin-out economy, plus high-end private-client work. Hewitsons, Mills and Reeve, and Taylor Vinters are major local firms. Property values are amongst the highest in the East of England.
Cambridge solicitor vs online conveyancer
For a straightforward chain-free freehold purchase, a national online conveyancer regulated by the SRA or CLC is often 30 to 40 per cent cheaper than a Cambridge high street firm. Where a local Cambridge solicitor earns their higher fee is on complex or time-critical work: leasehold flats with short leases, new-builds with developer deadlines, fragile chains, or any local title quirk where a name you can phone beats an online portal. Compare the full quoted total for your specific transaction, not the advertised starting price. See our online vs high street comparison for the full trade-offs.
SRA-regulated conveyancing firms in Cambridge
The SRA register lists 54 authorised firms with a practising office in Cambridge, of which 17 told the SRA in their last annual return that they deliver residential property work. Under the SRA Transparency Rules each of them must publish its conveyancing prices on its own website. The 12 nearest to the city centre (CB2 3QJ) are below, ordered by straight-line distance; there is no ranking, rating or sponsorship.
| Firm | Office | Distance | Authorised | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barr Ellison LLP ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Cambridge CB1 1PN Head office · Cambridge | 700 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page barrellison.co.uk |
| Crossmans Mta Solicitors LLP Residential property | Cambridge CB1 1BG Head office · Cambridge | 900 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website crossmansmtasolicitors.com |
| Poole Alcock LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Cambridge CB1 1BH Branch · Cambridge | 900 m | Licensed body since 2020 | Price page poolealcock.co.uk |
| Howes Percival LLP Residential propertyWills and trustsProbate | Cambridge CB2 1NL Branch · Cambridge | 1.0 km | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page howespercival.com |
| Stone King LLP ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Cambridge CB2 1GE Branch · Cambridge | 1.0 km | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page stoneking.co.uk |
| Thomson Webb & Corfield LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Cambridge CB2 1HE Head office · Cambridge | 1.0 km | Recognised body since 2016 | Price page twclaw.co.uk |
| Stanley Tee LLP ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Cambridge CB3 0AY Branch · Cambridge | 1.1 km | Licensed body since 2013 | Price page teeslaw.com |
| Ashtons Legal LLP ProbateWills and trustsResidential property | Cambridge CB5 8EU Branch · Cambridge | 1.2 km | Licensed body since 2023 | Firm website ashtonslegal.co.uk |
| Birketts LLP ProbateWills and trustsResidential property | Cambridge CB1 2JD Branch · Cambridge | 1.5 km | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page birketts.co.uk |
| Irwin Mitchell LLP Wills and trustsResidential property | Cambridge CB1 2JD Branch · Cambridge | 1.5 km | Licensed body since 2012 | Price page irwinmitchell.com |
| Michelmores LLP Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Cambridge CB1 2JD Branch · Cambridge | 1.5 km | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website michelmores.com |
| Mills & Reeve LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Cambridge CB2 1PH Branch · Cambridge | 1.5 km | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website mills-reeve.com |
Distances are straight-line from the city centre postcode to the firm's nearest office. "Since" is the SRA authorisation year. Areas of law are those each firm reported to the SRA in its annual return.
Full lists by district: Cambridge (17).
All SRA-regulated firms by town ->
solicitorcost.com includes data supplied by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
FAQ
How much does a conveyancing solicitor cost in Cambridge?
Typically £900 to £2,300 plus VAT for a purchase, and £740 to £1,790 plus VAT for a sale, plus disbursements: searches (£200 to £350), Land Registry (£20 to £500), and ID and bankruptcy checks (around £20). Buyers pay Stamp Duty Land Tax separately.
Can I use an online conveyancer instead of a Cambridge solicitor?
Yes. For a standard chain-free freehold purchase an SRA or CLC regulated online conveyancer is usually 30 to 40 per cent cheaper. For leasehold, new-build, or a complication, a local Cambridge solicitor you can phone is often worth the extra. Get three quotes and compare the full total.
How long does conveyancing take in Cambridge?
Around 8 to 12 weeks with no chain, or 12 to 16 weeks in a chain, the same as the rest of England and Wales. The pace is set by searches, the other side's responsiveness, and the chain, not by the city. See our conveyancing timeline.
How do I find a conveyancing solicitor in Cambridge?
Start with the SRA-regulated firms listed above, each linked to the conveyancing prices it must publish, or browse every SRA-authorised firm by town. Check the firm on the SRA register, get three written quotes, and confirm each is a fixed fee listing every disbursement.