East Midlands -- Property Law
Conveyancing Solicitors in Leicester: £650 to £1,600
Updated July 2026. Typical conveyancing solicitor fees in Leicester 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 Leicester 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 Leicester
The legal fee rises with the property price and complexity. These worked totals use Leicester 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 | £828 | £300 | £100 | £1,288 |
| £400,000 | £1,224 | £300 | £150 | £1,734 |
| £750,000 | £1,920 | £300 | £295 | £2,575 |
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 Leicester
| 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 |
Leicester's legal sector is dominated by regional firms (Shoosmiths, Howes Percival) and a strong high-street base. Property values and conveyancing fees sit in line with the East Midlands average.
Leicester 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 Leicester high street firm. Where a local Leicester 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 Leicester
The SRA register lists 108 authorised firms with a practising office in Leicester, of which 45 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 (LE1 9BG) are below, ordered by straight-line distance; there is no ranking, rating or sponsorship.
| Firm | Office | Distance | Authorised | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCB Solicitors LTD Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 6AS Branch · Leicester | same postcode | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website hcbgroup.com |
| Excello Law Limited Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 6DP Branch · Leicester | 100 m | Licensed body since 2022 | Firm website 458law.co.uk |
| Salusbury Harding & Barlow LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 5JT Head office · Leicester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2011 | on request |
| SHB Solicitors Limited Residential propertyWills and trustsProbate | Leicester LE1 5JT Head office · Leicester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2014 | Price page shbsolicitors.co.uk |
| Crystal Law Limited Wills and trustsResidential property | Leicester LE1 1LA Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2014 | Price page crystallaw.co.uk |
| Dodds Solicitors LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Leicester LE1 5RA Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website dodds-solicitors.co.uk |
| Douglas Wemyss Solicitors LLP ProbateResidential property | Leicester LE1 5RA Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website d-w-s.co.uk |
| Johnson Astills Limited Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 6RU Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Licensed body since 2025 | Price page johnsonastills.com |
| Philip J Hammond & Sons Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 5QX Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website pjhammond.com |
| Rich & Carr Limited ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Leicester LE1 1RD Head office · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2015 | Firm website richandcarr.co.uk |
| Wilson Browne LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Leicester LE1 5PS Branch · Leicester | 300 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page wilsonbrowne.co.uk |
| Cartwright King Solicitors Ltd Residential property | Leicester LE1 1QZ Branch · Leicester | 400 m | Licensed body since 2020 | Firm website cartwrightking.co.uk |
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: Leicester (45).
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 Leicester?
Typically £650 to £1,600 plus VAT for a purchase, and £530 to £1,250 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 Leicester 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 Leicester solicitor you can phone is often worth the extra. Get three quotes and compare the full total.
How long does conveyancing take in Leicester?
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 Leicester?
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.