North West -- Property Law
Conveyancing Solicitors in Manchester: £700 to £1,800
Updated July 2026. Typical conveyancing solicitor fees in Manchester 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 Manchester 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 Manchester
The legal fee rises with the property price and complexity. These worked totals use Manchester 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 | £900 | £300 | £100 | £1,360 |
| £400,000 | £1,356 | £300 | £150 | £1,866 |
| £750,000 | £2,160 | £300 | £295 | £2,815 |
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 Manchester
| 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 |
Manchester has a substantial commercial-law presence (Eversheds Sutherland, Pinsent Masons, Addleshaw Goddard all have major Manchester offices) where private-market rates can exceed the National 2 GHR. For consumer-facing work (conveyancing, family, wills, personal injury), high-street and online firms compete aggressively and the GHR is a reasonable working benchmark.
Manchester 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 Manchester high street firm. Where a local Manchester 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 Manchester
The SRA register lists 461 authorised firms with a practising office in Manchester, of which 143 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 (M2 5DB) are below, ordered by straight-line distance; there is no ranking, rating or sponsorship.
| Firm | Office | Distance | Authorised | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nexus Solicitors Limited Residential property | Manchester M2 5PE Head office · Manchester | 100 m | Licensed body since 2014 | Price page nexussolicitors.co.uk |
| Trowers & Hamlins LLP Residential propertyProbate | Manchester M2 4EW Branch · Manchester | 100 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website trowers.com |
| Athena Solicitors LLP Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Manchester M2 4DU Head office · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2014 | Price page athlaw.co.uk |
| BB Legal Limited Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Manchester M2 2EE Head office · Manchester | 200 m | Licensed body since 2017 | Firm website birchallblackburn.co.uk |
| Boote Edgar Esterkin Limited Residential property | Manchester M2 6XX Head office · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2013 | Firm website bootes.co.uk |
| CKE Law Limited Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Manchester M2 4LQ Head office · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2020 | Firm website ckelaw.com |
| Clarke Willmott LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Manchester M2 2BY Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page clarkewillmott.com |
| Gateley PLC Residential property | Manchester M2 4WU Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Licensed body since 2015 | Price page gateleyplc.com |
| Gunnercooke LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Manchester M2 4PD Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Licensed body since 2013 | Price page gunnercooke.com |
| HF Limited Residential property | Manchester M2 4LQ Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Licensed body since 2021 | Firm website h-f.co.uk |
| Hill Dickinson LLP ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Manchester M2 5WD Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page hilldickinson.com |
| Howes Percival LLP Residential propertyWills and trustsProbate | Manchester M3 3WR Branch · Manchester | 200 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page howespercival.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: Manchester (120), Salford (26).
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 Manchester?
Typically £700 to £1,800 plus VAT for a purchase, and £570 to £1,400 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 Manchester 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 Manchester solicitor you can phone is often worth the extra. Get three quotes and compare the full total.
How long does conveyancing take in Manchester?
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 Manchester?
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.