Conveyancing costs reached all-time high in Q1 2025

Race to beat Stamp Duty deadline drove fierce demand and competition for services

  • The cost of conveyancing increased by 11.9% between Q1 2024 and Q1 2025
  • Home movers (buying and selling) now pay a total of £2,434 – a record high
  • Costs increased by 2.2% in Q1 2025 compared to the previous quarter
  • Adjusted for inflation, conveyancing costs grew by 1.6% in the last quarter and 8.8% annually
  • 10 out of 12 UK regions saw quarterly price rises, the highest being in the North East (+6.5%)

The cost of conveyancing rose by 11.9% in the first quarter of this year, following growth of 16% in the final quarter of 2024, as homebuyer rushed to meet the Stamp Duty deadline. Analysis of almost 59,000 conveyancing quotes on home mover comparison site reallymoving shows that fierce competition for conveyancing services drove prices to a record high of £2,434 in Q1 2025, amid fierce competition for legal services.

The Conveyancing Costs Index aims to keep the property industry informed of average prices being paid for legal services by home movers across the country and how they are changing over time. The costs published include expenses and disbursements, for combined sale and purchase. With historical data going back to 2018, the latest figures are also updated monthly on reallymoving’s live Conveyancing Price Index webpage.

In real terms, conveyancing cost increases outpaced inflation by 1.6% quarter on quarter, and by 8.8% year on year, growing to £1,874.

Regional Conveyancing Costs

During the first quarter of this year, the cost of conveyancing increased in every region of the UK apart from the South West and Yorkshire & the Humber, which saw quarterly falls of 2.6% and 0.4% respectively. Price growth was otherwise strong across the board, with the largest increases in the North East (+6.5%) and Northern Ireland (+6.2%). In London, conveyancing costs rose +1.5% compared to Q4 2024.

 

 

Rob Houghton, co-founder and CEO of reallymoving, said:

“The conveyancing industry is breathing a sigh of relief after working flat out for six months leading up to the stamp duty deadline. This surge in demand, combined with the pressure of time-sensitive transactions and the fact that many firms are currently understaffed, pushed the cost of conveyancing to record levels – but this growth may not be sustainable long-term if buyer demand softens.”

Kindly shared by reallymoving Picture courtesy of Adobe