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Remortgage legal fees: do you need a solicitor, and what does it cost?

When a remortgage needs a solicitor or conveyancer, how lenders' free legal packages work, and what a remortgage quote should include across the UK.

By the Compare Legal team · Updated · 3 min read

If you're moving your mortgage to a new lender, someone has to do the legal work: paying off the old mortgage and registering the new lender's charge against your home. It's simpler than buying a house, and often cheaper, but there are a few choices that affect what you pay.

Do you need a solicitor at all?

Not if you're staying with your lender. A product transfer, where you move to a new deal with your existing lender, usually needs no legal work, because the lender's charge is already registered.

Yes if you're switching lenders. The new lender needs its mortgage registered against your property, and the old mortgage paid off and removed. A solicitor or licensed conveyancer does this, usually acting for both you and the new lender.

Many lenders offer "free legals" on a remortgage, using a firm from their own panel, or offer cashback towards your costs instead. Free legals can be good value for a straightforward remortgage. Before you accept, check:

  • What isn't covered. Free packages usually cover the standard work only. Extras, such as a transfer of equity or a leasehold property, are often charged separately.
  • The service. Panel firms handle high volumes. If you'd rather have a named contact or a local firm, paying a modest fee may be worth it.
  • Whether a better rate comes without free legals. Sometimes the deal with no extras has a lower interest rate that saves more over the term than the legal fee.

What a remortgage quote should include

  • The legal fee for acting for you and the lender
  • VAT at 20% on the fee
  • Registration fees for the new lender's charge at the land register
  • Searches or search insurance. Many lenders accept insurance instead of full searches on a remortgage, which is cheaper and quicker.
  • Identity checks and a bank transfer fee

Ask whether the old lender charges a fee to close your mortgage account, as that comes from your own funds, not the new lender's.

Remortgaging and changing who owns the home

If someone is being added to or removed from the title at the same time, for example after a marriage or a separation, that's a transfer of equity. It means extra work and a higher fee. Depending on the amount of mortgage debt taken on, it can also mean paying property transaction tax, so ask your conveyancer to check before you go ahead.

How it differs across the UK

  • England and Wales: the new mortgage is registered at HM Land Registry.
  • Scotland: a mortgage is called a standard security and is registered with Registers of Scotland. Your solicitor must be qualified in Scots law.
  • Northern Ireland: the mortgage is registered at Land Registry NI, or in the Registry of Deeds for unregistered titles, which can take longer. Your solicitor must be qualified in Northern Ireland.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a remortgage take?

Usually 3 to 5 weeks once the lender has made its mortgage offer, longer if there's a transfer of equity or an unregistered title.

Often, for a simple remortgage. Compare the total cost, including any extras and the interest rate on the deal, rather than the legal fee alone.

Do I pay stamp duty when I remortgage?

Not on a straightforward remortgage. A transfer of equity can trigger it, depending on the share of the mortgage the new owner takes on.

Sources

This guide is general information about the law and fees at the date shown, not legal advice for your situation. Rates and court fees change, so check the official sources linked above or ask a solicitor before you rely on a figure.

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