Online Conveyancing Explained

Online conveyancing is the process of handling the legal transfer of property ownership through a digital platform rather than visiting a solicitor's office in person. An online conveyancer or solicitor carries out exactly the same legal work as a high street firm, including title checks, property searches, contract preparation and Land Registry registration. The difference is purely in how the service is delivered.

With online conveyancing in the UK, you typically receive your quote and instruct your conveyancer through a website. Documents are shared via a secure online portal, identity verification happens digitally, and communication takes place through email, phone and video calls rather than face-to-face meetings. Your case is still managed by a qualified solicitor or licensed conveyancer regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC).

Around 70% of conveyancing transactions in the UK now involve some form of digital communication, according to industry estimates. This shift accelerated during 2020 and has continued as both firms and clients recognised the efficiency gains. Online conveyancers handle the full range of transactions, from straightforward freehold purchases and sales to remortgages and leasehold transfers.

The legal obligations remain identical regardless of delivery method. Your conveyancer must still carry out local authority searches, environmental searches and title checks. They must still hold your deposit in a regulated client account, manage the exchange of contracts and register the transfer with HM Land Registry. Understanding the conveyancing process helps you see that online delivery simply removes the need for in-person appointments without reducing the scope of legal protection.

Choosing between an online conveyancer, a local solicitor and handling conveyancing yourself depends on your transaction type, budget and how much hands-on support you need. Each route has distinct strengths, and the right choice varies by situation.

Online conveyancers typically charge fixed fees between £500 and £1,200 plus disbursements for a standard freehold purchase. Local high street solicitors tend to charge £800 to £1,800 for comparable work, though you get the option of face-to-face meetings and a single named solicitor handling your file from start to finish. DIY conveyancing is technically possible for unregistered freehold properties with no mortgage, but lenders will not accept it, and most buyers lack the legal knowledge to manage searches, requisitions and Land Registry applications safely.

Online firms excel at straightforward transactions where speed and cost matter most. They process higher volumes, which can mean faster turnaround on standard cases, with many quoting 8 to 12 weeks for a freehold purchase. Local solicitors may be better suited to complex transactions involving leasehold properties, new builds or properties with title defects, where direct access to your solicitor can resolve issues more quickly.

If you are weighing up a licensed conveyancer vs solicitor, both are qualified to handle residential property transfers. The key difference is that solicitors can also advise on related legal matters such as boundary disputes or trust arrangements. Before committing, get comparable quotes from at least three providers and use a conveyancing calculator to estimate your total costs including disbursements and third-party fees.

Understanding online conveyancing costs requires separating two components: the conveyancer's legal fees and the conveyancing disbursements paid to third parties. Legal fees cover the conveyancer's time, expertise and overheads. Disbursements are fixed costs such as search fees, Land Registry fees and bank transfer charges that apply regardless of which firm you use.

For a freehold purchase at £300,000 in 2026, a typical online conveyancer charges £600 to £900 in legal fees. Add approximately £300 to £450 in standard disbursements, and your total conveyancing cost sits between £900 and £1,350. Leasehold purchases add £200 to £350 to the legal fee to cover the additional work of reviewing the lease, checking service charges and contacting the freeholder's managing agent. New build transactions also attract a supplement of £150 to £300.

Remortgage conveyancing is generally cheaper because fewer searches are required and no transfer of ownership takes place. Online remortgage conveyancing fees typically range from £300 to £600 plus a reduced set of disbursements.

Most online conveyancers offer no sale no fee conveyancing terms, meaning you pay nothing in legal fees if your purchase or sale falls through before exchange of contracts. This can save you £500 to £1,000 if a chain collapses, though some firms exclude disbursement costs from this guarantee.

The worked example below breaks down costs by transaction type through an online conveyancer. Understanding each component helps you compare online conveyancing fees across providers accurately and spot any hidden charges before you commit.

Online conveyancing is regulated to exactly the same standard as traditional high street services. Every online conveyancer must be authorised by either the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC), both of which set strict rules on client money handling, professional indemnity insurance and complaints procedures.

The primary safety concern with any conveyancing, whether online or offline, is fraud. Friday afternoon fraud, where criminals intercept email communications and redirect completion funds to fraudulent bank accounts, affects both online and traditional firms. In 2024, the SRA reported over £45 million lost to this type of fraud across the profession.

To protect yourself when using an online conveyancer, follow this checklist.

Verify regulation status: check your conveyancer's registration on the SRA or CLC website before sending any money. Look for CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) accreditation from the Law Society, which indicates additional compliance standards.

Confirm bank details by phone: never change payment details based on an email alone. Call your conveyancer on a number you have independently verified to confirm account details before transferring funds.

Use the firm's secure portal: upload documents and share sensitive information through the encrypted client portal rather than by email. Check that the portal URL uses HTTPS and matches the firm's registered domain.

Report suspicious contact immediately: if you receive unexpected emails requesting changes to bank details or asking for urgent payments, contact your conveyancer directly and report the incident to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Selecting the right online conveyancer requires checking more than just the headline fee. A low online conveyancing quote that leads to delays or poor communication costs you more in the long run through missed deadlines, chain complications and additional stress. Use these criteria when choosing a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer online.

Regulation and accreditation: confirm SRA or CLC registration and look for CQS membership, which signals the firm meets the Law Society's conveyancing quality standards.

Fee transparency: the quote should itemise legal fees separately from disbursements. Watch for hidden extras such as file management fees or archive charges that inflate the final bill.

No sale no fee terms: check whether disbursements are included or excluded from the guarantee. Some firms refund all costs if the sale falls through, while others only refund their legal fees.

Communication channels: confirm how you will contact your conveyancer. The best online conveyancing solicitors offer a named case handler, a direct phone number and portal-based messaging with clear response time commitments.

Reviews and track record: read recent reviews on Trustpilot and Google. Look specifically for comments about communication quality and completion timelines rather than just star ratings.

Turnaround guarantees: some firms offer timeline commitments or compensation if they cause avoidable delays. Ask about average completion times for your transaction type before instructing.

Not every property transaction is equally suited to online conveyancing. Straightforward freehold purchases and sales work well through online firms because the legal process follows a predictable pattern with limited scope for complications. Remortgages are also well suited, as they involve fewer searches and no chain.

Leasehold transactions require more careful consideration. Your conveyancer needs to review the lease terms, check ground rent and service charge arrangements, and contact the freeholder or managing agent for a leasehold information pack. This adds complexity and cost. While online conveyancers can handle leasehold conveyancing, you should confirm the firm has specific leasehold experience and ask how they manage communication with managing agents.

New build conveyancing presents similar considerations. Developer contracts often contain non-standard terms, and completion timelines depend on build schedules rather than chain readiness. Look for an online conveyancer with new build experience and ask whether they routinely handle the developer's standard contract pack.

Shared ownership transactions involve additional legal work around the housing association lease and staircasing provisions. Some online firms decline shared ownership cases, so check eligibility before requesting a quote.

For any transaction involving title defects, boundary disputes or unregistered land, a local solicitor with face-to-face availability may provide a smoother experience. Matching the right service to your transaction type is more valuable than choosing based on price alone.

Throughout your transaction, your online conveyancer manages a significant volume of legal documentation on your behalf. Understanding what to expect at each stage helps you stay organised and respond to requests promptly, keeping your transaction moving toward completion without unnecessary delays.

When buying a property, your conveyancer receives and reviews the draft contract, property information form (TA6), fittings and contents form (TA10), title deeds and any supplementary documentation such as planning permissions, building regulation certificates or indemnity policies. For leasehold properties, add the lease itself, service charge accounts, ground rent demands and a management information pack from the freeholder or their managing agent.

Your conveyancer also generates documents for you to review and sign. These include the mortgage deed (if applicable), transfer deed (TR1), stamp duty land tax return and a completion statement showing the final breakdown of all payments due on completion day. Most online firms handle signatures electronically through their portal, though certain documents such as the transfer deed may still require wet ink signatures witnessed in person or via video.

On the seller's side, your conveyancer prepares the contract pack, responds to buyer enquiries, obtains redemption statements from existing mortgage lenders and arranges for the transfer deed to be executed. After completion, they submit the stamp duty return to HMRC within 14 days and the transfer application to HM Land Registry to register the new owner, completing the legal process.