Disbursements in Conveyancing: What Are They?

When you receive a conveyancing quote, you will usually see two separate figures: the solicitor's legal fee and a list of disbursements. The legal fee is straightforward — it is what your solicitor charges for their professional work. Disbursements are less well understood, and sellers are often surprised by what they include and how much they add to the final bill.

This guide explains exactly what disbursements are, which ones you pay as a seller, how they differ from legal fees, and what you should expect to see on your completion statement. If you want a broader view of every cost involved in selling, see our full conveyancing costs breakdown.

What are disbursements?

Disbursements are third-party costs that your solicitor or licensed conveyancer pays on your behalf during the property transaction. They are not fees for the solicitor's own work — they are charges levied by external organisations such as HM Land Registry, banks, and insurance providers.

The SRA Transparency Rules require regulated firms to list disbursements separately from their professional fee, so you can see clearly what you are paying for. Disbursements should be passed on at cost — your solicitor should not add a markup.

Think of disbursements as expenses your solicitor incurs while doing the job. Just as you might reimburse a builder for the cost of materials on top of their labour charge, you reimburse your solicitor for external costs on top of their legal fee.

Disbursements vs solicitor fees: what is the difference?

The distinction matters because it affects how you compare quotes, what is covered by a no sale no fee guarantee, and what appears on your completion statement. Here is a clear breakdown. For a deeper look at what the solicitor's fee itself covers, see our guide on solicitor fees for selling a house.

When comparing conveyancing quotes, always ask for the total cost including VAT and all disbursements. A headline fee of £600 plus VAT can easily become £1,100 or more once disbursements are added. Getting multiple conveyancing quotes makes it easier to spot this.

Which disbursements do sellers pay?

As a seller, you pay fewer disbursements than the buyer. The buyer covers property searches, Land Registry registration, and Stamp Duty Land Tax. Your disbursements are mainly administrative costs that your solicitor needs to process the sale. Here are the main ones:

Land Registry official copies

Your solicitor needs official copies of your title register and title plan from HM Land Registry to draft the contract of sale. Since the fee increase in December 2024 under the Land Registration Fee Order 2024, each document costs £7 — up from the previous £3. Most sellers need at least two copies (the title register and the title plan), costing a minimum of £14. If there are additional title entries, such as restrictive covenants filed on a separate register, your solicitor may need further copies. For more on Land Registry costs, see our guide on Land Registry fees when selling.

CHAPS bank transfer fees

On completion day, your solicitor uses CHAPS (Clearing House Automated Payment System) to transfer the net sale proceeds to your bank account. This is the same-day guaranteed payment system used for all property transactions in England and Wales. Each transfer costs £35 to £45 including VAT.

If you have an outstanding mortgage, your solicitor will make a second CHAPS payment to your lender to redeem it. That means you may pay for two transfers — one to your bank and one to your mortgage lender — totalling £70 to £90.

Anti-money laundering (AML) identity checks

Under the Money Laundering Regulations 2017, your solicitor is legally required to verify your identity before acting for you. This typically involves an electronic ID check costing £10 to £30 per person. If you are selling jointly with another person, each owner is checked separately. For two joint owners, that means £20 to £60 in total.

Indemnity insurance (if needed)

If there is a minor defect in your property's title — such as a missing building regulations sign-off for old extension work, an absent planning permission certificate, or an unresolved restrictive covenant issue — your solicitor may recommend an indemnity insurance policy rather than resolving the underlying problem. This is a one-off premium with no ongoing payments, typically costing £20 to £300 depending on the nature of the defect and the property value. The seller usually pays for this, though it is sometimes negotiated. Our guide on indemnity insurance: who pays explains when it applies and how costs are split.

Other possible seller disbursements

• Official search of the Land Charges Register: £2 per name — needed if the property is unregistered land (rare for most residential sales)
• Bankruptcy search (K16): £2 per person — some solicitors run this as standard to confirm no insolvency proceedings are registered against you
• Copy documents from third parties: Variable costs if your solicitor needs to obtain copies of planning permissions, building regulations certificates, or guarantees from local authorities or warranty providers

Complete disbursement cost table for sellers

Here is a summary of every disbursement a seller may face, with current costs for 2026:

For a typical freehold sale with one mortgage to redeem and two joint owners, total disbursements work out roughly as follows: £14 for Land Registry copies, £70 to £90 for two CHAPS transfers, and £20 to £60 for two ID checks. That gives a total of £104 to £164 — rising to £300 or more if indemnity insurance is needed.

Disbursements the buyer pays (not the seller)

It helps to understand which disbursements fall on the buyer's side, so you know what is not your responsibility. The buyer's solicitor typically pays for:

• Property searches — local authority, drainage, environmental, and chancel repair searches costing £250 to £400 in total. For a detailed breakdown, see our guide on how much property searches cost.
• Land Registry registration fee — the fee to register the buyer as the new owner, ranging from £20 to £305 depending on property value and submission method
• Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) — the government tax on the purchase, calculated based on the property price and the buyer's circumstances
• Buyer's AML and ID checks — the buyer pays for their own identity verification
• Search indemnity insurance (if applicable) — if the buyer's lender accepts an indemnity policy instead of certain searches

As a seller, you do not need to budget for any of these. However, if you choose to order property searches upfront to speed up the sale — an approach that can cut weeks off the timeline — those search costs become your disbursement. Pine helps sellers order searches at near-trade prices before listing, so they are ready to hand straight to the buyer's solicitor.

How disbursements appear on your completion statement

Your solicitor will prepare a completion statement before completion day. This is a financial summary showing the sale price, everything being deducted, and the net amount you will receive. Disbursements should be itemised line by line, so you can see exactly what each one is and how much it costs.

A typical seller's completion statement might look something like this:

If any disbursement is not clearly explained or seems higher than expected, ask your solicitor for a copy of the original invoice. You are entitled to see proof that disbursements have been charged at cost.

Disbursements and no sale no fee guarantees

If your solicitor offers a no sale no fee arrangement, it is important to understand that this guarantee almost always applies only to their professional legal fee. Disbursements already incurred — such as Land Registry copies and ID checks — are usually still payable even if the sale falls through.

In practice, the disbursements at risk are relatively small. If your sale collapses before completion, you might owe £30 to £80 in disbursements already paid by the solicitor. This is far less than the solicitor's legal fee, which could be £800 to £1,500 or more. Still, it is worth confirming the exact terms before you instruct. Ask: "If the sale falls through, what disbursements would I still need to pay?"

Leasehold disbursements: what extra costs apply?

If you are selling a leasehold property, you face additional disbursements on top of the standard items. The most significant is the leasehold management pack (also called the LPE1 form), which you must purchase from your freeholder or managing agent.

The Law Society guidance suggests a maximum of £200 plus VAT for the LPE1, but many managing agents charge £200 to £500 or more in practice. This pack provides details of service charges, ground rent, building insurance, planned major works, and any disputes — all of which the buyer's solicitor will need before exchange.

You may also face additional charges from the freeholder on completion:

• Notice of transfer fee: £100 to £250 — to update the freeholder's records with the new owner
• Deed of covenant fee: £100 to £200 — if the buyer must enter into a direct covenant with the freeholder
• Certificate of compliance fee: £50 to £100 — to confirm the sale has been completed properly

These leasehold-specific disbursements can add £300 to £800 to the total cost of selling. They are separate from the solicitor's own leasehold supplement (£200 to £400 plus VAT), which is part of the legal fee rather than a disbursement.

How to check your disbursements are fair

While disbursements are largely fixed third-party fees, it is still worth checking that everything on your bill is legitimate and correctly charged. Here is what to look for:

1. Ask for an itemised breakdown upfront. Your conveyancing quote should list every anticipated disbursement separately with an estimated cost. If a firm gives you a single "disbursements" figure without a breakdown, ask them to itemise it. The SRA Transparency Rules require regulated firms to provide this level of detail.
2. Cross-check Land Registry fees. Land Registry costs are published on GOV.UK and are the same for every solicitor. If you are being charged more than £7 per official copy, query it.
3. Question unexpected items. If a disbursement appears on your bill that was not on the original quote, ask why it was necessary and request the supporting invoice.
4. Compare the completion statement to your quote. Before completion, go through each line and check it matches what you were originally quoted. Small discrepancies can add up.
5. Check whether VAT applies. Some disbursements attract VAT and some do not. Land Registry official copies are exempt from VAT, but CHAPS bank transfer fees usually include VAT. Make sure VAT is applied correctly to each item.

Can you reduce your disbursement costs?

Disbursements are mostly fixed fees set by third parties, so there is less room to negotiate compared to solicitor fees. However, there are a few practical steps you can take:

• Confirm the number of Land Registry documents needed. Your solicitor may routinely order extra copies that are not strictly necessary. Ask which documents are essential for your sale.
• Ask about electronic ID checks. Electronic verification is usually cheaper than postal alternatives and is now accepted by most firms. If your solicitor still uses postal ID checks, the cost may be higher.
• Get indemnity insurance quotes compared. If your solicitor recommends an indemnity policy, they may be able to obtain quotes from different insurers. Premiums can vary significantly for the same cover.
• Prepare your paperwork thoroughly. Completing your property information forms fully and gathering supporting documents early means fewer follow-up requests — and potentially fewer additional disbursements for copy documents. Pine helps sellers get this preparation done before a buyer is even found.

Sources and further reading

• SRA Transparency Rules — Price and Service Information (Solicitors Regulation Authority)
• HM Land Registry — Registration Services Fees (GOV.UK)
• The Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (legislation.gov.uk)
• The Land Registration Fee Order 2024 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Conveyancing guidance (Law Society)
• Conveyancing Fees: What to Expect (HomeOwners Alliance)

Related guides

• Legal Pack Cost for Auction Sellers

Frequently asked questions