West Midlands -- Property Law
Conveyancing Solicitors in Birmingham: £700 to £1,700
Updated July 2026. Typical conveyancing solicitor fees in Birmingham 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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham
The legal fee rises with the property price and complexity. These worked totals use Birmingham 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 | £888 | £300 | £100 | £1,348 |
| £400,000 | £1,308 | £300 | £150 | £1,818 |
| £750,000 | £2,040 | £300 | £295 | £2,695 |
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 Birmingham
| 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 |
Birmingham's legal sector is heavily commercial, with significant offices for DLA Piper, Eversheds, Pinsent Masons, and Gowling. Consumer-facing solicitor work is concentrated in Edgbaston, the city centre, and Solihull. Private rates for senior partners in the city's commercial firms can exceed the £288 GHR Grade A figure, particularly for corporate, property, and dispute resolution work.
Birmingham 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 Birmingham high street firm. Where a local Birmingham 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 Birmingham
The SRA register lists 405 authorised firms with a practising office in Birmingham, of which 150 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 (B1 1BB) are below, ordered by straight-line distance; there is no ranking, rating or sponsorship.
| Firm | Office | Distance | Authorised | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRM Legal Limited Wills and trustsResidential property | Birmingham B3 3AG Head office · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2020 | Price page brmlegal.co.uk |
| Browne Jacobson LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2026 | Firm website brownejacobson.com |
| MFG Solicitors LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Birmingham B2 5TB Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page mfgsolicitors.com |
| Riverside Legal Services Limited Residential property | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Recognised body since 2015 | Firm website msrs.co.uk |
| RLK Solicitors Limited ProbateWills and trustsResidential property | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website rlksolicitors.com |
| RLL Legal LTD Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Birmingham B3 3AS Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2025 | Firm website rll-legal.com |
| Shoosmiths LLP Residential property | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Recognised body since 2012 | Firm website shoosmiths.com |
| Spencer West LLP Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2021 | Price page spencer-west.com |
| Talbots Law LTD Residential propertyWills and trustsProbate | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2013 | Price page talbotslaw.co.uk |
| Weightmans LLP ProbateResidential propertyWills and trusts | Birmingham B3 3AG Branch · Birmingham | 100 m | Licensed body since 2013 | Price page weightmans.com |
| Davies and Partners Solicitors Limited Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Birmingham B1 2AJ Branch · Birmingham | 200 m | Recognised body since 2016 | Price page daviesandpartners.com |
| Davisons Solicitors Limited ProbateWills and trustsResidential property | Birmingham B3 2AP Branch · Birmingham | 200 m | Licensed body since 2020 | Firm website qualitysolicitors.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: Birmingham (150).
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 Birmingham?
Typically £700 to £1,700 plus VAT for a purchase, and £570 to £1,330 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 Birmingham 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 Birmingham solicitor you can phone is often worth the extra. Get three quotes and compare the full total.
How long does conveyancing take in Birmingham?
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 Birmingham?
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.