South East -- Property Law
Conveyancing Solicitors in Reading: £900 to £2,300
Updated July 2026. Typical conveyancing solicitor fees in Reading 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 Reading 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 Reading
The legal fee rises with the property price and complexity. These worked totals use Reading 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 | £1,152 | £300 | £100 | £1,612 |
| £400,000 | £1,740 | £300 | £150 | £2,250 |
| £750,000 | £2,760 | £300 | £295 | £3,415 |
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 Reading
| 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 |
Reading is one of the largest commercial-law centres outside London, with significant offices for Pinsent Masons, Osborne Clarke, Field Fisher, and Mills and Reeve. Property values in the Reading-Maidenhead-Slough corridor are pulled up by the commuter economy, which lifts conveyancing fees toward the top of the National 1 band.
Reading 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 Reading high street firm. Where a local Reading 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 Reading
The SRA register lists 58 authorised firms with a practising office in Reading, of which 25 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 (RG1 2LU) are below, ordered by straight-line distance; there is no ranking, rating or sponsorship.
| Firm | Office | Distance | Authorised | Prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harrisons Thames Valley Solicitors LLP Wills and trustsResidential property | Reading RG1 7SB Head office · Reading | 100 m | Recognised body since 2013 | Price page harrisonssolicitors.com |
| Rowberry Morris Thames Valley LLP Residential propertyWills and trusts | Reading RG1 7SB Head office · Reading | 100 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Price page rowberrymorris.co.uk |
| Field Seymour Parkes LLP Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Reading RG1 4PN Head office · Reading | 400 m | Licensed body since 2026 | Firm website fsp-law.com |
| Hewetts Law Limited Wills and trustsProbateResidential property | Reading RG1 4PS Head office · Reading | 400 m | Recognised body since 2014 | Price page hewetts.co.uk |
| Johnsons Solicitors Limited Wills and trustsResidential property | Reading RG1 4SJ Head office · Reading | 400 m | Recognised body since 2012 | Firm website johnsons-law.co.uk |
| Parfitt Cresswell Limited ProbateWills and trustsResidential property | Reading RG1 1SN Branch · Reading | 400 m | Licensed body since 2023 | Firm website parfittcresswell.com |
| Platinum Solicitors Ltd Residential property | Reading RG1 2QP Head office · Reading | 400 m | Licensed body since 2026 | Price page platinumsolicitors.co.uk |
| Blandy & Blandy LLP Wills and trustsResidential property | Reading RG1 1DA Head office · Reading | 500 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website blandy.co.uk |
| Dexter Montague LLP Residential propertyWills and trustsProbate | Reading RG1 7UD Head office · Reading | 500 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website dextermontague.co.uk |
| E J Winter & Son LLP Residential propertyProbateWills and trusts | Reading RG1 3BB Head office · Reading | 500 m | Recognised body since 2011 | Firm website ejwinter.co.uk |
| Gateley PLC Residential property | Reading RG1 3BB Branch · Reading | 500 m | Licensed body since 2015 | Price page gateleyplc.com |
| Herrington Carmichael LLP Wills and trustsResidential propertyProbate | Reading RG1 1NR Branch · Reading | 500 m | Licensed body since 2022 | Firm website herrington-carmichael.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: Reading (25).
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 Reading?
Typically £900 to £2,300 plus VAT for a purchase, and £740 to £1,790 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 Reading 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 Reading solicitor you can phone is often worth the extra. Get three quotes and compare the full total.
How long does conveyancing take in Reading?
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 Reading?
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.