The average cost of conveyancing is now £2,440, up nearly 3% since the previous quarter, figures have shown.
However, figures remain flat year-on-year, with annual growth of just 0.1% since the first quarter of 2025.
Conveyancing costs rose across most of the UK in Q1 2026, with nine out of 12 regions seeing quarterly increases as activity picked up following a subdued end to last year.
Rob Houghton from comparison site Reallymoving, which delivered the figures, said the market was “stabilising after a difficult final quarter of 2025, but not yet delivering the kind of growth conveyancers need.”
Ha added that when inflation was taken into account, conveyancing costs have fallen in real terms.
“This means conveyancers are effectively earning less per transaction in real terms than a year ago,” he said.
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The average price for conveyancing is made up of £1,520 of purchase fees and £920 of sales fees.
Service matters
Houghton said that, although conveyancing costs had only risen modestly, visitors to the Reallymoving site were motivated by factors other than price.
He continued: “We can see from our data that while price is certainly a key factor in decision-making, only 40% of customers using Reallymoving opt for the cheapest quote. The majority choose to pay more for good reviews and ratings, specific service features such as a live app or portal, or just a better sales process.
“In comparison, for surveys and removals, around 50% of customers opt for the cheapest quote, highlighting that service carries extra weight in conveyancing. Firms that can consistently deliver a high-quality service while investing in technology are best placed for growth in the current market.”
Regional disparity
Scotland saw the highest price rises for conveyancing, up 12.4% quarterly, while the North West (6.5%) and the North East (5.7%) also saw rises. Reallymoving said this reflected stronger underlying transactions in these areas, while parts of the Midlands and Wales continue to see softer demand.
Houghton said that firms were facing rising costs in all areas – from compliance and tech to overheads and staff – meaning that their “already slim margins” were being eaten into as fees are not rising.
The price change comes as the government digests responses to its consultation on the house buying and selling process. The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives suggested suggested a review of fees so firms would not over-commit to high caseloads and make sure consumers continue to receive good service.