The cost of conveyancing services rose modestly in the first quarter of 2026, although prices remain broadly unchanged compared with a year earlier.

The average price paid by home movers for conveyancing increased by 2.8% between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026, according to analysis of more than 86,000 quotes. The rise follows a weaker final quarter last year, when activity slowed ahead of the Autumn Budget.

Despite the quarterly uplift, annual growth remains subdued at just 0.1%, indicating that fees have largely plateaued over the past 12 months.

Home movers undertaking both a sale and purchase now pay an average of £2,440 including VAT for conveyancing services, covering legal work as well as associated expenses and disbursements.

REGIONAL VARIATION EMERGES

Costs increased across most parts of the UK in Q1, with nine of 12 regions recording quarterly rises as transaction levels picked up.

Scotland saw the largest increase, with fees rising by 12.4%, followed by the North West at 6.5% and the North East at 5.7%. In contrast, parts of the Midlands and Wales continued to experience softer demand, limiting price growth.

The figures suggest that regional transaction activity remains a key driver of pricing, with stronger markets in the north seeing more upward pressure on fees.

REAL TERMS DECLINE CONTINUES

With inflation currently running at around 3%, conveyancing fees have effectively fallen in real terms over the past year, placing additional pressure on firms.

Rob Houghton, founder and ceo of reallymoving, said: “The market is stabilising after a difficult final quarter of 2025, but not yet delivering the kind of growth conveyancers need.

“A modest quarterly uplift is welcome, but annual growth is currently flat and when adjusted for inflation, conveyancing costs have fallen in real terms.

“This means conveyancers are effectively earning less per transaction in real terms than a year ago.”

He added that firms are facing increasing cost pressures across compliance, technology, staffing and overheads, while fee levels have not kept pace.

Houghton said: “Firms are facing rising costs on multiple fronts, from compliance and tech to overheads and staff, yet fees are not keeping pace, which is eating into already slim margins.

“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.”

He noted that this behaviour differs from other home moving services, where price tends to play a more decisive role.

“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.”