How to find out what a solicitor will charge
For common services such as conveyancing and probate, regulated firms in England and Wales have been required to publish prices on their websites since December 2018. In practice, our scan finds price information on only a small minority of firm websites: the current figure is on the statistics page. Here is where to look, and what to ask when the numbers are not there.
1. Check the firm's website first
Look for a page called something like "Pricing", "Our fees", "Costs" or "Price transparency", often linked from the footer or from the page describing the service. The price transparency rules cover residential conveyancing, uncontested probate, motoring offences, immigration applications (excluding asylum), and employment tribunal claims for unfair or wrongful dismissal, plus debt recovery, tribunal defence and licensing for businesses.
A published price section should tell you six things: the total cost (or an average or range and how charges are worked out), what the price includes and excludes, likely disbursements such as search fees or court fees, whether VAT is included, the key stages and how long they typically take, and who will do the work and their experience.
2. If the website shows nothing, ask, and expect an answer
Firms without a website must provide the same price information on request, and any firm should be able to tell you what a matter will cost before you commit. A short email works:
"Please send me your price information for [service]: the total cost or a range, the basis for your charges, what is excluded, the likely disbursements, whether VAT is included, and who would handle the matter."
A clear answer is a good sign. Reluctance to put numbers in writing before you commit is a reason to compare other firms; for larger matters, quotes from two or three firms are normal and firms expect it.
3. Read the quote like a lawyer would
- Fixed fee or hourly rate: a fixed fee moves the risk of extra hours to the firm; an hourly rate needs an estimate of total hours in writing.
- Disbursements are costs the firm passes on (searches, court fees, ID checks). They are often quoted separately and can add hundreds of pounds.
- Check whether quoted figures include VAT at 20%. A price that looks lower than everyone else's sometimes just excludes it.
- Ask what happens if the matter aborts part-way, for example a house purchase that falls through.
Keep the quote and the client care letter. If the final bill lands far above them, the guide to challenging a solicitor's bill explains the two routes and the deadlines, which start running from the day the bill arrives.
4. See whether the firm publishes what the rules expect
You can check any firm's website free: our scanner reads the public pages and reports whether it found price information, the clickable SRA badge and complaints information. The transparency statistics show how firm websites across England and Wales compare on each item.
This guide is general information for England and Wales, not legal advice. Website findings are automated, come from public pages only, and are not a legal opinion.