No sale, no fee conveyancing is a contractual agreement where a solicitor won't charge you for their legal services if a sale falls through. This helps to provide peace of mind that your finances are protected should anything go wrong with your property transaction.
However, you’ll still need to cover any costs already paid out to third parties on your behalf, such as conveyancing searches and bank transfer fees. These are sometimes requested as upfront payments.
Given that buying a home is an expensive and often stressful process, lowering the financial risks associated is appealing to most people. Our guide covers everything you need to know, from who offers this service to the costs and protection involved.
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Who Offers No Sale No Fee Conveyancing?
Many, but not all, reputable solicitors offer no sale, no fee conveyancing, so it's important to clarify this before you instruct a solicitor. This option should be stated clearly on their website.
The no sale, no fee right was established under the 1995 Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), and conveyancers and solicitors have the option to choose whether or not they want to offer this.
A smooth conveyancing process is never guaranteed. Delays are common, particularly when leasehold paperwork or a Deed of Variation is required. Choosing a No Sale, No Fee solicitor gives you peace of mind if things don’t go to plan.
It's often common practice for online conveyancers to offer this compared to local conveyancers, to encourage you to use them. Online conveyancers tend to offer cheap conveyancing options than local conveyancers due to fewer overheads and online communication.
With over 32% of all property sales falling through in 2025, no sale no fee is becoming increasingly popular as it greatly reduces the financial risk of a failed transaction.
No sale, no fee conveyancing shouldn't be confused with fixed-fee conveyancing. This is when you agree on a set fee which includes all your legal fees, and often third-party costs and disbursements.
What Are the Advantages and Disadvantages of No Sale, No Fee Conveyancing?
It's useful to carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of using no sale no fee conveyancing to ensure you're making an informed decision.
Pros:
- Less financial risk - You are not at risk of losing money on legal costs if the sale falls through.
- Conveyancer's incentive - Your conveyancer will lose their fee if the sale falls through, so it's in their best interest to do everything in their power to ensure this doesn't happen.
Cons:
- Potential hidden fees - Always ensure all fees are transparent and discussed at the time of instruction, so you are aware of all the costs you must pay.
- Higher fees - As there is a risk involved with no sale, no fee conveyancing, these firms often charge more than the standard conveyancers.
What Causes a House Sale to Fall Through?
- A Break in the Property Chain - Buyers and sellers are linked as their property transactions depend on one another. If one sale falls through, this can jeopardise the rest of the chain.
- Change of Heart - Sometimes, a buyer or seller can change their mind about the purchase. This can be due to several reasons, from financial factors, a change of circumstances or a long conveyancing process.
- Financial Setbacks - Most buyers purchase a house using a mortgage, so having finances in order at the start of the process is essential. If a buyer struggles to get a mortgage offer accepted or a mortgage extension is declined, the transaction can fall through. This is why financial organisation is key.
- Gazumping - Gazumping occurs when a seller accepts an offer but later accepts a higher offer from another buyer. This can happen at any point until the transaction is legally binding with the exchange of contracts. To avoid this, the buyer can ask the estate agent to remove the listing from the market as soon as possible.
- Gazundering - Gazundering occurs when a buyer lowers their offer on a property at the last minute, usually before the exchange of contracts. It puts pressure on the seller to accept the reduced price, and often, a seller is unwilling to accept.
- Surveying Issues - Most buyers will have a RICS Home Survey carried out on the property to ensure there aren't any major concerns present. If issues are flagged, the buyer may want to pull out of the sale and not renegotiate on their initial offer.
- Seller Accepted Multiple Offers - A seller can accept multiple offers and will only legally exchange contracts with the buyer who completes their paperwork first. The buyer with the slower conveyancing process will then lose the house, which can affect their own property chain.
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No Sale, No Fee Conveyancing Costs
Because solicitors take on the risk of uncompleted sales, with no sale, no fee conveyancing, many will ask for a deposit before proceeding. This deposit acts as security for their time and early legal work. It isn’t an extra charge and will usually be deducted from your final conveyancing fee upon completion.
If your property transaction fails, what happens to your deposit will depend on your chosen solicitor. Some will refund you in full when the house sale falls through, while others will use it to fund your second property transaction. A deposit can become non-refundable if you withdraw from the transaction voluntarily or decide to use a different solicitor.
On average, conveyancing solicitor fees are around £1,743 when buying a house and £814 when selling. Disbursements, third-party costs and this services such as Help to Buy paperwork and lease extensions would be charged in addition to this. Remember, if a buyer or seller pulls out there are fees that still need to be paid.
As you are still liable to pay for any disbursements or third-party charges that have already been paid, you can opt to take out Home Buyers Protection Insurance.
This insurance policy is designed to cover you for a failed property transaction. Costs covered typically include valuation fees, mortgage fees, and conveyancing searches.
Prices are based on our cost data, received directly from user feedback.
Finding a No Sale No Fee Conveyancer
Whether you are buying or selling a property, using a conveyancer is essential. The best way to find out if a conveyancing firm offers No Sale No Fee is to speak to them directly.
Our service connects you with the experts, allowing you to discuss your needs and requirements. Simply fill in our conveyancing comparison form to compare conveyancing quotes from up to 5 licensed conveyancing solicitors.
All our conveyancing partners have passed a strict verification process, which includes providing proof of regulation by either the SRA, CLC, LSS, LSNI or CILEx. It's important to read customer reviews before making your final decision to gain a better idea of the services they offer.
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If you also need a RICS-accredited property surveyor, our integrated conveyancing and surveying comparison form lets you connect with both conveyancers and surveyors in one go, helping you save time and money across the whole process.
