Are all No Sale No Fee Promises the same?

No, they're not. This is a crucial point. No Sale No Fee conveyancing policies can vary significantly between solicitors. Some common variations include: Coverage only if a third party pulls out (e.g., the buyer). If you decide to withdraw, you may be liable for legal fees. Full coverage for the first transaction only. If a subsequent transaction falls through, you'll be responsible for those fees. Coverage of all legal costs, but with a non-refundable "Buyer Protection Fee." No fees payable if the transaction falls through, but potentially higher overall legal fees. It's essential to carefully read the terms and conditions of your chosen solicitor's No Sale No Fee Promise. Don't assume all policies are equal. Some solicitors may not cover all legal fees, and some may not allow you to withdraw for any reason without incurring charges. At SAM Conveyancing, our No Sale No Fee Promise allows you to withdraw for *any* reason on your first transaction without incurring our solicitor's legal fees. We believe in transparency and protecting our clients. Contact Us

Can no sale no fee solicitors help you if you're selling?

Yes, absolutely! No Sale No Fee conveyancing benefits both buyers and sellers. For sellers, it provides crucial protection if the buyer pulls out, preventing you from being left with legal fees for a failed transaction. This can happen for various reasons, such as a buyer's mortgage lender undervaluing the property or a buyer's onward purchase falling through. It's a common occurrence, and our No Sale No Fee policy is designed to protect you from these unforeseen circumstances. While our guarantee doesn't cover incidental costs like office copies, ID checks, or leasehold packs (if applicable), it does ensure you won't have to pay further conveyancing fees or settle your final bill until your next successful transaction. Your solicitor will pause their work and be ready to resume when you find a new buyer. This saves you both time and money. Without a No Sale No Fee guarantee, you'd be responsible for the full legal fees incurred up to the point of failure, and you'd have to pay additional fees to start the conveyancing process with a new buyer. Our policy eliminates this risk.

Do solicitors charge if house sale falls through?

Yes, solicitors typically charge for work completed if a transaction falls through unless you have a No Sale No Fee agreement (sometimes called No Move No Fee). Without this protection, you'll likely be billed at an hourly rate for the legal work undertaken. This can quickly add up, making a stressful situation even worse.

Does a No Sale No Fee conveyancing guarantee cost more?

Some solicitors may charge a separate, non-refundable fee for No Sale No Fee coverage. Others, like SAM Conveyancing, include this protection as a standard part of our sale and purchase conveyancing quotes (with some exclusions applying – see our policy details). It's crucial to clarify this with your solicitor upfront so you understand the total cost.

Get a no-obligation Fixed Fee conveyancing quote. All prices are backed by a No Sale No Fee.

We'll stand by and guide you throughout the whole conveyancing process.

Compare No Sale No Fee Conveyancing Solicitors for 2025

by:

Andrew Boast

Last Updated: 17/02/2025

Read by:

3,517

8 min read

Worried about your conveyancing process falling through? You're not alone. In property transactions, things don't always go as planned. In fact, an estimated 1 in 3 home moves don't complete. But what happens to your legal fees if the deal falls apart? That's where "No Sale No Fee" conveyancing solicitors come in.

Without this protection, you could end up paying for the legal work completed up to the point the transaction falls through. If this happens multiple times, these costs can quickly accumulate, making the home-moving process even more expensive and stressful.

In this article

How does no sale no fee conveyancing work?

In simple terms, with no sale no fee conveyancing, if your property transaction falls through, you won't have to pay your solicitor's basic legal fees for that specific transaction. Any money you've already paid for work completed will be transferred to your next transaction.

This means that if you're buying, you simply inform your no sale no fee conveyancing solicitor when you've had an offer accepted on another property. If you're selling, you'll let them know when you've accepted a new offer from another buyer. Your solicitor will begin work on the new transaction immediately, and you'll only pay one set of conveyancing fees in total.

This type of protection is known by various names, including No Move No Fee Conveyancing, No Purchase No Fee Conveyancing, and Conditional Fee Agreements. Regardless of the name, the core principle is to protect buyers and sellers from incurring legal fees if their property transaction is abortive.

Do you need a No Sale No Fee Conveyancing Quote?

Two people stood atop a stack of pound coins whilst shaking hands. SAM Conveyancing explains no sale no fee conveyancing

No Sale, No Fee (Auction, Right to Buy, and Repossession excluded).
Initial deposit applied to your second transaction with no questions asked or time limits.
Fixed fee quotes.
We are on 99% of mortgage lender panels.
We can solve any property challenge.

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SAM Conveyancing's No Sale No Fee Policy explained

Our sale and purchase conveyancing quotes are covered by our unique, comprehensive No Sale No Fee Policy.

This means that if your first transaction falls through, your conveyancing solicitor will carry over the initial deposit to your next property purchase or sale. In essence, your first transaction is covered, giving you a fresh start if things don't go as planned.

There is no time limit for applying the initial deposit to a second transaction. We understand that finding another buyer or property you like just as much as the first can take time.

You can only carry over your initial deposit once; if your second transaction fails, the initial deposit cannot be transferred to a third transaction. In this case, your solicitor will charge you for the legal work undertaken on your second transaction, minus your initial deposit.

Is No Sale No Fee Conveyancing right for me?

The following services are covered by our No Sale No Fee Policy:

Sale conveyancing excluding auction, Right to Buy, and repossession.
Purchase conveyancing excluding auction, Right to Buy, and repossession.

Considering a transfer of equity? Our Transfer of Equity services are available. We also assist with Help to Buy repayment conveyancing. Need a survey? We can help with that too.

Compare No Sale No Fee Solicitors

Company	No Sale No Fee Policy	What you pay if it falls through
Company SAM Conveyancing	No Sale No Fee Policy Auction, Right to Buy, and Repossession excluded. Non-refundable initial deposit ranging from £160 to £350. Initial deposit applied to your second transaction with no questions asked or time limits. Initial deposit can only be carried over once. No third-party costs or disbursements included.	What you pay if it falls through Nothing - your initial deposit is held on file until your second transaction.
Company Reallymoving	No Sale No Fee Policy Unclear or Non-existent.	What you pay if it falls through Unclear or Non-existent.
Company HomeOwners Alliance	No Sale No Fee Policy Unclear or Non-existent.	What you pay if it falls through Unclear or Non-existent.
Company Co-Op Legal Services	No Sale No Fee Policy Legal fees waived if the transaction falls through. Client responsible for incurred third-party costs. Unclear on the initial deposit amount(s). Unclear on time limits for a second transaction. Unclear if Auction, Right to Buy, or Repossession transactions are protected.	What you pay if it falls through Nothing - but we do not know if there's an initial deposit payable or a time limit to apply to a second transaction.
Company Comparemymove	No Sale No Fee Policy Unclear or Non-existent.	What you pay if it falls through Unclear or Non-existent.
Company Home Legal Direct	No Sale No Fee Policy Automatically covered under their 'no move, no legal fee' promise. Client responsible for additional third-party disbursements. Unclear on the initial deposit amount(s). Unclear on time limits for a second transaction. Unclear if Auction, Right to Buy, or Reposession transactions are protected.	What you pay if it falls through Nothing - but we do not know if there's an initial deposit payable or a time limit to apply to a second transaction.

Refunds on deposits: What happens if I change my mind?

From the moment you instruct us, we begin working on your case. We contact the estate agent and mortgage broker, and your solicitor opens the file and sends you the necessary documents to complete. This is why our policy is crucial – it protects both you and us.

If you choose to cancel the No Sale No Fee Conveyancing protection and request a refund of your deposit, the work completed up to that point will be billed at your solicitor's hourly rate, starting from £200 per hour + VAT (the exact rate will be provided in your case handler's terms of engagement).

This cost can often exceed your initial deposit, which is why the policy is so important. It's not just a gimmick; it's genuine protection.

Fixed Fee Quotes

Local knowledge

Laurel Rosette: SAM Conveyancing are on 99% of all mortgage lender panels

On 99% of Lender Panels*

Conveyancing Quality Scheme**

No Sale No Fee***

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Best No Sale No Fee Conveyancing Solicitors near me: How our policy protects you

1
First Transaction
You pay an initial deposit (£160 for a purchase and £190 for a sale) to your solicitor to begin work on your first transaction. This first transaction is covered by our guarantee.
If it falls through for any reason, you will not be invoiced for the legal work undertaken on this first transaction, giving you a risk-free start to your property journey.

2
Second Transaction
When you're ready to proceed with a second transaction, your initial deposit is transferred. If this second transaction completes successfully, you will only pay the legal fees for this second transaction (no abortive fees from the first).
However, if the second transaction also falls through, you will be responsible for the legal work completed on the second transaction (not the first, which was covered by the No Sale No Fee guarantee). The fee will be based on the percentage of work completed.

3
Subsequent Transactions
For any subsequent transactions (e.g., a third transaction), you will pay a new initial deposit, and the process begins again from step one.

No Sale No Fee Example

Frequently Asked Questions

SAME

SELLING

CHARGE

COSTMORE

*Mortgage lenders choose which solicitors they will or won't work with. Our panel solicitors are on 99% of mortgage lender panels. Our panel solicitors are currently not on the panel for Kent Reliance (when buying through Shared Ownership) and the Islamic Development Bank. Tell us who your lender is and we will assign you an approved panel solicitor.
**Our panel of solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and conveyancing work is accredited with the Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme.
***No Sale No Fee applies to any sale or purchase quote except auction and right to buy.

Written by: Andrew Boast

Andrew started his career in 2000 working within conveyancing solicitor firms and grew hands-on knowledge of a wide variety of conveyancing challenges and solutions. After helping in excess of 50,000 clients in his career, he uses all this experience within his article writing for SAM, mainstream media and his self published book How to Buy a House Without Killing Anyone.

Reviewed by: Caragh Bailey

Caragh is an excellent writer and copy editor of books, news articles and editorials. She has written extensively for SAM for a variety of conveyancing, survey, property law and mortgage-related articles.

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