UK Finance to drop proposed charge on conveyancers

The Law Society of Scotland, in conjunction with the Law Societies of England and Wales, and Northern Ireland, has successfully campaigned against plans for a new charge on conveyancers.

All three UK law societies worked together to urge UK Finance to drop its proposal to charge for access to its Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook, which will be hosted on a new sign-in platform, requiring registration, from 2 March 2026. The lender body has said today, Friday, 30 January, that it no longer intends to introduce any charge for conveyancers for “the foreseeable future".

The proposed annual charge of £50 plus VAT per person could have added significant sums to firms’ operating costs, ultimately leading to increased costs for consumers buying and selling their homes across the UK.

The professional bodies for solicitors have been highly critical of UK Finance’s lack of consultation and engagement regarding its intentions, particularly given UK Government aims, and recent consultation, to improve and reduce the cost of the home buying and selling process.

Fiona Alexander, Convener of the Law Society of Scotland Property Law Committee, said: “We are very pleased that UK Finance has reversed its position, stating it will drop the charge for "the foreseeable future".

“There had been very little to no engagement on this proposal and the potential long-term consequences. It’s why, together with Law Society of England and Wales and Law Society of Northern Ireland, we pressed UK Finance not to go ahead with this deeply unfair charge which would have had a detrimental impact on consumers and the housing market.

“We will continue to press UK Finance on its plans regarding the new handbook, including how it intends to use the data obtained from the platform, and will keep Law Society members updated.”