Do I Need A Solicitor To Remortgage?
It depends which kind you are doing. Switching to a new lender is a legal transfer of charge, so it needs a conveyancer — but most remortgage deals include free legal work as an incentive, so you often do not pay for it.
Staying with your current lender on a new rate is a product transfer. No solicitor, no legal work, no valuation — usually just a few clicks, sometimes same day.
That difference is worth knowing before you assume switching is a hassle. The free-legals offer exists precisely because lenders want to remove the friction of moving to them.
Key Takeaways
- Remortgaging means changing from one mortgage deal to another on a property you already own, with your current lender or a new one.
- If you choose to remortgage, a solicitor is always necessary to complete the legal work on behalf of your new lender.
- You can expect to pay between £250-£750 for solicitor fees, depending on factors such as location and agreed completion time.
- To avoid paying for solicitors' fees, you can use your cashback to pay the invoice or choose the free legal option where your lender picks a conveyancer for you, or you can stick with your current lender and arrange a new product, which is called a product transfer.
Do I need a Solicitor to Remortgage?
You will need a solicitor to remortgage to a new lender. Most lenders will appoint a solicitor for you and cover the cost as an incentive. You will not need a solicitor if you choose a product transfer with your current lender.
Remortgaging means changing from one mortgage deal to another on a property you already own, with your current lender or a new one. People choose to remortgage for several reasons, such as getting a better rate, freeing up cash, reducing monthly repayments, investing in home improvements, or switching to a provider with fixed payments.
If your main reason for remortgaging is to lower your monthly cost, it helps to see the numbers first. Use the calculator below to estimate repayments on a new rate and term.
Mortgage repayment calculator
Capital & interest, monthly repayment estimate
Estimate only. Your lender’s actual rate, fees and criteria will differ.
Note that remortgaging usually means changing to a new lender, not staying with your current one. If you do choose to stay with your current lender, that's known as a product transfer.
Why is a Solicitor Needed to Remortgage?
When you're arranging a mortgage, a solicitor's role is to carry out the necessary legal work, also known as conveyancing. This is because the lender needs to protect themselves legally when they lend you money to buy a property.
To do this, they arrange a 'charge' on your property, which gives them the legal right to repossess it if you can't afford to repay your mortgage. When you choose to remortgage, you are essentially agreeing to switch your mortgage to a new lender.
In this case, a solicitor is always necessary to complete the legal work on behalf of your new lender.
What Does a Solicitor Do During a Remortgage?
There are several additional tasks that a solicitor performs during the remortgaging process, beyond what we've already mentioned. Primarily, their responsibility is to keep you informed of all legal updates regarding the remortgage.
Most solicitors now offer portal access on their websites, which allows you to track the progress of your legal work in real-time, eliminating the need to wait on hold for updates. This is especially helpful if you've engaged a conveyancing firm rather than a solicitor.
Through the portal, you can monitor the tasks being worked on by your solicitor, including requesting the title deeds and mortgage redemption statement from your current lender, reviewing the terms of your new offer and drawing your attention to any important details, conducting necessary checks and searches to prevent unexpected issues that could slow down your remortgage, receiving funds from your new lender on completion day, ensuring that your current mortgage is paid off promptly, and making adjustments to your title deeds and registering them with the Land Registry to indicate the change of lender.
What the legal work on a remortgage actually involves
A remortgage is a much lighter job than a purchase, because you already own the property and nobody is moving. Expect:
- A Land Registry check confirming you are the registered owner and showing what is already secured against the property.
- A redemption statement from your existing lender, giving the exact figure to clear on completion.
- Identity and anti-money-laundering checks, which is usually the part that needs something from you.
- Discharging the old charge and registering the new one, so the new lender's security is recorded correctly.
Full purchase-style searches — local authority, environmental, drainage, chancel — are often not required on a remortgage. Many lenders accept search indemnity insurance instead, which is quicker and cheaper. Where searches are needed it is usually because the lender has asked for them specifically.
Do you Pay Solicitor Fees When remortgaging?
To remortgage, a solicitor fee will be required. Solicitors and conveyancers are separate entities from lenders, which means someone will need to pay for their services.
The cost of solicitor fees for remortgaging is generally charged as a flat fee, unless additional work is needed. Additional work may involve transferring equity or paying off second charge loans.
However, the cost of legal work can often be avoided by choosing the right mortgage product.
How much do the fees cost?
You can expect to pay between £250-£750 depending on factors such as location, agreed completion time, and whether you opt for a specialised conveyancing firm or a solicitor.
If you find a cheaper quote you can change conveyancers, though switching mid-process usually costs more in time than it saves in fees.
How can you avoid paying for a solicitor during a remortgage?
Lenders compete with each other to offer better deals to clients. When you remortgage with a lender, they commonly offer incentives — cashback, free legal work, or a free valuation.
To avoid paying for solicitors' fees, you can use your cashback to pay the invoice or choose the free legal option where your lender picks a conveyancer for you. If you want to choose your own conveyancer, you should go for the cashback offer instead.
Another option is to stay with your current lender on a new rate — a product transfer. That requires no legal work at all, so it saves both the fee and the wait. The trade-off is that you only see one lender's deals, so it is worth checking what else is on the market before accepting.
Choosing between free legals and cashback
Most remortgage deals offer one or the other, and they suit different situations.
Free legals means the lender appoints a conveyancer from its own panel and pays them. It costs you nothing and needs no organising, but you do not choose the firm, and panel firms work at volume — so it can be slower.
Cashback pays you a lump sum and leaves you to instruct your own conveyancer. That is the better option if you want a particular firm, or if the work is not straightforward — transferring equity, removing someone from the deeds, or repaying a second charge.
If your remortgage is simple, free legals is usually the easier choice. If anything about it is unusual, take the cashback and appoint your own.
FAQs
Do I need a solicitor to remortgage with the same lender?
You will not need a solicitor to remortgage with the same lender. This is known as a product transfer and no legal work is required unless you are transferring equity or repaying a second Charge.
When do I need a solicitor to remortgage?
You will need to appoint a solicitor when you remortgage to another lender. You can do this as soon as your application is approved by your lender.
How long does a remortgage take with a solicitor?
Remortgaging involves legal work with a solicitor that usually takes about 4 weeks. It's a simple process, but doing it before your fixed rate ends can help you finish the legal work in advance — see our guide on whether you can remortgage early.
That way, everything is ready when it's time to complete the remortgage.
Can I remortgage on my own, without a broker?
Yes. You can apply directly to a lender without using a broker. What you cannot skip is the legal work when moving to a new lender — that has to be done by a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer, either of which is fine.
Does it have to be a solicitor, or will a conveyancer do?
Either. A licensed conveyancer is qualified for this work and often cheaper. The one constraint is that whoever you use must be on your new lender's approved panel, or the lender will appoint its own and charge you.
How easy is it to remortgage your property?
Usually straightforward, and the new lender does most of the work. See how easy is it to switch mortgages for the realistic timeline.
