What a free legal package covers
When a deal comes with free legals, the lender picks a conveyancing firm from its own panel, often through a panel management company, and pays that firm's basic fee. You do not choose the firm.
The covered work is the core of any remortgage:
- checking your title register at HM Land Registry for restrictions, old charges or lease problems
- getting a redemption statement from your current lender
- confirming to the new lender that its offer conditions are met
- receiving the new loan on completion and paying off the old one
- registering the new lender's charge at HM Land Registry
It is the same work any remortgage solicitor does. The difference is who picks the firm, who the firm answers to, and what counts as extra.
What is usually not included
Free legal schemes are priced for the simplest case. These items are commonly charged on top, so check the scheme's terms and the firm's client care letter before you rely on "free":
- Leasehold work. Flats and leasehold houses often need the landlord or managing agent to be notified of the new mortgage, and some leases require a fee for that notice.
- A transfer of equity. Adding or removing someone from the title at the same time is separate legal work. See our transfer of equity solicitors page.
- Paying off other debts on completion. If the lender makes repaying named debts a condition, the conveyancer has to pay each creditor and evidence it.
- Shared ownership or a Help to Buy equity loan. Both bring a third party whose consent or repayment has to be handled.
- Title problems. An old charge that was never removed, or a restriction needing someone else's consent, takes extra work to clear.
- Disbursements. The Land Registry fee, bank transfer charges and ID check costs are often passed to you even when the legal fee is covered.
Leasehold is not a rare exception. In the 12 months to June 2026, 26.9% of homes sold in Maidenhead, 30.1% in Reading and 29.2% in Slough were leasehold, according to the J Scott Conveyancing Statistics 2026. If you own one of them, budget for the leasehold extras.
Who the solicitor works for
On most free legal remortgages, the firm the lender appoints acts for both you and the lender. That is normal and allowed, but it is worth knowing that the lender chose the firm, and the lender's requirements set the pace.
When you instruct your own solicitor, you choose on reviews, price and who will actually run your file. J Scott & Co holds a 5.0 rating from 104 Google reviews across our Maidenhead and Luton offices, and clients usually name the person who handled their matter. If the lender needs separate representation, your solicitor will tell you at the start.
Free legals or cashback: how to compare
Many remortgage deals come in two versions: one with free legals, one with cashback, often at slightly different rates. Compare them like this:
- Ask your broker for the total cost of each deal over the fixed period, including rate and product fees. The rate usually matters far more than the legal fee.
- For the free legals version, ask the panel firm for a written list of extras for your property: leasehold, Land Registry fee, transfer charges.
- For the cashback version, get a fixed-fee quote from your own solicitor, with disbursements listed, and subtract the cashback.
As an example, if a deal offers cashback of, say, £300, and our fee for your property is £250 plus VAT (£300 in total), the legal fee costs you nothing extra either way. Disbursements apply on both routes. You can get a fixed-fee remortgage quote in a few minutes.
We do not give mortgage advice. A broker regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority can compare the deals themselves.
If your solicitor is not on the lender's panel
Every lender keeps a panel of firms it allows to act on its mortgages. If your chosen solicitor is not on your new lender's panel, the lender appoints its own firm to act for it, and you usually pay for both. Check panel status before you apply for the mortgage, not after the offer arrives. We confirm whether we can act for your lender when we quote.
Start before your fixed rate ends
Most of our remortgages complete in three to four weeks from instruction, quicker when the current lender sends the redemption figure promptly. Leaving it late risks a month or more on your old lender's standard variable rate. Our guide to remortgaging when your fixed rate ends sets out the timeline.
