No Move, no Fee conveyancing explained
Around one in three property transactions in the UK fall through before completion. If yours is one of them, you shouldn’t be left with a solicitor’s bill for a deal that never happened.
That’s what no move, no fee is for. You’ll also see it called no sale no fee or no completion no fee, same guarantee, different name. Here’s what it actually means, how it typically works, and what Best Value Conveyancing’s own guarantee covers.
One of three guarantees included as standard with every quote.
What No Move, No Fee means
If your sale or purchase doesn’t complete, you don’t pay your solicitor’s legal fee for the work they’ve done. That’s the core promise behind no move, no fee conveyancing, whatever name a firm gives it.
It doesn’t automatically mean everything is free if a deal collapses. Third party costs already paid out on your behalf, known as disbursements, are usually still payable, since that money has genuinely been spent. Terms vary from firm to firm though, so it’s worth checking exactly what’s covered before you instruct anyone.
Why deals fall through
Chains are the usual culprit. One buyer or seller pulls out anywhere along the line, and everyone else connected to it feels it, even if their own side was ready to go.
On the buying side
Buyers rarely walk away just because they’ve changed their mind. It’s usually because:
- Their own sale, which the purchase depends on, has collapsed
- A survey turns up something that changes the numbers
- The mortgage offer gets withdrawn or reduced
- Searches flag an issue with the property or the seller’s title
On the selling side
Less common, but it happens:
- The property they were moving to falls through
- A better offer comes in from someone else
- Circumstances change and moving no longer makes sense
None of it is down to your solicitor. What is down to them is how exposed you are if it happens, which is exactly what a no move, no fee guarantee is for.
For the full conveyancing process, see our purchase conveyancing guide or sale conveyancing guide.
What to check if a firm offers it
Not every conveyancing firm means the same thing by no move, no fee. Before you instruct anyone, ask:
- Is it included as standard, or an extra you’d pay for
- Does it cover you from day one, or only after a certain stage
- Are disbursements still payable, and how much are they likely to be
- Is any upfront fee refundable and transferable, or gone for good
- Does it still apply if a deal falls through more than once
If a firm can’t answer these clearly upfront, that’s your answer. More generally, our guide on what makes the best conveyancing solicitors covers the wider checklist beyond just this guarantee.
How this differs from no win no fee
No win no fee comes from personal injury and compensation claims, where a solicitor only gets paid if the case succeeds. Conveyancing doesn’t work like that. Your solicitor is doing real legal work whether or not the deal completes, and that work still needs paying for in some form.
No move, no fee is the right term here. It means your legal fee is waived if the transaction collapses, not that the whole process was risk free.
Best Value Conveyancing's no move, no fee guarantee
Our guarantee is included as standard within your fixed fee, the same fee behind our cheap conveyancing solicitors service. Nothing extra to add, nothing to opt into.
To activate it, a File Opening Fee, already built into your quote, is taken when you decide to go ahead. That’s it. No waiting period, no small print that kicks in later. You’re covered from day one.
If your transaction falls through:
- You don’t pay your solicitor’s legal fee
- You may still cover disbursements we’ve already paid out on your behalf, such as search fees
- Your File Opening Fee is either refunded or held on account for your next transaction, whichever you’d rather
If you go on to buy somewhere else with us, our Search Rebate also takes some of the sting out of paying for a second set of searches.
You can also cancel at any point after instructing us and get the File Opening Fee back, or carried over to a future move.
This guarantee covers what happens if your transaction doesn’t complete. Our Fixed Legal Fee Guarantee covers the price itself, so you’re protected on both fronts.
Every transaction with us comes with this guarantee built in, alongside a fixed fee with no hidden extras and a dedicated case handler from start to finish.
Get your instant quote to see your conveyancing cost including the no move, no fee guarantee and your fixed legal fee. You can also call us on 0800 038 7007.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay anything if my house sale falls through?
Not your solicitor’s legal fee. You may still cover disbursements already paid on your behalf, like search fees, and your File Opening Fee comes back to you, either as a refund or held on account for next time.
Is no move, no fee included automatically or do I need to ask for it?
With Best Value Conveyancing, it’s included as standard on every transaction. Nothing to add, nothing to request.
Does the guarantee apply straight away or only after a certain stage?
With us, straight away. It kicks in the moment your File Opening Fee is taken, so you’re covered from day one of instruction.
What happens to my File Opening Fee if my sale or purchase falls through?
You don’t lose it. Take it as a refund, or put it towards your next transaction with us.
Does the guarantee cover survey costs?
No. It covers your solicitor’s legal fee. Survey costs are arranged and paid separately with your surveyor, not through your solicitor, so they aren’t part of this guarantee.
Does Best Value Conveyancing’s guarantee apply to remortgages as well as buying and selling?
Yes. Ours applies across purchase, sale and remortgage transactions, not just buying and selling.
Is no move, no fee the same across all conveyancing firms?
No. Some include it as standard, some charge extra, and terms on disbursements and refunds vary a lot. Worth checking the specifics before you instruct anyone.
Is no move, no fee the same as no win no fee?
No. No win no fee is a compensation claims term, where payment depends on the outcome. No move, no fee is specific to conveyancing, and means your legal fee is waived if your sale or purchase doesn’t complete.