Disbursements

What is a disbursement? 

Disbursements refer to the act of paying out money to cover specific costs related to a particular service, transaction, or activity. In real estate, these would be costs incurred by your agent which are then passed onto you. These may include activities such as advertising fees, photography costs and land title searches. 

What is a conveyancing disbursement? 

A conveyancing disbursement or disbursement fee refers to the expenses that a lawyer or conveyancer pays for on your behalf during the process of transferring property ownership. This will later be added to your final bill for you to reimburse them. 

These expenses are additional costs associated with the legal work involved in buying or selling a property. Conveyancing disbursements can include fees for services like property searches, land registry fees, and other necessary paperwork. 

What are some examples of disbursements in real estate? 

Some of the most common examples of disbursements in real estate include: 

• Advertising Costs: Expenses incurred for marketing a property for sale or lease, which may include online listings, print advertisements, signage, and promotional materials to attract potential buyers or tenants.
• Land title searches: fees associated with searching and obtaining information from the land title registry to verify the legal ownership and status of the property.
• Land registry fees: charges for registering the change of ownership with the relevant government authority responsible for maintaining land records.
• Local authority searches: costs associated with obtaining information from local authorities regarding zoning, planning permissions, or any potential development plans affecting the property.
• Environmental searches: expenses related to assessing the environmental conditions of the property, which may include checking for contamination risks.
• Conveyancing fees: charges for the professional legal services provided by conveyancers or lawyers to facilitate the property transfer.