Sundry Fee

Buying or selling property in Melbourne is exciting, yet the paperwork and fees can feel bewildering. Most people budget for stamp duty and the conveyancer's headline fee, but a line item called a sundry fee often catches clients off-guard. Because it is usually modest sometimes only a few dollars many assume it is unimportant.

In reality, understanding sundry fees can help you compare quotes accurately and avoid unpleasant surprises at settlement. In this comprehensive guide we will unpack what sundry fees are, how they appear in Victorian conveyancing files, and how they fit within the broader category of miscellaneous expenses that every property transaction attracts. By the end you will be able to read a costs disclosure with confidence and ask the right questions before you sign an engagement letter.

What is a Sundry Fee?

In everyday accounting, the word sundry means "various" or "assorted". A sundry expense is a cost that is too small or too irregular to justify its own ledger code. Typical business examples include a single courier trip, emergency stationery, or a one off parking voucher. Instead of cluttering the chart of accounts, these minor outlays are pooled into a Sundry Expenses account and reported together.

Three Key Characteristics of Genuine Sundry Fees

Low monetary value per item - Each component cost is usually under AUD 50
Irregular timing - The expense does not recur on a predictable cycle
Administrative purpose - It relates to day to day operations rather than the client's substantive matter

When many small client-related costs arise in one engagement photocopying, bank cheques, SMS updates, couriers it is inefficient for the practitioner to raise a separate invoice line for every paper clip. Grouping these outlays into a single modest "sundry fee" keeps your tax invoice neat while still disclosing that you are paying for the firm's incidental disbursements.

Sundry Fees in Victorian Conveyancing

In Victorian conveyancing a sundry fee is the conveyancer's fair estimate of small, matter specific overheads that are not classified as statutory disbursements.

Common Items Included in Conveyancing Sundry Fees:

Photocopying and printing of contracts, plans and certifications
Telephone calls and text messages to brokers, councils and clients
Postage and registered mail for hard-copy documents
Stationery, folders and archiving materials
Bank cheques or RTGS transfers for settlement funds
Minor subscription charges for digital verification of identity platforms

Because these items support, but do not alter, the legal work, most firms quote a single flat sundry fee. Interviews with Melbourne conveyancers place that flat amount between AUD 80 and AUD 150 for a normal residential matter.

Unlike professional fees, which may vary by property value, or government charges, which are fixed by regulation, a sundry fee is a business decision each practice makes to recover out of pocket costs without billing in dribs and drabs.

How Sundry Fees Differ from Disbursements

Victorian cost disclosure rules require practitioners to distinguish their own costs from external "disbursements".

What Are Disbursements?

Disbursements are payments the firm must make to third parties, such as:

Title and plan searches
Council, water and land tax certificates
Owners corporation certificates
PEXA platform fees
Lodgement fees at Land Use Victoria

These amounts pass through the firm straight to the authority concerned and are charged at cost. A sundry fee, in contrast, is an internal recovery. Mixing the two can obscure price comparison, so reputable conveyancers list them separately.

Why Firms Prefer the Flat-Fee Model

Historically, firms itemised every photocopy and phone call, but clients found per page and per minute charges annoying. A capped sundry fee offers certainty: the client knows the ceiling, and the firm knows it will recoup essentials without generating a twenty line statement. The Legal Services Council's Uniform Law Guidance notes that flat ancillary fees are acceptable provided they are disclosed clearly and are reasonable in amount.

Typical Costs in Melbourne

Market analysis of published fee tables shows the following trends:

Property price band (Melbourne metro)	Professional fee (ex-GST)	Typical sundry fee	Note
Up to $750 000	$650–$1 000	$80–$120	First-home buyers often receive a rebate or “mates rates”
$750 001–$1.5 million	$900–$1 400	$100–$130	Larger files require more printing and settlement coordination
$1.5 million+	$1 200–$1 800	$120–$150	Prestige property files tend to be document-heavy

Figures compiled May 2025 from publicly advertised Melbourne conveyancing schedules.

Remember that each practice sets its own charges. Always request a written, itemised quote and check whether the sundry fee is inclusive of GST.

Are Sundry Fees Negotiable?

While professional fees may be discounted for repeat clients, sundry fees are less flexible because they represent actual consumables. Nonetheless, you can ask:

Whether electronic delivery can replace printed copies to reduce copying costs
If multiple properties are settling the same day, whether the sundry fee can be apportioned
Whether upfront payment (rather than at settlement) earns a courtesy reduction

Well prepared questions signal that you are an informed consumer and may encourage goodwill.

Regulatory Context

Under section 174 of the Legal Profession Uniform Law (Vic), legal practitioners must disclose the basis on which costs will be calculated. A flat sundry fee identified separately satisfies this obligation. Additionally, the Australian Consumer Law prohibits misleading cost estimates. If a sundry fee balloons unexpectedly, the practitioner must explain the variance and give you the option to dispute it with the Victorian Legal Services Board.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Beyond the sundry fee, a property transaction involves a host of miscellaneous expenses that buyers and sellers in Melbourne should budget for. Understanding each category helps prevent settlement-day cash-flow shocks.

1. Statutory Certificates and Searches

These fall under "disbursements" and include:

Title search and plan image – confirms vendor ownership and shows any covenants
Council rates certificate – states outstanding rates for adjustment
Water information certificate – covers usage and service charges
Land tax certificate – relevant if property value exceeds the threshold

Expected cost: AUD 200 to AUD 400 for a typical metro dwelling.

2. PEXA Service Fee

Electronic conveyancing is now mandatory for most Victorian transfers. PEXA charges around AUD 141 for a single title transfer as at May 2025. Your conveyancer will treat this as a disbursement.

3. Bank Fees

If you are discharging or drawing a mortgage, banks charge settlement attendance and production fees (AUD 100 to AUD 350 each). They may insist on bank cheques if funds exceed electronic limits those cheques cost about AUD 15 each and often fall inside the sundry allowance.

4. Building and Pest Inspections

Strictly speaking these are optional, but most buyers commission them and pay the inspector directly (AUD 400 to AUD 600 per combined report). They are not part of your conveyancing quote.

5. Owners Corporation (Body Corporate) Fees

For apartments and townhouses your conveyancer must order an owners corporation certificate. The corporation charges for preparation commonly AUD 180 and again this is passed through as a disbursement.

6. Adjustments at Settlement

Even after you have tallied every fee, final figures move on settlement day. Council and water rates are adjusted between buyer and seller. Your conveyancer calculates these adjustments so each party pays only its fair share. The calculation itself is part of professional work, but any bank cheques your practitioner must draw to finalise adjustments may be classed under the sundry fee.

7. Section 32 Review

Victorian law obliges a vendor to provide a Section 32 Vendor Statement that discloses encumbrances, zoning, outgoings and other material facts. A prudent buyer asks a conveyancer to review this document before signing the contract. Many firms, including Pearson Chambers Conveyancing, offer that review at no charge, but be sure to confirm whether photocopying or scanning the statement is covered by the sundry fee.

How to Control Your Conveyancing Costs

5 Practical Tips to Keep Miscellaneous Expenses Under Control:

Request a full quote in writing - Insist that professional fees, sundry fee and expected disbursements are shown separately
Ask whether any disbursement estimates are capped - Some councils have premium certificate options; clarify which one the quote assumes
Provide documents electronically where legal - If you already have PDF copies of plans or finance approvals, forward them to cut printing costs
Schedule an early pre-settlement call - Last minute courier trips to obtain signatures can inflate sundry charges
Use one practitioner for sale and purchase - If you are buying and selling on the same day, the firm may waive one sundry fee

Conclusion: Your Next Step

Sundry fees seldom exceed the price of a café brunch, yet they matter because they reflect a conveyancer's transparency. Knowing exactly what sits inside that neat little line item and how it differs from disbursements equips you to compare quotes on a like for like basis and avoid disputes just when you should be celebrating a successful settlement.

Ready to Get Started?

If you are about to buy or sell property anywhere in Melbourne or regional Victoria, the team at Pearson Chambers Conveyancing will gladly explain their costs structure in plain English and provide a free Section 32 contract review before you commit.

Contact Details:

Phone: 03 9969 2405
Email: contact@pearsonchambers.com.au