Settlement Agent Fees in WA: What You’ll Pay and What’s Included (2026)
If you’re buying or selling property in Western Australia, one of the first things you’ll want to know is what a settlement agent actually costs and more importantly, what you’re paying for.
It’s a fair question. Settlement is the final, non-negotiable step in any property transaction, and the fees involved aren’t always easy to decode at first glance. Some quotes look simple on the surface but leave out important costs. Others are comprehensive from the start.
This guide covers everything: what’s included in a settlement agent’s quoted fee, which costs sit outside it, what makes some transactions more expensive than others, and how the fee structure is regulated in Western Australia. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect and what to ask before you engage anyone.
Do Buyers and Sellers Both Pay Settlement Agent Fees?
Yes, both the buyer and the seller typically engage their own settlement agent, and each pays their own agent’s fee separately.
This surprises some people, particularly first home buyers who assume settlement costs are the seller’s responsibility. In Western Australia, buyers generally bear their own settlement costs as part of the overall cost of purchasing a property. Sellers have a separate fee for their side of the transaction.
The two agents work together to coordinate the settlement but they represent their respective clients independently.
What’s Included in a Settlement Agent’s Quoted Fee
In Western Australia, a settlement agent’s quote is made up of three components. Understanding each one helps you read any quote accurately.
Professional Service Fee
This is the core fee for the settlement agent’s time and expertise. It covers everything involved in managing your transaction from contract to settlement day: reviewing the contract, preparing and lodging transfer documents with Landgate, coordinating with your lender (or the other party’s lender), managing your PEXA electronic settlement workspace, and communicating with all parties throughout the process.
For buyers, this means your agent validates the contract details, monitors progress, liaises with your lender to ensure funds are ready, checks the title for encumbrances, and oversees the exchange of documents and funds on settlement day.
For sellers, your agent confirms the property is correctly identified on the title, coordinates the discharge of your existing mortgage with your lender, verifies that contract conditions have been met, and ensures the settlement proceeds on the agreed date.
The professional service fee is based on the complexity of your transaction. Standard residential purchases and sales are the most straightforward. More involved transactions, such as deceased estates, family transfers, or strata properties require additional work and are priced accordingly.
Admin and Sundry Costs
Alongside the professional fee, your quote will include admin and sundry costs. These cover the day-to-day running costs of processing your settlement: document preparation, printing, postage, phone calls, and the digital platform fees associated with PEXA (Western Australia’s electronic settlement system).
At Strategic Settlements, these costs are included in your quoted fee, not added as a surprise at settlement time.
Statutory Charges
This is the category that catches most buyers off guard, not because agents hide it, but because it’s genuinely separate and can add significantly to the total cost of your transaction.
Statutory charges are government and third-party fees that your settlement agent pays on your behalf. They are not the settlement agent’s income, they are passed directly to the relevant government bodies. These include:
· Landgate title searches — confirms ownership and checks for encumbrances, caveats, or other registered interests on the title
· Land registration fees — the Landgate fee for registering the change of ownership in your name
· Transfer duty — the Western Australian State Government tax calculated on the dutiable value of your property, administered by Revenue WA. Rates vary by property value, your settlement agent handles the lodgement, but the duty is paid to the government, not the agent
· Local authority inquiries — council and water rate searches to confirm outstanding balances and adjust rates at settlement
· Bank cheques — if settlement is not conducted electronically through PEXA, bank cheques may be required
· Section 43 certificates — required for strata title properties, confirming levy status with the strata company
These statutory charges are not negotiable and are the same regardless of which settlement agent you use. They are, however, itemised in any reputable quote so you can see exactly what is being paid to whom.
For a full breakdown of what to expect across all property purchase costs, not just the settlement agent’s fee, our guide to navigating government charges in WA real estate transactions covers each category in plain language.
Transactions That May Cost More
Most standard residential settlements in Perth are straightforward. However, certain transactions involve additional complexity that is reflected in the fee. Your settlement agent should flag this in your quote upfront.
Deceased estates.
Settling a property from a deceased estate involves additional legal requirements. Probate or Letters of Administration must be in place before the transfer can proceed. A settlement agent handles the settlement process once those legal steps are completed; they do not provide legal advice on estate law or the probate process itself. For guidance on those matters, speak with a solicitor. See also: what’s involved in selling a deceased estate property in Perth.
Missing or duplicate titles.
Where the certificate of title cannot be located or there are duplicate title issues to resolve, additional Landgate dealings are required.
Subdivisions with outstanding title issues.
Newly subdivided lots that haven’t had titles fully issued require extra steps to establish a clean title prior to or during settlement.
Special contract clauses.
Non-standard conditions in a contract of sale, unusual possession arrangements, delayed settlement clauses, complex subject-to conditions; add complexity to the settlement agent’s coordination role.
Power of attorney situations.
Where one party is acting under power of attorney, additional documentation is required to authorise the transaction.
Trusts, self-managed super funds, and corporations.
Transactions involving a trust, SMSF, or a corporate entity require additional verification and documentation compared to a standard individual purchase.
Property seizures.
Settlements involving court orders, caveats, or financial encumbrances require resolution before transfer can proceed.
If your transaction falls into any of these categories, let your settlement agent know at the quoting stage, not after you’ve engaged them.
How Settlement Agent Fees Are Regulated in WA
Before February 2016, settlement agent fees in Western Australia were regulated by a fixed scale. Fee regulation has since been removed, which means agents can set their own prices, but the disclosure requirements remain.
Under current rules, Western Australian settlement agents are required to provide a written cost disclosure to clients before any agreement is entered into. This disclosure must show the maximum amount you will be charged. Any fee increase after the agreement commences requires written notification (email or text message is acceptable under current rules) before the additional charge is applied.
What this means for you in practice: you have the right to a clear, written quote before you commit, and your settlement agent cannot increase their fee without telling you in writing first. If a quote is verbal or vague, ask for it in writing before signing anything.
When Do You Pay Settlement Agent Fees?
Settlement agent fees are not typically paid upfront. In most cases, the full amount including professional fee, admin costs, and statutory charges is settled on settlement day itself, drawn from the transaction proceeds.
For buyers, this means the fees are collected at the point of settlement, usually funded through your overall purchase funds coordinated by your lender.
For sellers, the settlement agent’s fee is deducted from the sale proceeds before the balance is transferred to you.
This is standard practice in WA. If an agent asks for full payment significantly in advance of settlement, clarify the terms before proceeding.
What Happens If Settlement Doesn’t Proceed?
If a settlement falls through before it completes, the fee situation depends on how much work has already been done and the specific terms of your engagement. Some preliminary work including title searches, document preparation, lender correspondence may already have been completed and billed.
This is another reason why reviewing your cost disclosure agreement carefully before engaging a settlement agent matters. It should be clear whether any charges apply if a settlement fails.
For buyers concerned about settlement not completing, our article on what to do if settlement is delayed in WA covers your options and how to protect yourself when things don’t go to plan.
How to Compare Settlement Agent Quotes in WA
Not all quotes are structured the same way. Here’s how to read them accurately:
Confirm what the fee includes. Some agents quote a professional fee only and list disbursements and statutory charges separately. Others include sundry disbursements in the quoted figure. Ask exactly what is and isn’t, in the number you’re being given.
Ask for a full itemised breakdown. Any reputable settlement agent should be able to provide a line-by-line quote, including professional fee, admin/sundry costs, and anticipated statutory charges before you engage them.
Check whether the fee is fixed. A fixed professional fee means the quoted amount won’t change unless something significant and unforeseen arises. An estimate can shift. Ask upfront.
Understand what triggers an additional charge. Review the cost disclosure for any clauses about fee increases. You should know in advance what scenarios, if any could result in a higher final bill.
Compare total cost, not just the headline figure. The statutory charges will be the same regardless of which agent you use, so comparing total quotes (professional fee + admin + statutory) is more meaningful than comparing professional fees in isolation.
At Strategic Settlements, we offer a price-match guarantee. If you find a lower quote elsewhere for equivalent service, we’ll match it or beat it. Get a full, itemised quote through our instant online quote tool, available 24/7.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are settlement agent fees tax deductible?
This depends on whether the property is being used as an investment or as your primary residence, and on your individual circumstances. Settlement agent fees may be considered a cost of acquisition for CGT purposes on an investment property. Settlement agents cannot provide tax advice, speak with a qualified accountant or tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.
Do I need to appoint my settlement agent before I sign a contract?
It’s strongly recommended. Western Australia has no cooling-off period for property contracts, which means once you’ve signed, you’re committed. Having a settlement agent in Perth in place before you sign means you have professional guidance from the start, including a review of the contract before you become legally bound by it.
Can I negotiate settlement agent fees?
Since fee regulation was removed in 2016, settlement agents set their own prices and some room for negotiation may exist. However, the most important factor is getting a clear, fixed quote that covers everything upfront, not just securing the lowest number.
Does the buyer or seller pay transfer duty?
Transfer duty is paid by the buyer in a standard residential transaction. It is a State Government charge and is not part of the settlement agent’s fee. Your settlement agent will handle the lodgement with Revenue WA on your behalf, but the duty itself is paid to the government. For current duty rates and to estimate your liability, visit Revenue WA or speak with a qualified tax professional.
Are settlement agent fees the same for buying and selling?
Fees for buying and selling are typically similar at the base level, but may differ depending on the complexity of each side of the transaction. The statutory charges also differ where buyers have transfer duty and title registration costs, while sellers have mortgage discharge and other fees.
What is PEXA and does it add to the cost?
PEXA (Property Exchange Australia) is the electronic settlement platform used for most property transactions in Western Australia. PEXA fees are a standardised cost associated with conducting settlement digitally. At Strategic Settlements, PEXA fees are included in your quoted fee, they are not added separately at settlement.
Get a Clear Quote for Your Settlement
Understanding the full cost of your settlement before you commit is your right as a client and it’s what we provide as standard.
Whether you’re buying your first home in Perth, selling an investment property, or navigating a more complex transaction, our team will give you a complete, itemised quote with no obligation.
Use our instant online quote tool for an immediate breakdown, visit our settlement agent fees page for more detail, or contact our team to speak directly with experienced settlement agents in Perth.
