Pre-application advice costs two things: the council's fee for the officer's view, and our fee if you want us to prepare and submit the request. Ours is £245. The council's is set by each borough, and for a householder it ran from £153 to £386.14 in the three council pages we checked.
On this page
The figures move every April, and boroughs differ, so treat the table below as a snapshot of three councils, not a London average.
What do three London councils charge?
| Council | Householder fee, as the council states it |
|---|---|
| Hackney | £258 written before VAT, £310 as charged (from 1 April 2026) |
| Bexley | £153 written only, £354 with a meeting, as charged |
| Ealing | £311.40 for a 30-minute appointment, £386.14 with written advice, as charged |
Sources: Hackney, Bexley and Ealing. Bexley says a written-only reply comes within 15 working days, and Ealing says written advice follows within 10 working days of the appointment. Hackney's fee is higher for a listed building. Our planning drawings cost guide lists more boroughs.
Are councils allowed to charge?
Yes, within limits. The national guidance says that where charges are made they must not exceed the cost of providing the service, that charging should not discourage appropriate discussion, and that councils are encouraged to provide at least a basic level of service without charge (MHCLG guidance, paragraph 004).
That is why two councils can charge different amounts and why a free basic enquiry may be available in your borough. Check the council's website before you pay: the free service may answer a simple question, and the paid one is for a view on a specific scheme.
What does our fee add?
The preparation. A pre-application request is only as useful as what the officer is shown. We prepare sketch proposals in the form the service expects, complete the council's form, submit it with the council's fee and, when the reply arrives, explain it in plain English: which comments are about your design, which are about policy, and what to change.
Our fee is credited against the planning service if you go ahead, so it is not lost if the advice is encouraging. The council's fee is not part of that credit, because the council keeps it.
Is it worth paying for?
Sometimes. The guidance lists the benefits: it can help reduce the likelihood of delays at the validation stage, improve the quality of applications and give an understanding of the relevant policies (paragraph 001). That is most valuable where the answer is uncertain: a conservation area, a tight plot, a house extended before, or a scheme that stretches the council's design guidance.
It is least valuable for a simple proposal that is plainly permitted development, where the permitted development checker gives you the answer without charge. And it is no guarantee: advice is an officer's view at a point in time, the decision belongs to the council, and the policy or the officer can change. Our feasibility study is the step before this one, when you are still comparing options.
Frequently asked questions
Is the advice binding on the council? No. It is an officer's view, and the council decides on the application. Planning guidance treats it as a way to improve applications, not as a decision.
Can I ask for advice on more than one option? That depends on the council. Hackney's page, for example, lists a separate follow-up fee. Ask the council before you submit.
Do I need advice before a householder application? No. It is optional. Many householder applications go in without it.
What if the officer is negative? That is useful to know before you commission full drawings. We read the reply with you and say whether the scheme can be changed to meet the objection, or whether another route fits better.
