The costs at a glance
| Cost | Who pays | Typical amount |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp Duty, LBTT or LTT | Buyer | £0 to tens of thousands |
| Legal fees and searches | Buyer and seller | £1,200 to £2,000 each |
| Survey | Buyer | £400 to £1,000+ |
| Mortgage fees | Buyer | £0 to £1,500 |
| Estate agent | Seller | 1% to 1.5% plus VAT |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Seller | £60 to £120 |
| Removals | Both | £400 to £2,000+ |
The calculator adds them up, works out your property tax from the price, and adds a contingency for the unexpected. If you are selling too, it shows how much your sale releases towards your next home.
Stamp Duty, LBTT and LTT
Property tax is usually the largest cost after the deposit. It depends on where you buy, the price and whether you are a first-time buyer, a home mover or buying an additional home.
| Where | First-time buyer | Moving home | Second home |
|---|---|---|---|
| England & NI (Stamp Duty) | £2,500 | £7,500 | £25,000 |
| Scotland (LBTT) | £7,750 | £8,350 | £36,350 |
| Wales (LTT) | £7,500 | £7,500 | £24,950 |
Our Stamp Duty, LBTT and LTT calculators explain each tax in detail.
Legal fees and searches
A conveyancer or solicitor handles the legal side: checking the title, raising enquiries, running searches, preparing contracts, transferring money and registering the new owner. Fees are often quoted as a fixed fee plus "disbursements", which are costs paid to others:
- Searches: local authority, water and drainage, and environmental, often £250 to £450 together.
- Land Registry fee: to register you as owner, which rises with the price.
- Bank transfer fees and identity checks.
Leasehold, new-build, shared ownership and unregistered properties usually cost more. Check whether a quote includes VAT and disbursements.
Surveys
A lender's valuation only checks the home is worth what they are lending. A survey tells you about its condition. RICS surveys come in three levels:
- Best for
- Newer homes in good condition
- Covers
- Traffic-light condition ratings
- Typical cost
- About £400
- Best for
- Most conventional homes
- Covers
- Ratings plus advice on defects
- Typical cost
- About £600
- Best for
- Older, larger or altered homes
- Covers
- Detailed structure and repairs
- Typical cost
- £1,000 or more
A survey can save far more than it costs, by uncovering problems you can negotiate on or walk away from. In Scotland the seller provides a Home Report, which includes a survey and valuation.
Mortgage fees
- Arrangement or product fee: often £0 to £1,500. You can usually add it to the loan, but then you pay interest on it.
- Valuation fee: many lenders now include it; some charge a few hundred pounds.
- Broker fee: some brokers charge, others are paid by the lender.
- Early repayment charge: if you leave your current mortgage during a fixed deal, unless you can port it to the new home.
Fee or no fee?
A deal with a big fee and a lower rate is often cheaper on larger loans. On smaller loans, a no-fee deal can be better. Compare the total cost over the fixed period.
Costs of selling
High-street estate agents usually charge 1% to 1.5% of the sale price plus VAT. Online agents charge a fixed fee, often paid whether or not you sell. You also need an Energy Performance Certificate and your own conveyancer.
- Estate agent at 1.2% plus VAT£4,032
- Legal fees for the sale£1,200
If you have a mortgage on the home you sell, it is paid off from the sale, along with any early repayment charge.
Removals and setting up
A man and van for a flat might cost a few hundred pounds; a full removal service with packing for a four-bedroom house can cost £2,000 or more, especially over a long distance. Prices rise on Fridays and at month ends, when many completions happen.
Then there is setting up: furniture, appliances, curtains and blinds, decorating, changing the locks, and perhaps storage if your dates do not line up. The calculator has an optional line for these.
Example: first-time buyer
A first-time buyer in England paying £350,000 with a £50,000 deposit:
- Stamp Duty£2,500
- Legal fees£1,500
- Level 2 survey£600
- Mortgage fee£999
- Removals£1,000
- 10% contingency£660
With the deposit, they need £57,259 in cash. As a home mover, the Stamp Duty would be £7,500 and the total £12,759.
Example: buying and selling
A home mover sells for £280,000 with £150,000 left on the mortgage, and buys for £350,000 with a £50,000 deposit:
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Sale price | £280,000 |
| Mortgage repaid | −£150,000 |
| Selling costs | −£5,232 |
| Equity released | £124,768 |
| Deposit on the new home | −£50,000 |
| Buying and moving costs | −£13,282 |
| Left over | £61,486 |
Here the sale covers everything with plenty to spare, which could go towards a bigger deposit and a lower mortgage rate. The buying and moving costs include £7,500 Stamp Duty and a 10% contingency on all costs.
When you pay each cost
- Offer acceptedMortgage and survey fees
Valuation and survey fees are paid up front, before you know the sale will go through.
- During conveyancingSearches
Your conveyancer may ask for money on account to pay for searches.
- ExchangeDeposit
Usually 5% to 10% of the price is paid at exchange, when the deal becomes binding.
- CompletionBalance, tax and fees
The rest of the price, property tax, legal fees and estate agent's fee are paid on completion day.
- Moving dayRemovals
Often paid on the day or shortly before.
Chains, bridging and timing
Most home movers sell and buy on the same day so the sale money pays for the purchase. If your sale and purchase do not line up, you might need to rent briefly, use storage, or take a short-term bridging loan, which can be expensive.
If you buy before you sell, you may also pay the higher rates of Stamp Duty for owning two homes, then claim them back once you sell within the time limit.
Ways to cut the cost
- Get at least three quotes for conveyancing, surveys and removals.
- Negotiate the estate agent's fee, or consider an online agent.
- Compare mortgage deals by total cost, not just the rate.
- Move midweek and mid-month when removals are cheaper.
- Declutter before you move: removal quotes depend on volume.
- Separate furniture and fittings in the price at a fair value to reduce property tax.
Costs after you move in
Budget for the first few months too: council tax from the day you move, buildings insurance from exchange (or completion for a leasehold flat), contents insurance, utilities, and any repairs found in the survey. Our council tax calculator shows what your new band will cost.
Extra costs for leasehold and new-build homes
Leasehold flats add costs on both sides. The seller usually pays for a management information pack from the freeholder or managing agent, and the buyer's conveyancer has more work checking the lease, the service charge accounts and any planned major works. If the lease is short, a lease extension can cost thousands and may be needed before a lender will agree a mortgage.
New-build homes usually need a reservation fee, often a few hundred to a few thousand pounds, taken off the price at completion. Many buyers pay for a snagging survey to list defects for the developer to fix. Exchange deadlines from developers can be short, so have your mortgage and conveyancer ready.
Moving in Scotland
Buying in Scotland works differently. The seller provides a Home Report, which includes a survey, a valuation and an energy report, so buyers rarely pay for their own survey. Many homes are marketed at "offers over" a price, and a solicitor often acts as the estate agent too.
The contract is formed through an exchange of letters called missives, and the deal becomes binding earlier than in England. You pay LBTT rather than Stamp Duty, and registration dues to the Registers of Scotland. Choose Scotland under More options in the calculator to use LBTT.
A moving checklist
- 8 to 12 weeks beforeBook the essentials
Instruct a conveyancer, book a survey and get removal quotes.
- 4 weeks beforeArrange the switch-over
Give notice on your rental if you rent, and arrange broadband, energy and insurance.
- 2 weeks beforeTell people
Council tax at both homes, your employer, bank, GP and the DVLA.
- Moving dayRead the meters
Take photos of meter readings at both homes and collect the keys.
- After the moveRedirect your post
Set up mail redirection and update the electoral register.
The same move in each nation
A home mover buying for £350,000, with £1,500 legal fees, a £600 survey, a £999 mortgage fee, £1,000 removals and a 10% contingency:
| Where | Property tax | Total costs |
|---|---|---|
| England & NI | £7,500 | £12,759 |
| Scotland | £8,350 | £13,694 |
| Wales | £7,500 | £12,759 |
In Scotland the buyer would usually not need their own survey because of the Home Report, which would save some of that cost.
Why add a contingency?
Moves rarely go exactly to plan. Searches can throw up issues, a survey can lead to specialist reports, completion dates can slip and need storage or a second van, and leasehold sales bring unexpected fees. A contingency of 5% to 10% of your costs gives you room to cope without dipping into your deposit.
The calculator adds 10% by default. If you have firm quotes for everything, you can lower it under More options.
Moving costs for renters
If you rent, moving is simpler but not free. In England, letting agents cannot charge tenants most fees. You will usually pay a holding deposit of up to one week's rent and a tenancy deposit of up to five weeks' rent, plus your first month's rent in advance. Your old deposit is only returned after you move out, so you may need both at once for a short time. Add removals and any cleaning needed to get your old deposit back.