What is the Cost of Selling a House?
The cost of selling a house in 2023 is £6,224 for a house priced at £277,000, the UK's average.
Your total selling costs will depend on the price your home sold for, solicitor fees, estate agent’s commission, your mortgage situation and if you need any additional services.
In this guide, we provide a detailed breakdown of the full cost of selling a house, including expected and potential costs.
These are the average costs of selling a house, including the expected costs as well as some potential extras, depending on your situation.
This cost is just an average price and the costs involved in selling your house could be more or less. Also, be aware that the cost of selling a house in Scotland may differ.
Expected costs:
Service: | Cost: |
|---|---|
Estate agent fees | £2,770 - £8,310 (1-3% of the final sale price) |
Conveyancing fees | £1,690 (inc. VAT) solicitor’s legal fee. |
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | £60 - £120 (inc. VAT) |
Removal company cost | £1,181 - for a 3-bedroom house travelling 50 miles with packing. |
Potential extra costs:
| Service: | Cost: |
|---|---|
Mortgage exit fee | £50-£300 |
Early mortgage repayment charge | 1% - 5% of outstanding mortgage |
Capital Gains Tax | Varies |
Porting a mortgage | Up to £450 for valuation |
Home Report (If selling in Scotland) | £585 - £820. |
Estate Agent Fees
Cost of a high-street estate agent: £3,268 (1.18% commission fee)
The average commission charged for selling your house with a high-street estate agent is 1.18% plus VAT. Selling a house priced at the average UK house price of £277,000 will see estate agent fees of £3,268.
Estate agents will base their fee on a percentage of the final sale price. Although estate agents are known to charge anywhere between 1% and 3% of the property price, this isn’t payable until after your house has sold.
Many estate agents will offer a ‘no sale, no fee’ service which means if the sale falls through, they won’t charge a commission, but be sure to check this out before using an estate agent.
Remember it’s not a requirement to use an estate agent, you can sell your home privately if preferred or via an online agent. Online estate agents usually offer a fixed-fee price of between £300 - £1,500, regardless of the house price. Selling at auction is another option and costs roughly £4,713 + VAT.
- Make sure you know all costs involved upfront. Some might charge extra for marketing or online listings, so ask for a breakdown of the quote. You can use our Conveyancing Fees Calculator.
- Estate agents will expertly value your property, but ultimately it’s up to you what price to sell your house for. They have local market knowledge so will know best, but if you feel they are undervaluing your property, you can get multiple valuations.
- Estate agents work for you and not the buyer, so they will try and get you the best sale price. If you’re feeling pressure from buyer requests, remember you’re the client.
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Solicitor Fees for Selling a House
Average conveyancing costs freehold: £1,270
Average conveyancing costs leasehold: £1,420
When selling a property, you'll need to hire a conveyancer or solicitor to handle the legal side of the sale.
The average conveyancing fees for a freehold property will be £1,270. This includes the solicitor’s legal fee and conveyancing disbursements.
Disbursement costs could include:
- Title Deeds Copy - £6 - Obtaining official Land Registry documents will prove that you're the legal owner of the house you’re selling. This will be in the form of a copy of the title deeds.
- Telegraphic Transfer Fee - £40 - A bank transfer fee is a cost required when your conveyancer needs to transfer money. We found the average cost including VAT was £40 but can range between £25 and £45.
- Anti-money Laundering Checks - £5 - This is a required check for both buyers and sellers to check that your money is coming from legitimate funds.
- Mortgaged Property Supplement Fee - £220 - If you still have a mortgage, your solicitor will need to liaise with your mortgage lender to process the redemption of your mortgage. This extra work will be highlighted in the quote.
Your conveyancing fees will be cheaper if selling a freehold, as leasehold sales come with more complex legal work. Some solicitors will offer a fixed fee conveyancing service, so it's important to find this out up front.
To learn more, read solicitor fees for selling a house.
- Choose your solicitor carefully. Make sure they are CLC, SRA, LSS or LSNI regulated.
- Be wary of any quotes that are too cheap or too expensive. Don’t be afraid to ask for a breakdown of a quote and be sure to compare conveyancers.
- Avoid using the conveyancer your estate agent recommends. Read reviews and take recommendations from friends when it comes to finding a conveyancer.
Mortgage Fees
If you're selling a house with a mortgage, then you'll face some extra fees. The two main mortgage fees to consider are mortgage exit fees and early repayment charges.
Mortgage exit fee:
You’ll have to pay a mortgage exit fee to your lender to close your mortgage if you’ve paid it off. This typically costs between £50-£300 but will vary depending on your lender.
Early repayment charge:
If you’ve paid off your mortgage early or if you’re leaving your mortgage before your fixed term ends, you might be subject to paying an early repayment charge as well. This typically costs between 1-5% of the loan.
Costs to consider when getting a new mortgage:
If you’re buying as well as selling and still have a mortgage, you can either remortgage to find a better deal or transfer your current mortgage deal to the new property. Both come with potential fees such as:
- Arrangement fee - £1,000 - £2,000
- Booking fee - £100 - £250
- Valuation fee - £150 - £1,500
- Check that the fees charged match what is written in your original mortgage contract.
- Find out if your lender will charge you an early repayment charge or mortgage exit fee.
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EPC Certificate Costs
Cost of an EPC certificate: £85
You will need to get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) by law when you’re selling your house and it must be ordered before your property is placed on the market. An EPC costs between £60 and £120.
Getting an EPC is vital as it will help you to improve the chances of getting your property sold. The certificate will give you an accurate idea of your property’s energy usage and costs, allowing you to make any necessary changes to increase interest in your home.
For a detailed look into EPC costs, check out our How Much Does an EPC Certificate Cost? article.
- You can order your EPC online directly from providers.
- Alternatively, you can ask your estate agent to order one for you.
- They are valid for up to 10 years, so if you sell your house within that time there’s no need to get another one.
Removal Company Costs
Cost of removal company: £1,181
Once you’ve found a buyer for your house and arranged completion day, you will need to book your removal company. Hiring a removal company will cost on average £1,181 for a 3-bedroom house travelling 50-miles.
The cost of your house removals will vary on the size of your house, distance travelled and if you require any extra services such as packing or storage. Below are the average costs for different sized moves, travelling 50 and 150 miles.
| Size of Move | Cost of Removal Company Travelling 50 Miles | Cost of Removal Company Travelling 150 Miles |
|---|---|---|
1-bedroom | £356 | £468 |
2-bedroom | £576 | £688 |
3-bedroom | £806 | £918 |
4-bedroom | £1,056 | £1,168 |
- To keep costs down, you could use self-storage so you won’t be taking as many items with you.
- Always make sure the removal company you use has Goods in Transit and Public Liability insurance.
Home Report Scotland
Cost of a Home Report: £585-£820
If you’re selling a house in Scotland, it’s a legal requirement to provide the buyer with a Home Report so they can learn important information about your property. According to RICS, a Home Report will cost between £585 and £820.
The Home Report will be split is split into three parts; Single Survey, Energy Report (which includes an EPC certificate) and Property Questionnaire. This will all be included in the price.
- To get an idea of what cost to expect, your Home Report cost will vary depending on your house size.
- In the rest of the UK, the buyer is responsible for paying for the survey, not the seller.
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Preparing House for Sale Costs
Cleaning - £0 - £150
Painting - £50 - £,1000
Fix repairs - £0 - £2,000
It doesn’t have to cost a lot to get your house looking good for a sale, but it could make a difference in getting a better offer. We recommend that you thoroughly clean your house before viewings, photographs and again before the buyers move in.
If you have a damp problem, it could be worth getting a quote to see how much it would cost to resolve this. If this is too much trouble, be sure to factor this into your sale price as this is something that will be flagged in a property survey.
- Buyers will often try and negotiate the price down if their survey flags any repair work. If you pre-empt this by fixing any repairs or at least expect this to crop up, then you’ll be prepared.
- Things like broken door handles or radiators could be easily fixed, making your house look more attractive.
Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
You may have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT) if you make a profit on the sale of a house that is not your place of residency, for example, a buy-to-let property.
If you’re a basic-rate taxpayer, expect to pay 18% capital gains tax and 28% if you’re in a higher tax band.
You’ll need to pay Capital Gains Tax on a house you’re selling if it’s:
- Inherited property
- Buy-to-let
- A holiday property
- Business premises
- Land
- You won’t pay CGT if you’re a cash buyer or if you’re selling a home that was your main home within the past 18 months.
Next Steps of Selling a House
This article is part of our selling a house guide. In the next article in this guide, we'll look at the process of finding a solicitor when selling a house for the first time. More details can be found in our article: Solicitor for Selling a House: First-time Sellers' Guide
