Save Money When Moving House
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We found that the average cost of buying and selling a house in 2023 is just under £10,000. This figure includes the necessary services you’ll need to buy and sell a house, but costs will vary depending on your situation. This doesn't include a house deposit.
Whether you are looking to move to London, Manchester or Bristol, don't let the moving costs mount up - use our handy Cost of Moving House Calculator to work out exactly how much your next home move is going to cost. You might even find a few ways to save money.
Our Cost of Moving House calculator includes estate agent fees, stamp duty, conveyancing costs, house survey costs and removal company costs.
We’ve worked out how much it costs to move house for the average UK property price of £277,000. Some of the fees listed will be upfront costs such as your surveying fees, while some will be ongoing costs like solicitor fees.
Some of these costs, such as postal redirection, are charged at fixed fees. However, most of these costs, such as estate agents and house removals, will vary depending on your requirements and size or value of your property.
| The Cost of Buying a House | |
|---|---|
| Stamp Duty | £1,350 |
| Property Surveyors | £500 |
| Conveyancing | £1,320 |
| Valuation Fee | £320 |
| Buying Total: | £3,490 |
| The Cost of Selling a House | |
|---|---|
| Estate Agents | £3,268 |
| Conveyancing | £1,270 |
| EPC | £85 |
| Selling Total: | £4,623 |
| General Moving House Costs | |
|---|---|
| Removal Company | £1,181 |
| Postal Redirection | £33.99 |
| Moving Total: | £1,214.99 |
Here are the typical costs you'll need to keep in mind:
Stamp duty (SDLT) is a land tax in England and Northern Ireland that must be paid when purchasing a house priced above £250,000.
SDLT must be paid to HMRC within 30 days of completion of contracts, and will usually be fulfilled by your solicitor.
There are five tax bands for SDLT which correspond with the purchase price of your property. The Land Transaction Tax has replaced Stamp Duty in Wales.
| Property Purchase Price | Stamp Duty Rate | Payable Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £250,000 | 0% | £0 |
| £250,001 - £925,000 | 5% | £2,500-£36,250 |
| £925,000 - £1,500,000 | 10% | £36,250-£93,750 |
| £1,500,000 | 12% | £93,750+ |
When buying a house in Scotland you will be subject to Land and Buildings Transaction Tax. This replaces SDLT and is applicable on all properties over £145,000. For comparison, you would have to pay £3,350 in taxes for a property in Scotland worth £275,000. Use our stamp duty calculator for a more accurate estimate.
The price of a property survey ranges from £220 to £1,390 depending on the type of survey you choose and the size and value of your property.
Property surveys are essential for finding any issues in a prospective house, and are necessary if you are buying with a mortgage.
Based on the house price band of £200,000-£300,000, we've listed the average surveying fees for a range of survey types.
| Type of Survey | Avg. Costs |
|---|---|
| Level 1 (Condition Report) | £380 |
| Level 2 (HomeBuyer Report) | £500 |
| Level 3 (Building Survey) | £800 |
| RICS Valuation Report | £320 |
| Scottish Home Report | £585-£820 |
These are the three most popular house survey types available from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS):
A house deposit for the average UK property priced at £277,000 would be £27,700.
Deposit amounts are generally 10%, but can sometimes be as little as 5% and as much as 65%. Your mortgage provider is likely to offer you better mortgage rates if you have a larger deposit.
You will need to pay your house deposit to your solicitor on the same day you exchange contracts. Once you do this, you are committed to purchasing the property and it is extremely difficult to break out of the contract.
The average valuation fee is £320.
A RICS Valuation Report is required by your mortgage provider to confirm that you are paying the right amount for the property. You will not need a valuation if one is provided as part of your home survey.
Some providers will offer a free valuation as part of your package, while others will require you to pay a fee. Providers that require you to pay will base their fees off the value of the property. The table below reveals what you will typically have to pay for a house valuation:
| Purchase Price | Valuation Fee |
|---|---|
Up to £100,000 | £220 |
£100,001-£200,000 | £280 |
£200,001-£300,000 | £320 |
£300,001-£400,000 | £370 |
£400,001-£500,000 | £420 |
£500,001-£600,000 | £490 |
£600,001-£700,000 | £520 |
£7001,000-£800,000 | £570 |
£800,001-£900,000 | £610 |
£900,001-£1,000,000 | £640 |
The average solicitor fees for buying a house are £1,320 when buying a freehold.
Making up a large part of the cost of moving house, property solicitors usually charge a set fee based on the value of the house.
Homebuyers should expect to pay more if they buy a leasehold property. This is because the paperwork involved with a lease can often be extensive and will need additional time to check.
Solicitor Fees for Buying a House (VAT included)
| Property Value | Avg Freehold Cost* | Avg Leasehold Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £100,000 | £1,090 | £1,270 |
| £100,001 to £200,000 | £1,190 | £1,370 |
| £200,001 to £300,000 | £1,320 | £1,490 |
| £300,001 to £400,000 | £1,390 | £1,560 |
| £400,001 to £500,000 | £1,490 | £1,650 |
| £500,001 to £600,000 | £1,750 | £1,860 |
| £600,001 to £700,000 | £1,800 | £1,960 |
| £700,001 to £800,000 | £2,000 | £2,150 |
| £800,001 to £900,000 | £2,120 | £2,290 |
| £900,001 to £1,000,000 | £2,160 | £2,340 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2,550 | £2,710 |
*We took a sample of fees from 50 licensed conveyancers across the UK to find these averages, but this is just an indication of costs. Fees will greatly vary depending on your situation and conveyancer.
On top of the solicitor’s legal fees, homebuyers will also have to pay disbursements:
For a more detailed and thorough breakdown, read our helpful guide on the cost of buying a house.
Here are the typical costs you'll need to keep in mind:
High-street estate agents will generally charge between 1% and 3% of the final property price on average.
Online estate agents work on a fixed-rate basis and are suitable for selling any type of property. Online agency rates start at around £300, but you will likely have to conduct viewings yourself.
Energy Performance Certificates cost between £60 and £120 depending on your local assessor's prices. Every house on the property market needs to be on the EPC register.
Your EPC reveals your property’s energy efficiency rating and whether it can be improved, based on the property type and the local area. For more information check out our guide to the Energy Performance Certificate.
A Home Report will cost between £585 and £820.
While home surveys are the responsibility of the buyer in the rest of the UK, it is up to the seller to produce a Home Report in Scotland.
Your home report will reveal any issues with the property on a 1-3 category basis:
You will only need to worry about capital gains tax if you are selling a property that is not your main home (e.g. a rental property or holiday home).
Capital gains tax applies when you sell a property or land that makes a profit of more than £11,100 after selling fees. The profits from the sale of your property will range between 18% and 28% depending on the council tax band of your property.
Profit is measured based on the price of the property when you first bought it. The first £11,100 in profit will not be taxed.
The average solicitor fees for selling a house in 2023 are £1,270 based on the average-priced freehold property.
Solicitor Fees for Selling a House (VAT included)
| Property Value | Avg Freehold Cost* | Avg Leasehold Cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £100,000 | £1,050 | £1,220 |
| £100,001 to £200,000 | £1,140 | £1,310 |
| £200,001 to £300,000 | £1,270 | £1,420 |
| £300,001 to £400,000 | £1,340 | £1,490 |
| £400,001 to £500,000 | £1,430 | £1,580 |
| £500,001 to £600,000 | £1,640 | £1,780 |
| £600,001 to £700,000 | £1,720 | £1,880 |
| £700,001 to £800,000 | £1,910 | £2,050 |
| £800,001 to £900,000 | £2,030 | £2,170 |
| £900,001 to £1,000,000 | £2,100 | £2,250 |
| £1,000,000+ | £2,430 | £2,520 |
*We took a sample of fees from 50 licensed conveyancers across the UK to find these averages, but this is just an indication of costs. Fees will greatly vary depending on your situation and conveyancer.
You’ll have to pay disbursements on top of the above legal fee. Common disbursements for selling a house include:
For a more detailed and thorough breakdown, read our helpful guide on the cost of selling a house.
The average house removal costs are £1,181 for a three-bedroom house (est. 875 cubic feet of movable items) moving 50 miles.
This cost includes dismantling and reassembling furniture, as well as packing services and materials.
The true cost of your house removals will depend on the volume of items, distance travelled and any extra services you need. Expect long-distance moves to cost more.
Royal Mail’s mail redirection starts at £33.99.
This ensures that any mail sent to your old address is diverted to your new address. If you are moving with someone that has a different surname, they will also have to pay for redirection.
| Length of Redirection | Redirection Cost |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 months | £33.99 |
| Up to 6 months | £47.99 |
| Up to 12 months | £68.99 |
A Buildings Insurance policy will cost between £95 - £120.
You’ll need to get a home insurance policy when buying a new house. This is usually split into two categories, contents and buildings insurance. Buildings insurance will need to be bought before exchanging contracts.
While some of the prices included in this guide are fixed, most vary and can be negotiated with the provider.
The best way to save money on your move is to compare providers. With each of these service providers, aim to get quotes from at least three separate companies to find the best price. While price is important, keep an eye on the services being offered and remember to check third-party reviews from previous customers before signing any contracts.