It’s no secret that selling your house is a very expensive business, from estate agent fees to conveyancing fees, the costs can add up, so it makes sense to try and work out exactly how much your new move will cost you.
In this blog post, we will be further exploring the costs of selling a house UK, as well as the solicitors fees involved, and what costs you can expect to pay.
Looking for a quick answer? Check out our interactive menu below!
- How much does it cost to sell a house UK?
- The average cost of selling a house in 2023
- Mortgage fees
- Early repayment charge
- Mortgage exit fee
- Estate agent fees
- Is it cheaper to sell with an online estate agent?
- Conveyancing fees
- Energy Performance Certificate ( EPC )
- Removal Costs
- Will I need to pay Capital Gains Tax?
- Other costs involved in selling
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How much does it cost to sell a house UK?
According to the house move comparison website ReallyMoving, the average cost of moving had risen by 21% in 2022, climbing from £11,777 to £14,207. You will need to factor in that these costs will vary from area to area and will depend on elements such as how much your house is worth, the size of your house, what is happening in the housing market, and the solicitor you hire. You will however pay less if you are a first-time buyer, or if you are only buying or only selling a property.
The average cost of selling a house in 2023
Below is a chart of the average cost of selling a house in 2023, according to Homeowners Alliance:
| Cost | What does it involve? | Average Fee |
| Estate Agents Fees | Estate agents on average charge £1.42% including VAT | £4000 |
| Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) | A legal requirement to sell | £60 – £120 |
| Conveyancing Fees | Should the property you are selling be a leasehold, this can increase the costs | £610 – £950 |
| Removal Costs | Both the distance of your move and the size of your house can impact costs | £350 – £2250 |
Please bear in mind that this does not cover other costs you may be liable to pay, such as capital gains, home repairs, or indemnity policies.
Mortgage fees
When it comes to moving home the majority of mortgages that are available are portable, which means that you can transfer them or ‘port’ them from your original property to your new home. Most homeowners chose to ‘port’ their mortgages as a way to avoid an early repayment charge or because they are on a low-interest rate deal. However, if you are paying your lenders usually expensive, standard, variable rates then taking out a new mortgage may be the option for you. However, if you do decide to take out a new mortgage, there are a couple of mortgage fees that you will need to be aware of. These are:
- Early repayment charge
- Mortgage exit fee
Early repayment charge
If you are looking to move but you are still in the middle of your current mortgage deal, then you may be subject to an early repayment charge if you then take out a new mortgage. If you decide to pay this charge it can end up adding a large amount to your bill. The exact amount you will have to pay varies from person to person as it depends upon the amount you have left to pay. For example, if you have a £100,000 mortgage with a 4% early repayment charge then you will end up having to pay an extra, eyewatering £4,000.
Mortgage exit fee
Another cost you may end up paying is the mortgage exit fee. This is your lender’s admin fee for closing the file on your mortgage and is paid once your mortgage balance is clear.
Estate agent fees
Whilst it is possible to cut the estate agent fees altogether and sell your house independently, estate agents are still seen as one of the most popular ways to sell your home. When it comes to selling through an estate agent, you are often left with two main choices, you can sell through a high street estate agent who will usually charge a percentage of the sale price, or an online agent who will generally charge a fixed fee.
How much you will get charged depends upon not only the agent you have sold with but also on the type of contract you have. If you are selling a high-value property or if you agree to a sole agency contract you should be able to negotiate a better deal. If you are selling a lower-value property, then an agent may charge a fixed fee.
You can typically expect to pay anywhere between 0.9% to 3.6% when it comes to fees from your agent, but this will depend on which agent you use and how many are selling your property. If you decide to sell through a no-sale no fee agency, then you can expect fees of around 1.42% including VAT. This means if the property that you were selling was £285,000 then the estate agent fees of around £4,000 would be added onto your house selling cost.
In October 2016, the laws changed around estate agents’ fees which meant that they had to include VAT within the price. Should the estate agent you are selling your property through not make this clear, you should always double-check to avoid getting stung later down the line.
Is it cheaper to sell with an online estate agent?
When it comes to selling a home, online estate agents can be seen as the cheaper alternative to traditional high street agents. This is in part due to their fixed fee services that can range from £0 – £999. The advantage of selling through an online estate agent is that they will do more or less the same job as a high street agent, except they will offer it remotely.
In the early years of online estate agencies, you would often find yourself being left to conduct viewings by yourself and write up the marketing information by yourself. Online estate agencies now offer these services, however, you may find they come at a price as online estate agencies can often bring with them lots of additional add-ons and extra fees.
Conveyancing fees
When it comes to the costs involved when putting your house for sale, one of the most important elements you will need to factor in is the conveyancing costs. A conveyancer is someone whose job is to make sure that your house sale progresses legally and smoothly. If you are buying as well as selling, then you may be able to use the same solicitor. You will typically need to pay your conveyancer either a flat fee or a percentage of the value of your property. ReallyMoving found the average cost for solicitor’s fees were between £610-£950. If the property you are selling is a leasehold, then you will typically have an additional charge of between £100 – £300 to deal with as a result of the extra-legal work that will need to be undertaken to progress the sale.
When it comes to the cost of conveyancing, the fees can be split into two parts: the legal fees and the disbursements. The legal fees cover what the conveyancer will charge for the work, whereas the disbursements are third-party charges for certain services. These can be for anti-money laundering checks, searches, title deeds, transferring ownership, and other necessary steps.
When it comes to conveyancing fees, the best way to ensure a good deal is to shop around and weigh up all of your conveyancing options.
Can I complete the conveyancing process by myself?
One of the ways that people try and cut the cost of selling a home is by completing the conveyancing process by themselves. This is referred to as DIY conveyancing and if done correctly can be a good way to cut the fees for selling your home. There is no legal requirement for you to use a solicitor to progress the legal side of your property sale however it is strongly recommended that you do. Unless you have a confident understanding of the law surrounding house sales and competent knowledge about what documents you will need and how to legally progress a house sale, then the best route for you is to use a conveyancer or a conveyancing solicitor.
Whilst progressing your house sale yourself sounds like a good way of cutting the cost of selling your house, if you make a mistake during the conveyancing process the blame will land on your shoulders, you put the property sale in jeopardy, and you could end up paying more in the long run.
Energy Performance Certificate ( EPC )
When you are putting your house on the market, you will need to provide any potential buyers with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the home. An EPC will provide buyers with information about how energy efficient the property is using a scale from A – G. A property with an A score is the most efficient a property can be and a property with a G score is the least energy efficient.
If you are looking for a property with a higher EPVC score, new-build homes are the way to go, with older homes scoring lower. In the UK, the average EPC score is a D.
The average cost for an EPC is around £55, however, some companies have been known to charge up to £120, so make sure to weigh up your quotes in order to find the best deal.
Thankfully, an EPC is valid for 10 years, so if you purchased your property less than 10 years ago, you may be able to use the existing certificate.
Should you find yourself without an EPC, you can acquire one from an accredited domestic energy assessor. If you are selling through an estate agent you will also be able to arrange to get an EPVC through them, however, you may find it is cheaper to arrange one independently.
If you are selling a property in Scotland, then you will need a Home Report. A Home Report includes an EPC (referred to as an energy report), a house survey as well as a property questionnaire. The exact cost of a Home Report varies from property to property.
Removal Costs
Whilst it is possible to move houses yourself with the help of family and friends, it is not always the most practical solution. Because of this, removal fees are a cost that you may need to take into account. House removals fees will vary on which company you use, where you are based, where you want to move to, how many staff will be required, and other factors.
According to ReallyMoving, the following are the average costs charged by removal companies:
| Bedrooms | 0-20 miles | 20-50 miles | 50-100 miles | 100+ miles |
1 | £334 | £405 | £560 | £811 |
| 2 | £487 | £551 | £716 | £1,037 |
| 3 | £731 | £814 | £1,009 | £1,446 |
| 4 | £1,042 | £1,145 | £1,387 | £1,837 |
| 5 | £1,397 | £1,468 | £1,728 | £2,243 |
If you do decide to move through a removal firm, it is a good idea to shop around for the best quote and to book in advance, as prices often rise the closer to the moving date you get.
Will I need to pay Capital Gains Tax?
When it comes to the total cost of selling, a cost you may be wary of is Capital Gains Tax. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a tax that is paid on any asset that you sell that has increased in value since you bought it. Exactly how much you will have to pay depends upon a variety of factors such as the size of the gain and your income. When it comes to paying CGT on a residential property, you may pay around 18% – 28% of the gain, but not the total sale price. You will only have to pay CGT on gains that exceed your annual allowance and as of 2022/2023, the annual tax-free allowance is £12,300 per person.
If your property is your main property (or your only home) then you will not have to pay any Capital Gains Tax on it. However, if you meet the following criteria, then you may have to pay:
- You are selling a second home e.g a holiday home or a rental property
- The property you are selling is inherited
- If the property you are selling has been let out at all in the time that you have owned it e.g tenants/lodgers
If you are confused about whether or not you qualify to pay CGT, it is a good idea to seek independent financial advice.
Other costs involved in selling
- Deep Clean (£0-£150): Deep cleaning your home yourself shouldn’t cost you a penny, other than for the cleaning supplies you will need to purchase. However, if you feel like it will be a big job, you may be as well paying a professional cleaner to do the job.
- Basic Repairs (£0 – £1000s): Any small DIY jobs that you feel you can do yourself you should fix, but any bigger jobs should have an expert brought in for.
- Redecorate (£0-£2000+): You may opt to get a decorator in to do the job, but giving your walls a fresh coat of paint does not need to be the most expensive task in the world and can give your home a new lease on life.
Another cost associated with selling that is often overlooked is the cost of staging your home for sale. Whilst it may not feel like a necessary stage in the selling process, it is one that can help you ensure a faster sale and generate interest in your property. According to research from Homesandgardens.com, a home that is staged will sell three times faster than a home that is not staged. Here are some basic home improvements your estate agent may recommend making:
This covers everything you need to know about the costs of selling a house. If you have any questions, queries, or insight into the matter, feel free to get in touch!
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Alexandra is a junior content producer who enjoys writing articles and finding out more about the property market. Read more about Alexandra here.
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