True Cost of Buying a House UK — All Expenses

The true cost of buying goes well beyond your deposit. Here’s everything you’ll pay.

Total Cost Summary

On a £250,000 Property

Cost	First-Time Buyer	Next Home
Deposit (10%)	£25,000	£25,000
Stamp duty	£0	£2,500
Solicitor	£1,500	£1,500
Survey	£500	£500
Mortgage fees	£1,000	£1,000
Moving costs	£1,000	£1,000
Other fees	£500	£500
Total needed	£29,500	£32,000

On a £400,000 Property

Cost	First-Time Buyer	Next Home
Deposit (10%)	£40,000	£40,000
Stamp duty	£0	£7,500
Solicitor	£1,800	£1,800
Survey	£700	£700
Mortgage fees	£1,000	£1,000
Moving costs	£1,500	£1,500
Other fees	£500	£500
Total needed	£45,500	£53,000

Deposit

How Much?

Deposit Level	Benefits	Drawbacks
5%	Lowest entry point	Higher rates, limited lenders
10%	Better rates available	Still limited choice
15%	Good rates, more lenders	Need more savings
20%+	Best rates	Large sum needed

Deposit By Property Value

Property Price	5%	10%	15%	20%
£200,000	£10,000	£20,000	£30,000	£40,000
£250,000	£12,500	£25,000	£37,500	£50,000
£300,000	£15,000	£30,000	£45,000	£60,000
£350,000	£17,500	£35,000	£52,500	£70,000
£400,000	£20,000	£40,000	£60,000	£80,000

First-Time Buyer Help

Scheme	Benefit
Lifetime ISA	25% bonus on savings
First Homes	30-50% discount (eligibility)
Shared Ownership	Buy 25-75% share
Help to Buy (closed)	Check if you reserved

Stamp Duty Land Tax

First-Time Buyers (Up to £625,000)

Property Value	Stamp Duty
Up to £425,000	£0
£425,001-625,000	5% on portion above £425k
Above £625,000	No FTB relief — normal rates

Standard Rates (All Other Buyers)

Portion of Value	Rate
Up to £250,000	0%
£250,001-925,000	5%
£925,001-1,500,000	10%
Over £1,500,000	12%

Additional Property (+3%)

Portion of Value	Rate
Up to £250,000	3%
£250,001-925,000	8%
£925,001-1,500,000	13%
Over £1,500,000	15%

Stamp Duty Examples

Property Price	First-Time Buyer	Next Home	Additional
£250,000	£0	£0	£7,500
£300,000	£0	£2,500	£11,500
£400,000	£0	£7,500	£19,500
£500,000	£3,750	£12,500	£27,500

Scotland (LBTT) & Wales (LTT)

Region	Different Rates Apply
Scotland	Land and Buildings Transaction Tax
Wales	Land Transaction Tax
Use regional calculators	Rates differ

Legal Fees

Solicitor/Conveyancer Fees

Component	Cost
Basic fee	£800-1,500
VAT (20%)	£160-300
Leasehold premium	£200-400 extra
Typical total	£1,000-2,000

Disbursements (On Top)

Item	Cost
Local authority searches	£150-300
Environmental search	£30-50
Water/drainage search	£30-50
Land Registry fee	£95-300
Bankruptcy search	£2
ID verification	£10-15
Bank transfer fee	£30-50
Total disbursements	£350-750

Total Conveyancing

Type	Total Cost
Online conveyancer	£1,200-1,800
High street solicitor	£1,500-2,500
Complex purchase	£2,000-3,500

Survey Costs

Survey Types

Type	Cost	What It Covers
Mortgage valuation	£0-300	Lender’s basic check
Condition report	£300-500	Basic condition only
HomeBuyer Report	£400-600	More detailed
Full Building Survey	£600-1,500	Comprehensive

Which Survey?

Property Type	Recommended Survey
New build	Possibly just valuation
Modern (post-1990)	HomeBuyer Report
Older (pre-1930s)	Full Building Survey
Any concerns	Full Building Survey
Unusual construction	Full Building Survey

Additional Specialist Surveys

Survey	When Needed	Cost
Damp/timber	Signs of damp	£200-400
Electrical	Old/suspect wiring	£150-300
Gas safety	If buying to rent	£60-100
Japanese knotweed	If suspected	£100-200

Mortgage Costs

Mortgage Fees

Fee	Typical Cost
Arrangement/product fee	£0-2,000
Booking fee	£0-250
Valuation fee	£0-500
Higher lending charge	Rare now
Typical total	£0-2,500

Mortgage Fee Strategy

Higher Fee	vs	Lower Fee
Better rate		Higher rate
Calculate	over full term
5-year fix	often worth fee
2-year fix	maybe not

Getting Mortgage Advice

Advice Type	Cost
Bank direct	Free
Whole of market broker	£0-500
Usually	Worth paying for advice

Removal Costs

DIY vs Professional

Method	Cost	Best For
Van hire only	£80-150	Minimal stuff
Van + helpers	£150-300	Small move
Professional movers	£400-1,200	Full house
Man and van	£200-500	Flexible option

Professional Removal Factors

Factor	Impact
Volume of belongings	More = more vans/time
Distance	Further = more expensive
Access difficulty	Steep stairs, parking
Packing service	£200-500 extra
Weekend/month-end	More expensive

Immediate Costs After Moving

Common First Expenses

Item	Typical Cost
Locks changed	£100-200
Deep clean	£150-400
Utility deposits	£100-200
Furniture essentials	£1,000-5,000
Curtains/blinds	£200-1,000
White goods	£500-2,000

First Month Bills

Cost	Approximate
Council tax (month)	£100-300
Energy (month)	£100-200
Water (month)	£30-50
TV licence	£170/year
Contents insurance	£10-30/month
Building insurance	Often via mortgage

Ongoing Homeowner Costs

Annual Costs

Cost	Annual Estimate
Mortgage payments	Your repayments
Council tax	£1,400-4,000
Energy bills	£1,500-2,500
Water	£400-600
Building insurance	£200-500
Contents insurance	£150-400
Maintenance fund	1% of value
Service charge (flats)	£1,000-5,000
Ground rent (leasehold)	£50-500+

Maintenance Budget

Recommendation	Amount
Set aside	1% of property value/year
For £250,000 house	£2,500/year
Covers	Boiler service, repairs, decorating

Complete Cost Checklist

Before Exchange

Cost	Amount
Survey	£300-1,500
Mortgage application	£0-500
Additional searches	£50-200

At Completion

Cost	Amount
Deposit	Your deposit amount
Stamp duty	£0-15,000+
Solicitor fees	£1,300-2,500
Mortgage fee	£0-2,000
Land Registry	£95-300

Moving Day

Cost	Amount
Removals	£200-1,200
Cleaning	£0-400
First shop	£100-200
Takeaway	£30 deserved

First Month

Cost	Amount
Lock change	£100-200
Essential furniture	£500-5,000
Essential appliances	£500-2,000
First bills	£300-500

Summary

Category	Minimum	Typical	High
Deposit	5% property value	10%	20%+
Legal fees	£1,300	£1,800	£3,000
Survey	£300	£500	£1,500
Mortgage fees	£0	£1,000	£2,000
Stamp duty (FTB)	£0	£0-4,000	Varies
Moving	£200	£600	£1,500
Fees total	£3,000	£6,000	£12,000
Plus deposit	Varies

Key Takeaway
Budget extra £10,000+	Beyond deposit
First-time buyers	No stamp duty under £425k
Get full building survey	On older properties
Emergency fund	Maintain after purchase