How much are the total fees when buying a house UK?

Expect to pay 3-10% of the property price in fees and costs on top of your deposit. For a £300,000 property, this could be £9,000-30,000+ including stamp duty (potentially £2,500), legal fees (£1,000-2,000), survey (£300-1,500), mortgage fees (£0-2,000), and moving costs. First-time buyers pay less as they're exempt from stamp duty up to £425,000.

What fees do first-time buyers pay?

First-time buyers are exempt from stamp duty up to £425,000 (and pay reduced rates up to £625,000). Main costs are: legal/conveyancing fees (£1,000-2,000), survey (£300-1,500), mortgage arrangement fee (£0-2,000), mortgage valuation (often free), and moving costs. Total typically £2,000-6,000 plus your deposit.

Do I need a survey when buying a house?

A survey isn't legally required, but it's strongly recommended. The mortgage lender's valuation only confirms the property is worth the loan amount — it doesn't check for problems. A proper survey can identify issues that could cost thousands to fix. HomeBuyer Reports cost £300-600; Full Building Surveys cost £500-1,500.

Home Buying Costs Calculator UK — Total Cost of Buying a House | PocketWise

Buying a home involves more than just the deposit. Here’s a complete breakdown of all the costs involved.

Total Cost Summary

Cost Category	Typical Range	Notes
Deposit	5-20% of price	Higher = better rates
Stamp duty	0-12%	First-time buyers exempt up to £425k
Legal fees	£1,000-2,500	Conveyancing and searches
Survey	£300-1,500	Depends on type
Mortgage fees	£0-2,000	Can often be added to loan
Moving costs	£500-2,000+	Van hire or removal company

Cost Calculator by Property Price

First-Time Buyer

Property Price	Deposit (10%)	Stamp Duty	Fees (est)	Total Needed
£200,000	£20,000	£0	£3,000	£23,000
£250,000	£25,000	£0	£3,500	£28,500
£300,000	£30,000	£0	£4,000	£34,000
£400,000	£40,000	£0	£4,500	£44,500
£425,000	£42,500	£0	£5,000	£47,500
£500,000	£50,000	£3,750	£5,500	£59,250

Non-First-Time Buyer (Moving Home)

Property Price	Deposit (10%)	Stamp Duty	Fees (est)	Total Needed
£200,000	£20,000	£1,500	£3,000	£24,500
£250,000	£25,000	£2,500	£3,500	£31,000
£300,000	£30,000	£2,500	£4,000	£36,500
£400,000	£40,000	£7,500	£4,500	£52,000
£500,000	£50,000	£12,500	£5,500	£68,000

Additional Property (Buy-to-Let/Second Home)

Add 5% stamp duty surcharge:

Property Price	Deposit (25%)	Stamp Duty	Fees (est)	Total Needed
£200,000	£50,000	£11,500	£3,500	£65,000
£300,000	£75,000	£21,500	£4,500	£101,000

Detailed Cost Breakdown

1. Deposit

Deposit Size	Pros	Cons
5%	Lower barrier to entry	Higher interest rates, mortgage insurance
10%	Good rates available	Still higher than 15%+ LTV
15%	Better rates	More saving required
20%+	Best rates	Significant sum to save

2. Stamp Duty Land Tax (England & NI)

Property Price	First-Time Buyer	Home Mover	Additional Property
Up to £250,000	0%	0%	5%
£250,001-£425,000	0%	5%	8%
£425,001-£625,000	5%	5%	8%
£625,001-£925,000	N/A (no relief)	5%	8%
£925,001-£1.5m	N/A	10%	13%
Over £1.5m	N/A	12%	15%

Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) have different rates.

3. Legal/Conveyancing Fees

Service	Cost Range
Conveyancer’s fixed fee	£500-1,500
Local authority searches	£200-400
Water and drainage search	£30-50
Environmental search	£30-50
Land Registry fee	£95-500 (depends on price)
Bank transfer fees	£30-50
ID verification	£10-20
Typical total	£1,000-2,500

4. Survey Costs

Survey Type	Cost	Best For
Mortgage valuation	Often free	Lender’s requirement only
Condition Report (Level 1)	£250-400	Modern properties, flats
HomeBuyer Report (Level 2)	£400-700	Most properties
Building Survey (Level 3)	£600-1,500	Older/unusual properties

5. Mortgage Fees

Fee Type	Cost	Notes
Arrangement/product fee	£0-2,000	Can add to mortgage
Booking/application fee	£0-250	Non-refundable
Valuation fee	Often free	Some lenders charge
Broker fee	£0-500	Many are free

6. Moving Costs

Service	Cost Range
Van hire (DIY)	£50-150/day
Man and van	£200-500
Removal company (local)	£400-800
Removal company (long distance)	£800-2,000+
Packing materials	£50-100
Storage (if needed)	£50-200/month

7. Ongoing Costs to Budget For

Cost	Frequency	Typical Amount
Buildings insurance	Annual	£150-500
Contents insurance	Annual	£100-300
Maintenance fund	Annual	1% of property value
Service charge (leasehold)	Annual	£1,000-5,000
Ground rent (leasehold)	Annual	£100-500
Council tax	Monthly	£100-400

Costs You Might Forget

Cost	Amount	When
Mortgage early repayment charge	1-5% of loan	If you have existing mortgage
Estate agent fees (if selling)	1-3% + VAT	When selling current home
Utilities setup fees	£50-100	Moving in
Redirected mail	£35-100	3-12 months
New locks/security	£100-300	Moving in
Immediate repairs/decorating	Variable	Moving in

Leasehold Additional Costs

Cost	Amount
Leasehold information pack	£200-500
Notice of transfer fee	£50-200
Certificate of compliance	£50-100
Deed of covenant	£100-300

How to Reduce Costs

Area	Saving Strategy
Stamp duty	First-time buyer relief; shared ownership
Legal fees	Compare quotes; online conveyancers
Survey	Choose appropriate level for property
Mortgage fees	Compare total cost including fees
Moving	Move mid-week; do packing yourself

Budget Checklist

Category	Budgeted	Actual
Deposit	£	£
Stamp duty	£	£
Legal fees	£	£
Searches	£	£
Survey	£	£
Mortgage fees	£	£
Moving costs	£	£
Immediate repairs	£	£
Emergency buffer	£	£
TOTAL	£	£

Recommendation: Add 10% buffer for unexpected costs.

Key Takeaways

Budget 3-10% on top of deposit for all fees and costs
First-time buyers save significantly on stamp duty
Get survey quotes early — don’t skip this step
Compare conveyancers — prices vary significantly
Keep emergency fund — unexpected costs happen

For more detail, see our first-time buyer guide and stamp duty calculator.