What Does Buying a Home in the UK Cost in Total?
Written by: Marcus M. Araz, MBA, PhD · Updated:
Set against the price of a UK home, the costs come to roughly £2,500 to £4,000 before stamp duty. Stamp duty land tax sits on top of that and can run into tens of thousands of pounds on its own, depending on the buyer. The table below lists the items in order, taken from a real solicitor quote and the published land registry scale.
The costs item by item
| Item | Typical amount | When it falls due |
|---|---|---|
| stamp duty | Depends on price and buyer profile | Within 14 days of completion |
| Legal fees | £1,295 + VAT | On completion |
| Leasehold supplement | £250 + VAT | On completion |
| SDLT return preparation | £50 + VAT | On completion |
| Local authority and property searches | £250 to £350 | Before the contract |
| Land registry fee | £20 to £500 | On completion |
| Building survey | £650 to £1,500 | Before the contract |
| Snagging survey | £350 to £500 | Before handover |
| Mortgage product and valuation fee | 0% to 2% of the loan | On application or at completion |
| Mortgage broker fee | £995 to £2,500 | When the offer is issued |
| Transfer and identity checks | £36 to £110 | On completion |
For your own numbers, the UK Purchase Cost Calculator page shows how much cash you need on completion day.
Three items buyers miss
Leasehold costs. Most London flats are leasehold. There is an extra solicitor fee on completion, and after handover the service charge and ground rent continue as annual costs.
Snagging. An independent inspection before handover on a new build records the defects the developer has to put right within the warranty period. A spend of £350 to £500 closes items that would cost far more later.
The exchange spread. Converting from Türkiye into sterling, the gap between the bank rate and the market rate can come to thousands of pounds on a £300,000 purchase. That cost appears in no table.
Frequently asked questions
Is it cheaper if I buy in cash? Yes. Without a mortgage the product fee, valuation, advice fee and registration items never arise. The stamp duty is unchanged.
Does the buyer pay the agency commission? In the United Kingdom the seller pays it. On new schemes the commission comes from the developer, so nothing is added for the buyer.
Do I have to use a solicitor? Yes. Title can only be transferred through an authorised solicitor or a licensed conveyancer.
Can I add the costs to the mortgage? The product fee can usually be added to the loan. Legal, land registry and tax items are paid in cash.
The next step
To see the cash needed on completion, use the calculator, and to work the tax out separately, our stamp duty page . The process as a whole is on the UK Property Guide page.
If you are buying from Türkiye, we set the process out step by step on our What do I need to do to buy a home in the UK from Türkiye page.