How much does it cost to buy a house, on top of the price?
On a £300,000 home in England, expect about £2,500 on top for a first-time buyer and £8,600 for a home mover. That covers stamp duty, the Land Registry fee, conveyancing, a Level 2 survey and removals.
Tax is at the rates checked on 15 October 2026, and the other figures are averages from November 2025. The mover's conveyancing average includes selling their old home.
Searches, mortgage fees and insurance come on top.
Every cost on top of the price
GOV.UK lists the costs of buying as tax, conveyancing and search fees, surveys, moving costs and mortgage costs.
| Cost | What sets the amount | Figure to plan with |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty or Land Transaction Tax | The price, the country the home is in, and if you are a first-time buyer or will own another home | Use our stamp duty calculator or Land Transaction Tax calculator |
| Land Registry fee | The price, on HM Land Registry's fee scale | £20 to £500 online, more by post |
| Conveyancing | The firm, the price and the type of purchase | Average £1,421 for first-time buyers, and £2,182 for movers, which includes the sale |
| Searches | The council, the water company and search providers | Ask for the total in your conveyancing quote |
| Survey | The level of survey and the surveyor | Level 2 average £462 for first-time buyers and £510 for movers |
| Mortgage fees | The lender, the deal and any broker | Compare deals with fees included |
| Buildings insurance | The home, its rebuild cost and the area | Get a quote for the address before exchange |
| Removals | Distance, volume and whether you want packing | Average £432 for first-time buyers and £709 for movers |
Reallymoving averages for England in November 2025, reported by Which? and Today's Conveyancer. The survey averages are for a Level 2 survey. Land Registry fees from GOV.UK.
The mover figures are for selling one home and buying another at a median price of £395,000, and the first-time buyer figures for a median of £253,800.
Worked example: a £300,000 home in England
The tax is exact at the rates as of 15 October 2026. The other lines are national averages, so your own quotes will differ.
| Cost | First-time buyer | Home mover |
|---|---|---|
| Stamp duty | £0 | £5,000 |
| Land Registry fee, online | £150 | £150 |
| Conveyancing, average | £1,421 | £2,182 |
| Level 2 survey, average | £462 | £510 |
| Removals, average | £432 | £709 |
| Total of these | £2,465 | £8,551 |
Stamp duty from our calculator, checked against GOV.UK. The home mover is buying a main home and will not own another, and their conveyancing average includes selling the old one.
The total leaves out searches, mortgage fees and insurance, which vary too much to average.
The same home in Wales would carry £4,500 of Land Transaction Tax for any buyer of a main home, because Wales has no first-time buyer relief. The other items apply in Wales too, but the averages above are for England.
Stamp duty and Land Transaction Tax
In England, first-time buyers pay nothing on the first £300,000 and 5% on the part up to £500,000. Above £500,000 the relief stops altogether, so the standard rates apply to the whole price.
Other buyers in England pay nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 and 5% on the part up to £925,000. If you will own another home as well, you usually pay 5% on top of these rates.
In Wales, Land Transaction Tax at the main rates is nothing up to £225,000 and 6% on the part up to £400,000. Wales has separate higher rates for buyers who will own more than one home.
Sources: GOV.UK, Welsh Government.
Your conveyancer usually files the return and pays the tax for you. Work out your figure with our stamp duty calculator or Land Transaction Tax calculator.
Our council pages give each area's median sale price. In Bristol it was £350,000, so a first-time buyer would pay £2,500 in stamp duty and a home mover £7,500. In Cardiff, £270,000 means £2,700 of Land Transaction Tax.
In London the median was £525,000, above the £500,000 limit for first-time buyer relief, so a first-time buyer there would pay the standard rates: £16,250.
Medians of standard sales from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2026, worked out by UK Property Check from HM Land Registry Price Paid Data. Tax at the rates as of 15 October 2026, for a main home.
The Land Registry fee
After completion, your conveyancer registers you as the new owner with HM Land Registry. The fee depends on the price, and it is lower for an online application than one sent by post.
| Price | Online | By post |
|---|---|---|
| £0 to £80,000 | £20 | £45 |
| £80,001 to £100,000 | £40 | £95 |
| £100,001 to £200,000 | £100 | £230 |
| £200,001 to £500,000 | £150 | £330 |
| £500,001 to £1,000,000 | £295 | £655 |
| Over £1,000,000 | £500 | £1,105 |
Fees in force since 9 December 2024. Source: GOV.UK, HM Land Registry registration services fees.
For a new lease, such as most new-build flats, the online fee is the same as the postal fee. The same applies when you buy only part of a registered title.
Conveyancing and searches
GOV.UK says you should expect to be told the full price of the legal work up front. Ask for a quote that splits the firm's own fee, VAT and the disbursements it pays on your behalf, such as searches and the Land Registry fee.
Search prices are set by the bodies that answer them, so they vary by area.
Two published prices: an official local land charges search costs £15 where the register has moved to HM Land Registry, and a residential coal mining report from the Mining Remediation Authority costs from £50 including VAT.
Tell each firm whether the home is leasehold or a new build when you ask for a quote, so the price covers the work. For a flat, read how many years should be left on the lease first.
Sources: GOV.UK, How to buy a home, local land charges, Mining Remediation Authority prices.
The survey
The lender's valuation is not a survey, so budget for one of your own. The price depends on the level you choose, and a Level 3 survey costs more than the others. See which house survey you need.
Mortgage fees
A mortgage deal can come with an arrangement fee and a charge for the lender's valuation. If you use a broker, they may charge you too.
Compare deals on the total you will pay over the deal period, including fees. If you add a fee to the loan, you pay interest on it too.
Buildings insurance from exchange
GOV.UK says you need buildings insurance before you exchange, because from that moment you are legally responsible for the home. For a flat, the lease says who insures the building, which is usually the landlord, through the service charge.
If the home is in an area at risk of flooding, get a quote for the exact address before you commit. See what flood risk means when you are buying.
Removals
Get more than one quote for removals and give the firm as much notice as you can. The cost depends on how far you are going, how much you have and whether the firm packs for you.
Ask every conveyancer who quotes
- Is your fee fixed, and does the quote include VAT?
- Which disbursements, such as searches and the Land Registry fee, are on top?
- Do you charge extra for a leasehold, a new build or a mortgage?
- What do I pay if the purchase falls through before exchange?
- When will you need the money for the tax and the deposit?
The most you can offer is the cash you have for the purchase plus the mortgage you have been offered, minus the costs of buying. Our guide to how much to offer starts from that figure.
Related questions
When do I have to pay stamp duty?
In England the return and payment are due within 14 days of completion, and GOV.UK says your conveyancer usually does both on completion day. In Wales, Land Transaction Tax is due within 30 days of the day after completion.
Is the deposit one of the costs of buying?
No. The deposit is part of the price. GOV.UK says you pay it to your legal representative when you exchange contracts.
Sources
- GOV.UK, How to buy a home
- GOV.UK, Stamp Duty Land Tax residential rates
- GOV.UK, Stamp Duty Land Tax
- Welsh Government, Land Transaction Tax rates and bands
- Welsh Government, Land Transaction Tax overview
- GOV.UK, HM Land Registry registration services fees
- GOV.UK, Search for local land charges
- GOV.UK, Check if a property is affected by coal mining
- Mining Remediation Authority, Mining reports prices (updated 30 April 2026)
- Which?, The cost of buying a house (Reallymoving data, November 2025)
- Which?, Cost of moving house climbs to almost £18,000 (29 November 2025)
- Today's Conveyancer, Cost of moving jumps 27% in a year, with conveyancing costs up 8%
- GOV.UK, Leasehold property: service charges and other expenses
- GOV.UK, Chancellor letter to the Treasury Select Committee: Budget 2026 date
- HM Land Registry, Price Paid Data