How much does it cost to sell a house in the UK?

In this guide
Summary of the costs of selling
Estate agent fees
Conveyancing
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Home Report (Scotland)
Preparing your home for sale
Removals
Mortgage costs
Capital Gains Tax
Final bills
Buying your next property
Worked example: selling at the UK average price
How to cut the cost of selling

Selling a home in the UK involves more costs than the estate agent’s fee. On a home sold at the UK average price of £272,611 (HM Land Registry UK House Price Index, July 2026), a seller in England using an agent who charges the average percentage fee can expect to pay between £6,499.94 and £6,854.94 for the agent, the conveyancing, the EPC, removals and any mortgage exit fee. Early repayment charges, Capital Gains Tax and the costs of buying your next home come on top. This guide sets out each cost, what it typically comes to and how to reduce it.

Summary of the costs of selling

Estate agent fees

The estate agent’s fee is usually the largest single cost of selling. Agents charge in one of two ways.

Percentage fees

Most high street agents charge a percentage of the final sale price. The average is about 1.3% including VAT (Which?, citing Rightmove data for 2025). On a home sold for £272,611 that is £3,543.94. Percentage fees are normally paid on completion, out of the sale money, so you pay nothing if the home does not sell. Check whether a quoted fee includes VAT at 20%, because many agents quote fees excluding VAT.

Fixed fees

Online and hybrid agents usually charge a fixed fee, typically £500 to £1,500 (Rightmove, 2025). Some take the fee upfront, which means you pay it whether or not the home sells. Others let you pay later or on completion, often at a higher price. Online agents may also charge extra for accompanied viewings, so you can keep costs down by showing buyers round yourself.

Contract types

The type of contract you sign affects when the fee is due. Read it in full before you sign.

• Sole agency: one agent markets your home for an agreed period. You pay that agent if it finds the buyer. This is the most common arrangement.
• Multi-agency: you instruct two or more agents at the same time and pay only the one that sells. Fees are usually higher than for sole agency.
• Sole selling rights: you pay the agent even if you find a buyer yourself during the contract period.
• Ready, willing and able purchaser: under this term the fee can become payable once the agent introduces a buyer who is prepared to proceed, even if you then decide not to sell.

Check the length of any tie-in period and the notice you must give to end the contract. If you switch agents, check whether the first agent could still claim a fee from a buyer it introduced.

Use the calculator on our estate agent fees guide to work out the fee on your own sale price. The guide also has a table of average fees by region.

Conveyancing

Conveyancing is the legal work that transfers ownership of the property to the buyer. It must be done by a solicitor or a licensed conveyancer who is qualified and insured. On a sale they answer the buyer’s enquiries, draft the contract and deal with the title. They also handle exchange of contracts and completion, then pay off your mortgage from the sale money.

Which? puts the average conveyancing cost at £2,182 (January 2026, citing Reallymoving data for England from November 2025). The figure comes from Which?’s table of the total cost of moving home. The article does not say whether it covers a sale alone. Treat it as a guide and ask several firms for fixed-fee quotes that list every disbursement.

Disbursements are charges the conveyancer pays to others on your behalf. Which? gives £7 for each official copy of the title deeds and says a leasehold sale usually adds £100 to £300. Identity and anti-money laundering checks are also charged as disbursements by many firms.

Instruct a conveyancer before you accept an offer and gather your paperwork early, because delays in the legal work are a common reason for sales falling through. Our guide to the documents you need to sell your house lists what to prepare. Our guide to what happens on completion day explains the final step.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

You must have a valid EPC before you market your home for sale. The certificate rates the property’s energy efficiency, shows typical energy costs and recommends ways to reduce them. It must be carried out by an accredited domestic energy assessor and is valid for 10 years.

An EPC costs about £65 on average, though some firms charge up to £120 (Which?, January 2026). You may already have a valid certificate. Check the government EPC register before you pay for a new one. In Scotland the energy report forms part of the Home Report.

Home Report (Scotland)

In Scotland the seller must provide a Home Report before the home is put on the market. The Scottish Government’s consultation analysis on the Home Report states that it must be no more than 12 weeks old when the property is first marketed. It has three parts:

• A single survey by a chartered surveyor, covering the condition of the property and its valuation
• An energy report, which includes the energy efficiency rating
• A property questionnaire completed by the seller, covering matters such as council tax band and factor fees

The seller pays for the Home Report. HouseCheckup’s survey of seven Scottish providers (updated 30 September 2026) puts most homes between £360 and £900 including VAT. For a home worth £200,001 to £300,000 it gives £540 to £720 including VAT. Large, unusual, rural or poorly maintained homes can cost more. Surveyors often quote excluding VAT, so ask for the full price. If you are also buying in Scotland, read our guide on how to buy a house in Scotland.

Preparing your home for sale

Preparing your home need not be expensive. The cost depends entirely on how much work you choose to do. Clean the property thoroughly before the photographs are taken and before viewings begin.

• Outside: mow the lawn, clean the windows and clear the front door and driveway. Repaint a tired front door, fences or window frames if needed. Plants or hanging baskets can brighten the entrance.
• Inside: declutter every room. This also reduces the volume your removal firm has to move. You may also be able to sell items you no longer need. Neutral paint and well-placed mirrors make rooms look lighter. Make sure the features that first attracted you to the home are easy for viewers to see.
• Repairs: fix minor faults before buyers make offers. Deal with structural problems before cosmetic ones, because a buyer’s survey is likely to find them.
• Kitchens and bathrooms: these influence many buyers, but a full refit is expensive. Replacing cupboard doors or handles may be enough. Keep any spending in proportion to the value of the home. Remember that some buyers want a project.

For more ideas see how to make your house more appealing to buyers and the best home improvements to increase property value. If a buyer’s survey does find problems, our guide to negotiating the house price after a survey explains your options.

Removals

The average cost of a removal firm is £709 (Which?, January 2026, citing Reallymoving). The price depends on:

• the volume of belongings and the size of van needed
• the distance between the two addresses
• the time of year and day of the week
• whether you or the firm does the packing
• packing materials
• special or fragile items
• difficult access at either property
• storage, if you cannot move straight into your next home

Get at least three quotes and check reviews before you choose. If you have little furniture, hiring a van and moving with the help of family or friends costs less. Book early, because removal firms fill up at busy times of year. Our moving house checklist sets out what to do and when. Our guide on when is the best time to sell a property covers the timing of a sale.

Mortgage costs

If you have a mortgage, check your mortgage offer before you put your home on the market. It sets out the charges you will pay when the loan is repaid.

Mortgage exit fee

Many lenders charge an administration fee for closing your mortgage account when the balance is repaid, even at the end of a deal. Moneyfacts gives a typical range of £75 to £300 and notes that some lenders charge nothing. Check that the fee you are asked to pay matches the one in your mortgage offer.

Early repayment charge

If you repay your mortgage during a fixed, tracker or discounted deal, the lender may charge an early repayment charge to recover the interest it loses. The charge is usually 1% to 5% of the amount you still owe (Lloyds Bank) and often falls as the deal nears its end. On an outstanding loan of £200,000, a 2% charge would be £4,000. This can be the largest cost of a sale, so check the date your deal ends before you set your timetable.

Porting your mortgage

Many mortgages are portable. This means you can move the loan and its current rate to your next property with the same lender and avoid the early repayment charge. The lender must still approve the new property and your circumstances.

• Borrowing the same amount: the lender will usually value the new property. Some lenders charge for this valuation.
• Borrowing more: the extra amount is usually a separate mortgage product, which may carry its own rate and arrangement fee.
• Borrowing less: you may pay an early repayment charge on the part of the loan you repay.

Capital Gains Tax

You do not usually pay Capital Gains Tax when you sell the home you live in. You may have to pay it when you sell a property that has not been your main home, such as:

• a buy-to-let property
• a second home or holiday home
• an inherited property you have not lived in
• business premises
• land

The tax is charged on the gain, which is the increase in value, not on the full sale price. For the 2026 to 2027 tax year the annual tax-free allowance is £3,000. Gains above it are taxed at 18% where they fall within the basic rate income tax band and at 24% above it (gov.uk). On the sale of a UK residential property you must report and pay any tax due within 60 days of completion. If you are selling a rented property, see our guide to selling a house with tenants.

Final bills

Set money aside for final bills, which can be larger than expected if you have been on estimated readings. Take meter readings for gas, electricity and water on the day you move. Photograph the meters as a record and give the readings to your suppliers. Tell your council the date you move so your council tax bill ends on that day.

Smaller costs are easy to forget. Royal Mail charges a fee to redirect your post, which varies with the length of the redirection; check the current price before you apply. Update your address with your bank, employer, insurer and other organisations.

Buying your next property

Most sellers are also buying. These costs are not costs of selling, but you need to budget for them at the same time.

Stamp duty

Stamp duty is paid by the buyer when a property is bought. You do not pay it on the home you sell. It is charged in bands on the purchase price. The bands depend on where the property is.

• England and Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty Land Tax (gov.uk): 0% up to £125,000; 2% on £125,001 to £250,000; 5% on £250,001 to £925,000; 10% on £925,001 to £1.5 million; 12% above £1.5 million. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000 and 5% on £300,001 to £500,000; the relief does not apply above £500,000.
• Scotland, Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Revenue Scotland): 0% up to £145,000; 2% on £145,001 to £250,000; 5% on £250,001 to £325,000; 10% on £325,001 to £750,000; 12% above £750,000. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £175,000.
• Wales, Land Transaction Tax (Welsh Government): 0% up to £225,000; 6% on £225,001 to £400,000; 7.5% on £400,001 to £750,000; 10% on £750,001 to £1.5 million; 12% above £1.5 million.

On a purchase at the UK average price of £272,611 by a buyer who is not a first-time buyer and does not own another home, the tax would be:

Higher rates apply if you will own more than one home at the end of the day of purchase. In England and Northern Ireland the surcharge is 5% on top of the standard rates; Scotland charges an Additional Dwelling Supplement and Wales has its own higher rates. If you buy your next home before your current one is sold, you will usually pay the higher rates at first. You may then be able to claim a refund if you sell your previous main home within 36 months. Our guide to everything you need to know about stamp duty explains the rules in full.

Mortgage fees and survey

A new mortgage often carries an arrangement or product fee. Which? says these are commonly around £1,000 and some reach £3,999. A survey on the home you buy cost £510 on average in England (Which?, January 2026, citing Reallymoving). You will also pay conveyancing on the purchase. Our guide to the process of buying a house in England and Wales covers each step.

Worked example: selling at the UK average price

The table shows the typical cost of selling a home in England, Wales or Northern Ireland for £272,611, using an agent who charges the average fee of 1.3% including VAT. The lower column assumes an EPC at £65 and no mortgage. The higher column assumes an EPC at £120 and a mortgage exit fee of £300.

In Scotland, replace the EPC with a Home Report at £540 to £720 including VAT for a home in this price band. The totals then become £6,974.94 and £7,454.94. Neither total includes an early repayment charge, Capital Gains Tax, preparation work, final bills or the costs of buying your next home.

How to cut the cost of selling

The agent’s fee is the cost you can change most easily, because fees vary widely between agents in the same area. In the example above, a traditional agent charging 0.87% including VAT would cost £2,371.72 instead of £3,543.94, a saving of £1,172.22.* A fixed-fee online agent charging £500 to £1,500 would save £2,043.94 to £3,043.94, though the service, the viewing arrangements and when you pay will differ.

1. Research prices first. Look at sold prices for similar homes nearby over the last 12 months so you have a realistic idea of value. Our guide to how to value a house explains how. Our regional price pages show local averages.
2. Compare at least three agents. Compare their fees, services and track records. Ask each for a valuation and a marketing plan. Asking for a valuation does not oblige you to instruct an agent.
3. Compare like with like. Check whether each fee includes VAT, viewings, photography and floor plans. Check also whether it is paid upfront or on completion.
4. Read the contract. Check the contract type, the tie-in period and the notice period before you sign.
5. Time your sale around your mortgage. Selling after your deal ends can avoid an early repayment charge. Porting the mortgage can do the same.
6. Get several quotes for conveyancing and removals. Ask for fixed fees that list every disbursement.

If this is your first sale, our guide to selling your first home takes you through the process from start to finish.

Compare local estate agents’ fees free on easyProperty. Enter your postcode and a few details to see fee proposals from high street and online agents near you, with their services and track records side by side. There is no obligation. To estimate the fee on your own sale price first, use the calculator in our estate agent fees guide.

*Based on the average lowest traditional agent fee of 0.87% (including VAT) found by NetAnAgent compared with the Which? average agent fee of 1.3% (including VAT), excluding online agents.