When you buy a house, there's a number of associated fees that you might not realise are included.
While pretty much everyone knows they need a deposit and stamp duty, you’d be surprised at how many people don’t know the full extent of associated costs.
The thing is, it's important to understand and account for these costs as they can have a massive impact on your overall bottom line and could delay the purchase process before it even gets going.
To help you understand more about buying your property, here are the fees you can expect when you buy a house in 2026. We’ve added some industry standard estimations for each cost but remember that they may differ depending on the property, the solicitor and the purchase process:
1. Solicitor Fees
While they represent one of the biggest extra costs, they’re also probably the most important outside of Stamp Duty and your deposit.
The legal part of buying a home is known as conveyancing and the main reason people hire a solicitor early on in the purchase process.
Conveyancing (£2,000): This is the bulk of the legal costs and represents several key tasks including drawing up contracts between both parties, organising the payment of stamp duty and transferring the payment towards the new property. The conveyancer also acts as a go-between both parties, usually liaising with their counterpart from the other buyer/seller.
Documentation: Another part of the conveyancing process is checking the details related to the property. These mainly revolve around the previous owner and the boundaries of the property .
Searches (£200 - £300): On top of the points above, your conveyancer also organises the local authority searches. These are mandatory and check for external risks that might impact the property including flooding, contamination or nearby development and construction. The search costs are typically included in the overall quote from the conveyancer.
2. Surveys
An important part of the buying process is getting a survey completed. While they offer a range of benefits, the most important takeaway is that they uncover any potential issues that could become costly problems down the line. So what are the different types of survey?
Condition Report (£250 - £300): This is the most basic form of survey and provides an overview of the property’s condition. It’ll highlight any major problems but won’t necessarily provide the detail included within the other surveys.
Homebuyer Report (£350 - £700): This is the ‘mid-level’ survey and suitable for the majority of conventional properties that are less than 50 years old. It provides more detail than the condition report but won’t be as comprehensive as the building survey.
Building Survey (£500 - £1,500): This is the most in-depth form of survey and ensures the buyer receives a comprehensive inspection. It’s advisable that buyers purchasing an older home opt for this type of survey as it may save you thousands further down the line.
3. Stamp Duty
This is generally the cost that everyone knows as it regularly makes the headlines but it’s worth knowing and a major part of your overall cost.
Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is a mandatory tax paid when you buy a property in England or Northern Ireland.
The amount of tax you pay depends on several factors including; the price of the property, the status of the buyer and the current rates.
Due to these factors, we’re not going to highlight specific costs here but it’s fairly simple to work out. You can read more about Stamp Duty here or use a Stamp Duty calculator.
4. Mortgage fees
While most people understand the main cost associated with a mortgage, there’s also several extra costs you might not know about:
Mortgage Booking Fees (£100 - £200): In most cases you’ll be charged a booking fee when you arrange your mortgage, paid on the agreement to take it out. This might be referred to as an application or reservation fee and is non-refundable.
Mortgage Arrangement Fee (£1,000 - £2,000): When you agree to a mortgage, the bank/building society may charge you an arrangement fee which will differ based on the mortgage type, the mortgage value and the agreed interest rate. In some cases, the arrangement fee may be added on to the amount you’re borrowing but remember this will accrue interest.
5. Removal Costs
Moving Fees (£150 - £1,500): Moving is stressful enough without having to think about making multiple trips between both houses or organising storage solutions. While it’s a money saver, moving by yourself can be more hassle than it's worth in terms of stress, which is why so many people opt to use a removal service.
The cost of a removal service ultimately depends on the size of your property and how much you have to transport. In most cases, you’ll need a full day of vehicle hire and labour. According to CompareMyMove, the average cost to hire a removal company for a three-bedroom house is £1,200, which may give you a ballpark figure.
Remember, some removal companies charge extra to pack and unpack so make sure to check the quote and see if this is included.
6. Insuring Your Property
Once your home is yours, you'll want to insure it. Building and content insurance isn't a mandatory requirement so it's not a natural part of the purchase process but it's important to have it in place.
Buildings insurance covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your house in the event there's major damage, such as a fire or storm damage.
Most mortgage lenders will encourage you to take out buildings insurance so that if your property is damaged, they're not left without collateral. In this instance, you'll generally have it in place from the day you exchange contracts, unless you're buying a leasehold property. In this case, a freeholder may arrange the insurance and you'll pay it in your service charge instead.
Contents insurance protects your belongings from things like damage and theft once you move in.
In most cases, insurers will combine the two as a ‘home insurance’ package but they’re typically two separate policies. The cost of the insurance will depend on the policy so make sure you get several quotes or speak with a professional in the field.
Insurance costs can range from £100 - £1,000 per year.
