# What will this move actually cost?

> The full cost of buying or selling a home in England and Northern Ireland:
> stamp duty, legal fees, VAT, disbursements, survey and removals in one figure.
> The interactive version is at https://convey.house/

Most conveyancing quotes show one line. This is the whole bill, including the
parts that arrive after you have instructed someone.

## Stamp Duty Land Tax rates

England and Northern Ireland, in force since 1 April 2025. Each rate applies
only to the slice of the price within its band.

### Standard rates (moving home)

| Portion of price | Rate |
| --- | --- |
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1,500,000 | 10% |
| Above £1,500,000 | 12% |

### First-time buyer relief

0% up to £300,000, then 5% on £300,001 to £500,000. No relief at all if the
price exceeds £500,000, in which case standard rates apply to the whole price.
Every named buyer must never have owned a residential property anywhere.

### Surcharges

- Additional property (second home, buy-to-let): 5 percentage points on top of
  every band, where the price is £40,000 or more.
- Not UK resident: 2 percentage points on top of every band. Stacks with the
  additional property surcharge.

### Worked examples

| Price | Moving home | First-time buyer | Additional property |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| £250,000 | £2,500 | £0 | £15,000 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 | £0 | £20,000 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 | £5,000 | £30,000 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 | £10,000 | £40,000 |
| £1,000,000 | £43,750 | n/a | £93,750 |

Stamp duty is due within 14 days of completion. Your conveyancer normally files
it. Scotland charges LBTT and Wales charges LTT, on different bands.

## The other costs

| Item | Typical range | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Conveyancing fee | £400 to £1,200 before VAT | Scales loosely with price |
| VAT on legal fees | 20% of the fee | Frequently quoted separately |
| Searches and disbursements | £300 to £600 | Land Registry, ID checks, transfers |
| Homebuyer report | £400 to £700 | |
| Full building survey | £800 to £1,500 | |
| Removals | £400 to £1,600 | |
| Estate agent fee, if selling | 1% to 1.5% plus VAT | On the sale price |

Not included: mortgage arrangement and valuation fees, leasehold management
packs, indemnity policies, and the cost of a chain that collapses.

## Read a quote properly

**VAT.** A fee quoted at £450 is £540 once VAT is added. Some firms quote
inclusive, some do not. Compare like with like.

**Disbursements.** Searches, Land Registry fees, identity checks and bank
transfer charges are real money, and often sit in a separate schedule.

**Referral fees.** Panel conveyancers commonly pay estate agents a few hundred
pounds per case for the introduction, and that cost reaches you. Agents and
conveyancers both have to disclose the arrangement in writing, so ask early.
You are free to instruct whoever you like.

## Limitations

Estimates only. Not legal, tax or financial advice. Stamp duty figures are as at
August 2026 and change at Budgets; verify against GOV.UK before relying on them.