Selling your house is rarely cheap.
In fact, most homeowners are shocked when they discover the true cost of selling. It’s not just the estate agent’s bill. When you add everything up, you’re typically looking at a total cost of between 8% and 10% of your home’s final sale price.
Let that sink in.
For a £300,000 property, that could mean forking out between £24,000 and £30,000 in total costs. And that’s before you’ve even started budgeting for your next move.
But here’s the thing: not all selling costs are set in stone. Some are negotiable. Others are optional. And with a few clever moves, you could save yourself thousands.
Let’s break down exactly what you’ll pay, where your money really goes, and how you can keep more of that hard-earned cash in your pocket.
The Big-Ticket Item: Estate Agent Fees
For most people selling on the open market, your estate agent’s commission will be the single biggest cost you face. And the fees can vary wildly.
What You’ll Pay
Most high street estate agents in the UK charge a percentage of the final sale price, typically between 1% and 3% (plus 20% VAT). The national average currently sits around 1.42% excluding VAT.
We’ve built a super easy-to-use estate agents fees calculator here.
The Online Alternative
Online-only agents like Purplebricks or Yopa have a different model. They charge a lower, fixed fee – often between £999 and £1,500. It sounds like a brilliant deal, doesn’t it?
But there’s a catch.
You often have to pay the fee upfront, whether you sell or not. And you’ll be expected to do much of the legwork yourself, such as hosting viewings and negotiating offers.
A traditional estate agent only gets paid once the sale completes. So, there’s less risk, but higher cost if successful.
High Street vs. Independent Agents
Large national chains might charge a higher fee (closer to 2-3%) but can offer a wider marketing net. A smaller, local independent agent might offer a more personal service for a lower fee (around 1-1.5%) and have excellent knowledge of your specific neighbourhood.
Pro Tip: Always get at least three valuations from different agents. Don’t be afraid to negotiate on the fee. In a competitive market, many agents will reduce their commission to win your business.
Legal Fees: The Non-Negotiable Cost
You cannot legally sell a house in the UK without appointing a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal transfer of ownership. This is a cost you simply can’t avoid.
Standard Conveyancing Costs
- £1,500–£1,900 for a freehold
- £2,200–£2,800 for a leasehold
The above includes most disbursements. But, on leasehold sales you would also need to pay your freeholder or the management company for legal documents. Their prices depend on them and can vary wildly from company to company.
Be wary of quotes that seem too good to be true. Some firms advertise a low headline fee and then add on lots of extras. Always ask for a fully itemised quote that includes VAT and all anticipated disbursements.
You can find an accredited professional using The Law Society’s ‘Find a Solicitor’ tool or to dive deeper into how much solicitors typically charge to sell a house, read this guide, which is based on averages from studying 11 different UK solicitors.
The Hidden Costs That Catch Everyone Out
These are the sneaky expenses that often blindside sellers. Nobody mentions them until you’re already knee-deep in the process.
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
It is a legal requirement to have a valid EPC before you can market your property for sale.
An EPC rates your home’s energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. Expect to pay between £60 and £120 for an accredited assessor to produce one for you. You can find a local assessor via the government’s official register.
Pre-Sale Repairs and Sprucing Up
First impressions count. While you shouldn’t install a brand-new kitchen, most sellers spend a bit of money to get their home looking its best.
Common costs include:
- A fresh coat of neutral paint: £500 to £2,000
- Tidying up the garden: £200 to £1,000
- Fixing minor issues (leaky taps, broken tiles): £300 to £1,500
- Professional deep clean and carpet cleaning: £150 to £400
Removal Costs
Unless you’re selling everything you own, you’ll need to move your belongings. For a typical three-bedroom house, hiring a professional removal company can cost between £1,000 and £1,800, depending on the distance and level of service you need.
Mortgage Fees
If you have an outstanding mortgage on the property you’re selling, your lender might hit you with a couple of charges:
- Early Repayment Charge (ERC): If you’re on a fixed-rate deal, this can be a painful 1% to 5% of your outstanding balance.
- Exit Administration Fee: A smaller fee, usually between £50 and £300, for closing the account.
Mail Redirection
A small but essential job. You don’t want your personal letters going to the new owners. Royal Mail’s Redirection service costs from around £36 for three months in the UK.
Capital Gains Tax: The Cost for Landlords and Second Home Owners
Good news first. If you’re selling your main home (your primary residence), you almost certainly will not have to pay Capital Gains Tax (CGT). This is thanks to something called Private Residence Relief.
However, if you’re selling a property that isn’t your main home – such as a buy-to-let, a holiday home, or an inherited property – you will likely have to pay tax on the profit you’ve made.
How It Works
You are taxed on the ‘gain’ (the profit), not the total sale price.
For example: You bought a rental flat for £150,000 and are now selling it for £250,000. Your gain is £100,000.
For the 2024/25 tax year, every individual has an annual CGT allowance of £3,000. So, you’d pay tax on £97,000.
The rate you pay depends on your income tax band:
- Basic-rate taxpayers: 18% on property gains
- Higher-rate taxpayers: 24% on property gains
In our example, a higher-rate taxpayer would face a hefty tax bill of £23,280. You can find the latest rates and rules on the official GOV.UK page for Capital Gains Tax.
Crucially: You must report the sale and pay any CGT owed to HMRC within 60 days of completion.
A Quick Word on Stamp Duty
Wait, isn’t Stamp Duty a buyer’s tax?
Yes, it is. But it has a big indirect impact on you, the seller.
When the government changes Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) rates, it directly affects buyer affordability. A Stamp Duty holiday can create a frenzy of buyers, leading to faster sales and higher prices. When rates are high, the market can cool down, meaning your house could sit on the market for longer.
A slower sale means more months of paying your mortgage, council tax, and bills. So, while you don’t pay it, Stamp Duty definitely affects your total selling costs.
The Bottom Line: A Worked Example
Let’s get real with the numbers. What does it actually cost to sell a house for £300,000?
Here’s a finger in the air breakdown:
- Estate Agent Fees (1.42% inc. VAT): £4,260
- Legal Fees (Conveyancing): £1,500
- Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): £80
- Pre-Sale Spruce-Up (minor repairs & decorating): £1,500
- Removal Costs: £1,200
- Mortgage Exit Fees: £250
- Carrying Costs (4 months of bills, tax, mortgage interest): £4,000
Total Estimated Cost: £12,790
Note: You can exclude the carrying costs if it is your primary residence because arguably you’d always need to live somewhere, and wherever that is, you’d be paying carrying costs.
The Alternative: Selling Without the Hassle and Hidden Fees
The traditional open market isn’t your only option.
What if you could sell your home without paying a single one of those fees?
That’s where we come in. As a professional cash house buyer, we buy houses directly from sellers, which means:
- Zero estate agent fees. None.
- We pay all your legal costs.
- No need for repairs or decorating. We buy your home as-is.
- Completion in a timeframe that suits you, often in as little as 7 days.
- A guaranteed, chain-free sale. The offer we make is the cash you get.
Yes, the cash offer will be below the full market value. But when you compare it to the final figure you’d actually pocket after a long, stressful, and expensive open market sale, the difference is often much smaller than you’d think. Plus you benefit from a super fast sale.
You get a fair price, a fast and predictable process, and complete certainty.
Making Your Decision
Selling a house is expensive. There’s no getting around it.
But by understanding all the potential costs upfront, you can make a smarter, more informed decision. You can budget properly, negotiate from a position of strength, and decide which selling route is truly right for you.
The real question isn’t “How much will it sell for?”
It’s “How much will I actually keep, and what is my peace of mind worth?”
Sometimes, a quick, guaranteed sale that lets you move on with your life is the most valuable outcome of all.
Get your free, no-obligation cash offer today and discover a simpler way to sell your home.
