What Fees Do You Pay When Selling a House in the UK

Selling a house isn’t free.

Even though you’re the one receiving money, you’ll pay several thousand pounds in fees before you see a penny.

Here’s exactly what you’ll pay when selling a house in the UK, and how to keep your costs down.

What Fees Do You Pay When Selling a House?

The main costs when selling a property are:

Estate agent fees: typically 1% to 2% of the sale price + VAT.

Solicitor fees: £1,155 including VAT for a freehold property (median).

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): £60 to £120.

Removal costs: £500 to £2,000+.

Mortgage exit fees and early repayment charges: if applicable.

Capital Gains Tax: only if it’s not your main home.

For a typical £300,000 house sale, you’re looking at roughly £5,000 to £7,500 in fees before removal costs.

Most of these fees are only due on completion. If the sale falls through, most ‘no sale, no fee’ estate agent agreements mean you won’t owe them anything, but solicitors typically charge an ‘abortive fee’ for work already undertaken, usually £200 to £500. You will have also paid for the EPC upfront.

Do You Pay Stamp Duty When Selling?

No. Stamp duty is paid by the buyer, not the seller.

You won’t pay stamp duty when you sell, but you might pay it if you’re buying another property at the same time.

Estate Agent Fees

Estate agents typically charge between 1% and 2% + VAT for sole agency.

The UK average is 1.42% including VAT (Get Pine, 2026). For a £300,000 house, that’s around £4,260.

Most agents work on a “no sale, no fee” basis. You only pay if the sale completes.

If you instruct multiple agents (multi-agency), expect to pay 3% to 3.6% including VAT, roughly double.

Online estate agents charge lower fees but often require upfront payment. If the sale falls through, you’ve lost that money. Traditional agents only get paid on completion.

You won’t pay estate agent fees if you sell privately, at auction, or to a cash house buyer.

Solicitor and Conveyancing Fees

Our research into solicitor fees found the median cost to sell a freehold property is £1,155 including VAT, though the range is enormous, from £535 to £5,000.

We surveyed 146 conveyancing firms across 9 UK regions in April 2026.

Half of all solicitors charge less than £1,155. The other half charge more, sometimes much more.

Your solicitor handles the legal side: contracts, transferring the title, paying off your mortgage, and sending you the proceeds. It’s not optional.

Freehold vs Leasehold Costs

Selling a leasehold property costs more.

The average solicitor’s fee for a leasehold sale is £1,637 including VAT, approximately £292 more than the freehold equivalent, due to the extra legal work required.

The extra work involves dealing with the landlord or management company, obtaining a management pack, and handling lease-specific legal requirements.

Always ask upfront whether the quote is for freehold or leasehold.

Regional Variations

London is the most expensive. Solicitors in the capital charge a median of £2,250 excluding VAT, which is 134% more than the England and Wales median of £963.

The most affordable regions are the North West (£825 median), Yorkshire (£860), and the North East (£935).

Common Myths About Solicitor Fees

One myth that refuses to die: “All solicitors take 25 percent.”

They don’t.

Solicitors don’t charge a percentage of your sale price. They charge either a fixed fee, a tiered fee, or, very rarely, an hourly rate.

Only 2.1% of the firms we surveyed use percentage-based pricing, and even then it’s typically 0.15% to 0.5%, nowhere near 25%.

How to Choose a Solicitor

I would always advise sellers to use a good local solicitor.

Large nationwide firms can be incredibly slow. It’s luck of the draw as to the case handler you’re allocated.

In my experience, if a solicitor is slow and not responsive, it can often kill a deal.

If you don’t know a solicitor, ask the estate agent if they know a good local firm. Or ask friends who’ve sold recently.

Speed matters. A slow solicitor can cost you the sale.

Leasehold Extra Costs

If you’re selling a leasehold flat, budget for a management pack fee.

This is the bundle of documents your managing agent or freeholder prepares about the building, the lease, service charges, and any planned major works.

Typical cost: £200 to £500 plus VAT, though some managing agents charge £600 to £800 or more (Get Pine, 2026).

The seller pays this upfront and it’s usually non-refundable.

Turnaround time is typically 4 to 8 weeks, so order it early.

At Property Rescue, we factor all leasehold costs into our offers. We don’t renegotiate when the management pack comes back; it’s priced in from the start.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

By law, you must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate before you can market your property.

Cost: £60 to £120 for a typical home.

An EPC rates your property’s energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient), and it’s valid for 10 years.

If your property already has an EPC that’s less than 10 years old, you don’t need a new one.

You’ll pay for the EPC upfront, regardless of whether the sale goes through.

Mortgage-Related Fees

If you have a mortgage on the property you’re selling, you might face additional costs to pay it off.

Early Repayment Charges (ERCs)

An early repayment charge is the penalty your lender applies if you repay your mortgage before the end of a fixed, tracker, or discount rate period.

ERCs typically range from 1% to 5% of your outstanding mortgage balance.

For most UK fixed-rate mortgages in 2026, the charge slides down over time. For example, 5% in year one, 4% in year two, 3% in year three.

On a £200,000 mortgage balance, a 3% ERC would cost you £6,000.

Mortgage Exit Fees

Even if you’re not on a fixed rate, some lenders charge a mortgage exit fee when you pay off the loan.

Typical cost: £50 to £300.

How to Avoid ERCs

If you’re on a fixed rate and want to avoid the ERC:

• Wait until the fixed period ends: the most straightforward option.
• Use your 10% annual overpayment allowance: most lenders let you overpay up to 10% of the balance each year penalty-free.
• Port the mortgage: if you’re moving home, you can transfer it to the new property and avoid the ERC (as long as you complete sale and purchase on the same day).

It’s rarely worth paying an ERC unless the rate gap is enormous, typically one percentage point or more (Manor Mortgages Direct, 2026).

Removal and Moving Costs

Removal costs vary depending on the size of your home and how far you’re moving.

Typical range: £500 to £2,000+ for a professional removal company.

Get at least three quotes and check the small print. Some firms include packing and insurance. Others charge extra.

DIY moving (hiring a van) is cheaper (£100 to £300 for van hire), but exhausting.

Capital Gains Tax (If Applicable)

Most people selling their home don’t pay Capital Gains Tax.

If the property has been your main home for the entire time you’ve owned it, you qualify for Principal Private Residence Relief and you won’t owe a penny.

But if you’re selling a second home, a buy-to-let property, or a property you’ve rented out for part of the ownership period, CGT might apply.

Current CGT Rates

For the 2026/27 tax year (HMRC):

• 18% if you’re a basic-rate taxpayer
• 24% if you’re a higher or additional-rate taxpayer

The annual CGT allowance is £3,000. You only pay tax on gains above that threshold.

If you’re married or in a civil partnership and own the property jointly, you can each use your £3,000 allowance, effectively doubling it to £6,000.

The final 9 months of ownership always count as your main residence for CGT purposes, even if you’d already moved out.

You must report and pay any CGT within 60 days of completion using HMRC’s online service.

Optional and Preparation Costs

Not all selling costs are compulsory.

Small, cheap fixes that make your home look cared-for are almost always worth it. A tin of paint costs £20 to £30 and can make a room look fresh.

Major structural work is harder to justify. Buyers expect to negotiate on issues flagged in the survey.

A professional deep clean (£100 to £300) can make a real difference. First impressions matter.

When you move out, you’ll need to settle council tax, utility bills, and broadband contracts. Budget a few hundred pounds for final bills.

Different Ways to Sell: How Fees Compare

Not everyone sells through an estate agent. Here’s how costs compare.

Traditional estate agent (£300k sale):

• Agent: £4,260 (1.42% inc VAT)
• Solicitor: £1,155
• EPC: £90
• Total: £5,505 (before removal costs)

We typically pay 1% commission when we resell properties through estate agents, though this varies by property value.

Auction:
Seller’s commission is usually 2% to 3% plus VAT of the hammer price. You’ll also pay for a legal pack (£300 to £1,000+) upfront. If the property doesn’t sell, you’ve lost that fee.

Private sale:
You’ll avoid agent fees but still pay solicitor (£1,155) and EPC (£90). The catch? Finding a buyer without access to Rightmove or Zoopla.

Cash house buyer:
Companies like Property Rescue buy directly with no estate agent, no chain, no viewings.

Your fees: £0.

We cover your legal fees. You don’t pay for the EPC. You still handle removal costs, but there are no transaction fees.

The trade-off?

You’ll receive less than open market value, typically 75% to 85% of what you’d achieve through an estate agent.

We cover your legal fees because you’ve accepted a discounted price for speed and certainty.

The legal costs are factored into our offer, so there’s nothing hidden.

That trade-off works for sellers who are time-pressured or want the certainty of a guaranteed sale.

If you have time and your property is in good condition, you’ll get more money selling traditionally. But if you need to move quickly or avoid the stress of a chain, a cash sale can be the better option, even at a discount.

Total Cost Example: Selling a £300,000 House

Best-case scenario (low fees, no mortgage penalties):

• Estate agent (1.2%): £3,600
• Solicitor: £800
• EPC: £60
• Removal costs: £500
• Total: £4,960

Worst-case scenario (higher fees, mortgage penalties):

• Estate agent (1.8%): £5,400
• Solicitor (London): £2,700
• EPC: £120
• Removal costs: £2,000
• Early repayment charge (3% of £200k): £6,000
• Total: £16,220

The difference between best and worst case is over £11,000. Mortgage ERCs are the biggest wildcard.

Cash buyer comparison:

Property Rescue offer (80% of £300k): £240,000. Your fees: £0. After deducting traditional sale fees (£5,000), the effective discount is £55,000.

The cash route costs you £55,000 in lost sale price, but you get certainty, speed (completion in 2–4 weeks), and zero stress.

How to Reduce Your Selling Costs

You won’t avoid all fees, but you can cut them.

Negotiate estate agent fees. Agents expect it. Ask for 1% or 1.2% instead of 1.5%.

Shop around for solicitors. Look for a local firm with good reviews and transparent pricing.

Time your sale to avoid ERCs. If you’re on a fixed rate, check when it ends. Waiting a few months could save you thousands.

Use your 10% overpayment allowance. If you can’t wait, use your annual penalty-free overpayment allowance to reduce the balance before selling.

Consider a cash buyer if you’re time-pressured. If you’re facing repossession, divorce, probate delays, or need to move fast, a discounted cash sale might cost you less overall than months of mortgage payments and failed sales.

When a Fast Sale Saves You Money

A slow sale isn’t just frustrating. It’s expensive.

When homeowners come to us after months on the market with no sale, they’ve typically already spent around £2,000 on fees before they even speak to us.

That includes EPC costs, solicitor’s abortive fees (if the first buyer pulled out), mortgage payments while the property sits empty, council tax, and utilities.

According to Property Rescue’s analysis of thousands of open-market residential sales in England and Wales, 34.6% of house sales fell through between 2020 and 2026, more than one in three transactions.

Most solicitors charge abortive fees if a sale doesn’t complete, typically £200 to £500, though some charge the full amount.

If you’ve been on the market for six months, you’ve also paid six months of mortgage interest. On a £200,000 mortgage at 5%, that’s roughly £5,000 in interest alone.

A fast sale, even at a discount, can sometimes cost you less than a long, drawn-out traditional sale that collapses twice and takes a year to complete.

It’s not always about getting the highest price. Sometimes it’s about getting out with the least damage.

Conclusion

Selling a house in the UK costs between £5,000 and £7,500 in fees for a typical £300,000 property, more if you’re hit with mortgage early repayment charges or selling from London.

Estate agent fees are the biggest cost (around £4,000 to £5,000), followed by solicitor fees (£1,155 median for freehold).

You can reduce costs by negotiating agent fees, shopping around for solicitors, and timing your sale to avoid mortgage penalties.

If you’re under time pressure, a cash sale to a company like Property Rescue eliminates all transaction fees, though you’ll accept a discounted price in return.

The right route depends on your situation. If you have time, sell traditionally and maximise your price. If time is tight or the chain has already collapsed once, speed and certainty might be worth more than the extra 15% to 20% you’d get on the open market.

Get a free, no-obligation cash offer from Property Rescue. No fees. No legal pack. No risk. Call 020 8634 0224 or get your free cash offer.