Short answer: the removal van is usually only one line in a longer list. Moving house in the UK typically involves fees to professionals, taxes, lender charges and a handful of smaller practical costs, and which of these apply depends on whether you are selling, buying, renting or doing a mix. This guide sets out the categories, what makes each one vary, and a simple way to build a budget without nasty surprises.
The main categories of cost
When you sell
- Estate agent fees. Usually charged once the sale completes, often as a percentage of the sale price or a fixed fee, depending on the agreement you sign. The terms, and whether it is sole or multi-agency, make the difference.
- Solicitor or conveyancer fees. Legal work to transfer ownership, including dealing with your mortgage lender if you have one. Fees vary with the complexity of the sale and whether the property is freehold or leasehold.
- Energy performance certificate and preparation. You will need a valid EPC to market the home. Small repairs, decorating, a deep clean or professional staging are optional, but worth pricing up.
- Mortgage redemption costs. Paying off a mortgage early can trigger an early repayment charge if you are still in a fixed or discounted period, so check your terms with your lender before choosing dates.
When you buy
- Stamp Duty Land Tax, or its equivalent. In England and Northern Ireland this is Stamp Duty Land Tax; Scotland has Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and Wales has Land Transaction Tax. Amounts depend on the price, your circumstances and whether you own other property, and the rules change, so use the official pages rather than a rule of thumb: the GOV.UK Stamp Duty Land Tax guide and calculator, Revenue Scotland's LBTT page and the Welsh Revenue Authority's LTT guide.
- Solicitor or conveyancer fees. Include searches, Land Registry registration and, for leasehold homes, extra checks on the lease and management company.
- Survey. From a basic valuation for the lender to a fuller survey of an older or unusual property. The type you choose, and the age and condition of the home, drive the price.
- Mortgage fees. Arrangement or product fees, valuation fees and any broker fee. Some can be added to the loan, which changes the total you repay.
Around the move itself
- Removals and packing. Affected by volume, distance, access (stairs, parking, lifts), whether you pack yourself and the time of year.
- Storage. Needed if completion dates do not line up, or if you are sorting what to keep.
- Temporary accommodation. A short let or a stay with family if there is a gap between sale and purchase.
- Cleaning. End-of-tenancy or pre-completion cleaning, plus a clean at the new place.
- Redirection and utilities. Royal Mail redirection, broadband connection or transfer, and the overlap of bills while you hold two properties.
- New-home costs. Curtains, flooring, small repairs, locks and the odd item that does not fit.
If you are renting rather than buying, swap the tax and mortgage lines for a deposit, referencing or agent fees where applicable, and rent paid in advance. Check the current rules for your part of the UK.
A simple budget table
This is a template, not a price list. Fill in the figures from quotes you have collected for your own move.
| Cost | Who you pay | When | What affects it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | Agent | At completion, per your agreement | Fee structure, sale price, sole or multi-agency |
| Conveyancing (sale) | Solicitor or conveyancer | Part upfront, balance at completion | Complexity, leasehold or freehold, lender involvement |
| Conveyancing (purchase), searches | Solicitor or conveyancer | Searches early, balance at completion | Property type, location, lease checks |
| Survey and valuation | Surveyor or lender | Before exchange | Survey level, age and condition of the home |
| Mortgage fees and early repayment charge | Lender or broker | At application and at redemption | Product terms, how far into the deal you are |
| Stamp Duty or equivalent | HMRC, Revenue Scotland or Welsh Revenue Authority | Shortly after completion (via your solicitor) | Price, location, your circumstances |
| Removals and packing | Removals firm | Moving day, sometimes a deposit | Volume, distance, access, packing level |
| Storage | Storage provider | From the start of storage | Space needed, length of time |
| Temporary accommodation | Landlord or host | During any gap | Length of gap, location |
| Cleaning, repairs, staging | Contractors | Before sale or before moving in | Condition of the home |
| Utilities, redirection | Providers, Royal Mail | Around moving day | Overlap between homes, contract terms |
Stamp Duty when you buy a smaller home
If you buy in England or Northern Ireland, Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) is charged in bands on the part of the price that falls in each band. These are the standard residential rates published on GOV.UK, as checked on 4 October 2026:
| Part of the price | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £125,000 | 0% |
| £125,001 to £250,000 | 2% |
| £250,001 to £925,000 | 5% |
| £925,001 to £1.5 million | 10% |
| Over £1.5 million | 12% |
Worked examples using those bands:
| Purchase price | SDLT |
|---|---|
| £200,000 | £1,500 |
| £300,000 | £5,000 |
| £400,000 | £10,000 |
| £500,000 | £15,000 |
Downsizers should check two things:
- Buying before you sell. If you complete the purchase while you still own your old home, GOV.UK says you usually pay an extra 5% on top of the standard rates, as the new property counts as an additional one. The extra amount can be reclaimed if your previous main home is sold within 36 months, so ask your solicitor how this applies to you.
- Where the property is. Scotland (LBTT) and Wales (LTT) use different rates, so use the official pages linked above.
Rates and thresholds change, so confirm them on GOV.UK or with the official calculator before you budget. This table is for guidance, not tax advice.
How to build a budget and sequence it
- List only what applies to you. Not every move includes every line, especially if you are renting or not buying straight away.
- Get written quotes early. For the larger lines (conveyancing, removals, survey), compare like for like and ask what is not included.
- Add a buffer. Chains slip, surveys raise questions and moving dates move. A contingency line for storage, an extra night away or repairs is realistic rather than pessimistic.
- Map costs to the timeline. Some money goes out early, much of it lands around exchange and completion, and some trails afterwards. Our UK house moving checklist and realistic sale-and-move timeline help you see what falls when.
- Work out how sale proceeds cover purchase costs. If your funds depend on the sale completing, make sure the order of payments works, and ask your solicitor how it will be handled.
The GOV.UK guide to buying and selling your home is a useful official starting point for the sale side of the process.
If you are downsizing or moving later in life
A few things are particularly worth planning for if you are selling a home you have lived in for many years:
- Volume. Decades of belongings mean sorting, clearing and possibly storage costs that a younger mover might not face. Starting earlier spreads both the effort and the expense.
- Ongoing costs of the new home. Retirement properties and flats can carry service charges, ground rent or management fees. Ask for the full annual figures, and what increases are allowed, before you commit.
- Care and support. If you may need extra help later, consider how the new home would work for that, without assuming it is covered.
- Equity release and similar products. These are complex and outside the scope of this article. If you are considering one, seek advice from a regulated adviser, and consider involving family members and a solicitor.
Our guide to senior move costs explains what is involved in the practical side and how relocation support is priced.
Where Chayce Properties fits in
Chayce Properties helps older people and their families plan and manage the practical side of a later-life move. Published prices are on our packages page: Discovery is £150, Bronze starts from £995, Silver from £1,850, Gold from £3,250 and Platinum from £6,500. If you are not sure where to start, the Discovery consultation is a low-pressure first step.
This article is general information only and is not financial, tax or legal advice. Costs, tax rules and thresholds change and differ across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, so check the official sources linked above and speak to a solicitor, mortgage adviser or other regulated professional about your own circumstances.
Sources
- GOV.UK: Stamp Duty Land Tax residential rates, checked 4 October 2026.
- GOV.UK: Buying and selling your home.
