In this article, we look at the total costs you should expect to pay when purchasing a house in the UK. We break the costs down into four categories:
- Broker fees
- Lender fees
- Conveyancing fees
- Stamp duty
The fees you pay when buying a house will vary depending on the mortgage broker, solicitor, and lender you are using. However, this article should serve as a guide to help you understand the potential costs of your property purchase.
Broker fees (paid to your mortgage broker)
Mortgage advice fee
What is it? A fee that is charged by a mortgage broker or financial adviser for carrying out research and finding the best mortgage deal for your circumstances. Often this can save time and money as they have access to deals that are not available on mortgage comparison sites.
How much is it? Costs range from £150 to £1,000, however, most online mortgage brokers do not charge a fee. Take a look at our independent review of Habito, a specialist online mortgage broker that does not charge a fee and has received over 6,000 positive reviews on Trustpilot.
Lender fees (paid to your lender)
Valuation fee
What is it? A fee charged by the mortgage lender to cover the costs of a mortgage valuation on the property that you are purchasing.
How much is it? Costs range from £200 - £500, although some lenders will cover the cost.
Arrangement fee
What is it? Sometimes referred to as a product fee or booking fee. This is a fee that the lender charges to cover the costs of administering the mortgage. The fees can vary from lender to lender. This fee can be added to the mortgage balance, however you should think carefully before you do this as the interest that you pay will be significant.
How much is it? This varies wildly and can be anything from £250 to £2,500. The average charge is around £1,000.
Deposit
What is it? Not so much a fee, but it is a consideration when working out your total costs. Make sure you keep your deposit money to one side so that you don't end up dipping into it if your costs start to mount up.
How much is it? It depends on the percentage you choose and the value of your property. Your mortgage broker should guide you through this process.
Chaps fee
What is it? Sometimes referred to as a "telegraphic transfer fee", and is a charge that the lender applies for transferring the money.
How much is it? Usually £25 to £50.
Conveyancing fees (paid to your solicitor)
Legal Costs
What is it? This includes legal searches, transfer of ownership, checking environmental factors, planning permission and all other legal paperwork associated with purchasing your new home.
How much is it? You would normally be expected to pay an upfront fee of around £200 to £400, followed by a further £800 to £1,500. Total costs usually amount to around £1,250 to £1,500.
Stamp duty (paid to the Government)
Stamp duty costs
What is it? Stamp duty is a tax applied to house purchases by the government. There are currently no charges on properties valued at less than £250,000 and first-time buyers are exempt on properties valued £425,00 and under. For more information, visit our article "Everything you need to know about Stamp Duty".
How much is it? Stamp duty is tiered and the amount you pay will depend on the value of your property. In order to work out exactly how much stamp duty you will pay, check out this handy stamp duty calculator, provided by The Money Advice Service. The average house price in the UK is currently around £281,161, but you will only have to pay stamp duty on amounts over the £250,000 threshold, unless you're a first time buyer.
What are the total fees when buying a property?
Below is a breakdown of the approximate costs that you would expect to pay, based on a property valued at £268,000 (the average property price in the UK).
| Fee Category | Fee type | Fee cost | Notes |
| Broker Fees | Mortgage Advice | Free | Habito provides free mortgage advice. Check out our independent Habito review |
| Lender Fees | Valuation Fee | £250 | Fee for valuation of the property |
| Lender Fees | Arrangement Fee | £1,000 | Fee charged by the lender for arranging the mortgage |
| Lender Fees | Chaps Fee | £35 | Fee charged by the lender for transferring the money |
| Conveyancing Fees | Searches | £325 | Fee for carrying out relevant searches |
| Conveyancing Fees | Land Registry | £190 | Fee paid to register your property with the land registry (paid via your solicitor) |
| Conveyancing Fees | Legal Fees | £950 | Total fees for carrying out all legal work associated with the purchase |
| Stamp Duty | Land tax | £900 (5% of the £18,000 over the tax-free threshold) | Fee paid to the government, sometimes referred to as 'Land Tax' |
| Total Fees | £3,650 | The total approximate fees payable on a property valued at £268,000 |
Figures collated on 01/07/2021
