Costs guide
The Full Cost of Buying a House in the UK (2026): Every Fee
Updated 29 May 2026
Beyond the deposit, the fees of buying a house in the UK in 2026 typically run from roughly £1,500 to £4,500 before stamp duty. The main items are conveyancing legal fees of £800 to £1,800 plus disbursements, the search pack at £250 to £450, a RICS survey at £400 to £900 for a Level 2 or £600 to £1,500 for a Level 3, and a mortgage valuation of £150 to £400 that is often free. Stamp duty is on top and varies.
The fees of buying a house in the UK (2026)
| Cost | Typical amount | Who you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyancing legal fees | £800 to £1,800 plus disbursements | Conveyancer or solicitor |
| Conveyancing search pack | £250 to £450 | Conveyancer (disbursement) |
| RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer survey | £400 to £900 | RICS surveyor |
| RICS Level 3 Building Survey | £600 to £1,500 or more | RICS surveyor |
| Mortgage valuation | £150 to £400, often free | Lender |
| Stamp duty | Varies by price and circumstances | HM Revenue and Customs |
The big picture
Most people focus on the deposit, but buying a house carries a set of fees on top. Before stamp duty, those fees usually add up to roughly £1,500 to £4,500, driven mainly by your conveyancer's charge, the search pack and the survey you choose.
Stamp duty sits on top of all of this and varies widely with the purchase price and your circumstances, so it is best calculated separately for your own situation. The fees below are the predictable costs almost every buyer faces.
Conveyancing legal fees and searches
Conveyancing legal fees, the conveyancer or solicitor's own charge for handling the legal side of the purchase, typically run from £800 to £1,800 plus disbursements. Disbursements are third-party costs the conveyancer pays on your behalf and passes on.
The largest disbursement is usually the search pack, which costs £250 to £450. It bundles the local authority search at £100 to £250, the drainage and water search at £40 to £75, the environmental search at £40 to £70 and, in mining areas, a coal mining search at £30 to £60.
Surveys and valuations
A survey checks the building's condition and is separate from searches. A RICS Level 2 HomeBuyer Report costs £400 to £900 and suits conventional, reasonably modern homes. A RICS Level 3 Building Survey costs £600 to £1,500 or more for older, larger or unusual properties.
A mortgage valuation is different again. It costs around £150 to £400, is often free with the mortgage deal, and only confirms the property is worth the loan. It is not a survey and does not assess condition, so most buyers add a HomeBuyer or Building Survey for their own protection.
The other fees to budget for
- Stamp duty, payable to HM Revenue and Customs, varying by purchase price and whether you are a first-time buyer or own other property.
- Mortgage arrangement or product fees charged by some lenders, which can be added to the loan or paid upfront.
- Land Registry registration fee, a disbursement that scales with the property price, handled by your conveyancer.
- Removal costs, which vary with distance and volume and are easy to overlook.
- Buildings insurance, which a lender will require to be in place from exchange of contracts.
How to avoid paying fees twice
The biggest avoidable waste is paying search and survey fees on a property whose sale then falls through, then paying them again on the next one. Searches at £250 to £450 and a survey at £400 or more are only ordered once you are committed, so screening earlier protects that spend.
HomeBuyerCheck gives a free instant report on any address covering sales history, EPC, flood risk from the Environment Agency, crime, schools and council tax. The £4.99 Premium report adds ground risk, radon, listed and conservation status, ownership from HM Land Registry, Companies House links, Building Safety Register and tribunal records, plus an AI buyer's verdict. The £6.99 Premium+ report adds AI solicitor, surveyor and mortgage briefs. Running this pre-offer means you commit to the larger fees only on a property you genuinely intend to buy.
Check any UK property before you offer
Free instant report; Premium from £4.99 adds ownership, ground risk and AI buyer's verdict.
Frequently asked questions
What are the total costs of buying a house in the UK?
Beyond the deposit, the fees typically run from roughly £1,500 to £4,500 in 2026 before stamp duty. The main items are conveyancing legal fees of £800 to £1,800 plus disbursements, the search pack at £250 to £450, a survey at £400 to £1,500 and a mortgage valuation of £150 to £400 that is often free.
How much are conveyancing fees in the UK?
Conveyancing legal fees typically cost £800 to £1,800 plus disbursements in 2026. Disbursements are third-party costs such as the £250 to £450 search pack and the Land Registry registration fee.
Is stamp duty included in these fees?
No. Stamp duty is separate and sits on top of the buying fees. It is payable to HM Revenue and Customs and varies with the purchase price and your circumstances, so it should be calculated for your own situation.
Do I need both a survey and conveyancing searches?
Most buyers pay for both. Conveyancing searches (£250 to £450) cover legal, environmental and infrastructure matters. A RICS survey (£400 to £1,500) assesses the building's condition. A mortgage valuation of £150 to £400 is not a substitute for either.
How can I avoid wasting money on fees?
Screen a property before ordering searches and a survey. HomeBuyerCheck's free report and £4.99 Premium report let you check a property pre-offer, so you commit to the £250 to £450 search pack and £400-plus survey only on a property you intend to buy, avoiding paying twice if a sale falls through.
Related