First-Time Buyer Costs Beyond the Deposit: The Full List

You need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal side of buying a property. They carry out local authority searches, check the title deeds, handle contracts, and manage the transfer of funds. Expect to pay £1,000 to £2,000 including VAT and disbursements (the searches and checks they pay for on your behalf). Online conveyancers tend to be cheaper (£800 to £1,200) but can be slower and less responsive. A local solicitor costs more but often provides better communication. Get quotes from at least three and check reviews. This fee is payable on completion — but some solicitors ask for a deposit upfront.

As a first-time buyer in England and Northern Ireland, you pay no stamp duty on the first £425,000 of a property's price (as of 2026). Properties between £425,001 and £625,000 are charged at 5% on the portion above £425,000. Above £625,000, you lose the first-time buyer relief entirely and pay standard rates. So if you're buying a £300,000 home, you owe zero in stamp duty. At £500,000, you'd pay 5% on £75,000 = £3,750. This is a significant cost that many first-time buyers in London and the South East need to factor in. Check the exact amount using HMRC's stamp duty calculator before making an offer.

Most mortgages come with an arrangement fee (also called a product fee or booking fee) ranging from £0 to £2,000. The best interest rates often have the highest arrangement fees — it's a trade-off. You can usually add the fee to your mortgage balance, but then you'll pay interest on it for the entire mortgage term. On a £1,500 fee added to a 25-year mortgage at 4.5%, you'd pay roughly £2,500 in total. There's also a mortgage valuation fee (£0 to £500) — the lender's basic check that the property is worth what you're paying. Some lenders include this free. Broker fees, if you use a mortgage broker, add another £300 to £500, though many brokers earn their fee from the lender commission and charge you nothing.

The mortgage valuation is for the lender's benefit, not yours. You should get your own survey to check for structural problems, damp, subsidence, roof issues, and anything else that could cost you thousands after you move in. A Level 2 Home Survey (formerly a HomeBuyer Report) costs £400 to £700 and is suitable for most standard properties built after 1930. A Level 3 Building Survey costs £600 to £1,500 and is recommended for older properties, listed buildings, or anything you suspect might have issues. Yes, it's expensive. But finding a £15,000 subsidence problem before you buy is infinitely better than finding it after. If the survey reveals significant issues, you can renegotiate the price or walk away.

Removal companies charge £400 to £1,500 depending on the volume of belongings and distance. A one-bedroom flat moving locally might cost £400 to £600, while a three-bedroom house moving across the country could be £1,000 to £1,500 or more. DIY moves with a hired van are cheaper — £100 to £300 for van hire plus fuel — but factor in the physical effort and the risk of damaging your stuff. Don't forget the cost of packing materials (£50 to £100 for boxes, tape, and bubble wrap), cleaning the old property (£100 to £200 for a professional end-of-tenancy clean if you're renting), and redirecting your post (£48 for three months through Royal Mail).

The day you get the keys, you'll probably need to spend money. New locks (£100 to £200 for a locksmith to change front and back door locks — always do this for security). Basic furniture if you're moving from a furnished rental. Curtains or blinds — an often-overlooked cost that easily runs £200 to £500 for a whole house. You might also want to redecorate before moving furniture in, which means paint, brushes, and possibly tradespeople. Budget at least £1,000 to £2,000 for immediate essentials — and that's before any renovations.

For a £250,000 first-time purchase, here's a realistic additional cost breakdown: solicitor fees £1,500, stamp duty £0, mortgage arrangement fee £1,000, property survey £500, moving costs £600, home setup £1,500. That's £5,100 on top of your deposit. For a £400,000 property, add stamp duty and higher solicitor and survey costs — you're looking at £6,000 to £8,000 in additional costs. As a rule of thumb, budget 2% to 3% of the property price for costs beyond your deposit. Track your house-buying fund separately from your deposit savings using SYM — having a dedicated pot for 'buying costs' means you won't accidentally spend your solicitor fees on furniture.