How much are solicitor fees for buying a house in the UK?

UK conveyancing solicitor fees typically range from £800 to £2,000 plus VAT, depending on the property value and complexity of the transaction. Always get quotes from several firms.

Do I need to pay stamp duty?

property transfer tax applies to property purchases in England and Northern Ireland above certain thresholds. First-time buyers benefit from relief on properties up to specified limits. Scotland and Wales have their own versions.

What survey should I get when buying a property?

Options range from a basic Condition Report (£250-400) to a full Building Survey (£400-800+) for older or unusual properties. A HomeBuyer Report sits in the middle and is suitable for most standard properties.

Closing Costs Calculator UK

Useful next calculations

Plan the full cost of movingCarry sale equity through selling, buying, tax, mortgage and removal costs.

Rates and sources

SDLT/LTT/LBTT bands vary between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Use the appropriate calculator.

Source: HMRC / Welsh Revenue / Revenue Scotland. Check the linked guidance and any live quote before acting.

When to use this calculator

Before buying, renting, refinancing or reviewing a property investment.
When you want to compare cash flow, tax, yield or ownership costs.
When you need a fast estimate before speaking to an agent, lender or adviser.
When you want to see how a rate or price change moves the result.

Example: total cash needed to complete a home purchase

Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.

Example: total cash needed to complete a home purchase
Input	Value
Purchase price	£275,000
Variable tax / SDLT input	£4,750
Legal fees	£1,450
Survey fees	£650

A mortgage payment can look fine and still leave the purchase short on completion day. This example is about the cash required to actually finish the deal.

Method & assumptions

This calculator estimates purchase-side costs by combining a percentage of the price you enter with any fixed legal and survey fees you enter. It does not apply a country-specific property-tax table. Use it to total the cash you need on top of the purchase price, then use a jurisdiction-specific transfer-tax calculator when you need statutory bands.

Common mistakes

Comparing rent and ownership costs without including taxes, fees and maintenance.
Using purchase price alone without testing financing or vacancy assumptions.
Relying on yield or growth in isolation instead of reviewing the full property case.
Using the wrong national transaction-tax calculator for the purchase location.

What to do next

Run a second scenario with a higher rate or lower rental yield.
Compare the result with a buy-versus-rent or mortgage calculator before making an offer.
Use the matching national transaction-tax calculator for the purchase location.
Note the key figures to share with your solicitor or lender.

Questions people ask

UK property closing costs include solicitor or conveyancer fees, property transfer tax, property survey fees, Land Registry fees, and any mortgage arrangement fees.