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UK · 2026/27

Moving House True-Cost Planner

Estimate sale equity, buying and selling fees, property tax, mortgage funding and the cash gap or surplus when moving home in the UK.

Last reviewed: 4 August 2026Source: MoneyHelper — buying and moving costsUpdated every: methodology change
Moving House True-Cost Planner · UKProperty & Land

Results update when you select Calculate.

Example result based on the prefilled values.

Net Sale Equity

£129,000.00

Cash Needed for Purchase + Costs

£142,649.00

Total Transaction Costs

£23,649.00

Deposit or Equity Into New Home

£125,000.00

Funding Gap

£3,649.00

Cash Left

£0.00

Continue your plan

Useful next calculations

Related to this calculation

Rates & sources

Cash-flow planner using only the sale, redemption, mortgage, tax and quote figures entered. It does not calculate property transaction tax or porting eligibility.

Sale proceedsentered by you
Redemption + ERClender figures required
Buying and selling costsentered by you
Final cash requirementconveyancer statement

Source: MoneyHelper — buying and moving costs — 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, yield, growth, and ownership costs side by side.
  • When you need a fast estimate before speaking to an agent, lender, or adviser.
  • When you are assessing whether a rental property still makes financial sense after a mortgage rate change.
  • When you want to compare the total cost of renting against owning over a five- or ten-year horizon.

A realistic UK planning example

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

Expected sale price (£)

£0.30

Mortgage redemption balance (£)

£200,000

Estate-agent fee including VAT (£)

35

Selling legal and admin fees (£)

1500

After entering these figures, review net sale equity, cash needed for purchase + costs and total transaction costs together rather than in isolation — each metric tells a different part of the story. Then rerun the tool with one input adjusted to see which variable has the biggest effect on all three outputs before you settle on a plan.

How to read your results

Net Sale Equity

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Cash Needed for Purchase + Costs

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Total Transaction Costs

This is the headline outcome of the calculation, but it is most useful when read alongside the supporting metrics below it rather than in isolation. Try changing one input at a time and watching how this total moves to understand which driver has the biggest impact.

Deposit or Equity Into New Home

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Funding Gap

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Cash Left

Use this metric to compare scenarios side by side and understand how changes in the key inputs drive the final outcome. If the figure surprises you, isolate one variable at a time and rerun the calculation to identify which assumption is responsible.

Method & assumptionsAuthoritative sources

This planner follows the cash through a UK home move. It deducts the mortgage redemption balance, estate-agent fee, selling legal costs and any ERC from the expected sale price, then combines the resulting equity with additional savings.

On the purchase side it adds the deposit or equity not covered by the new mortgage, the property-transaction-tax estimate, legal work, searches, survey, cash-paid mortgage fees, removals and immediate costs. The result shows the funding gap or cash left rather than hiding fees inside a headline deposit.

Every cost is user-entered. The tool does not determine SDLT, LBTT or LTT, mortgage portability, lender affordability, exchange deposits, service-charge apportionments or completion balances. Use a redemption statement, written quotes and the conveyancer's completion statement.

Common mistakes

  • !Comparing rent and ownership costs without including taxes, fees, and maintenance.
  • !Using purchase price alone without testing the impact of financing or vacancy assumptions.
  • !Relying on yield or growth in isolation instead of reviewing the full property case.
  • !Forgetting Stamp Duty Land Tax (or its Scottish and Welsh equivalents), which can add thousands to the true cost of purchase.
  • !Using optimistic rental growth figures without also testing a flat or declining rent scenario to check downside resilience.

What to do next

  • Run a second scenario with a higher rate or lower rental yield to check downside resilience.
  • Compare the result with a buy-versus-rent or stamp duty calculator before making an offer.
  • Use the related guides below to understand agent fees, legal costs, and ongoing maintenance budgets.
  • If you are assessing a buy-to-let, check the gross yield against the net yield after mortgage interest, voids, and management fees.
  • Note down the key figures from this scenario to share with your solicitor or mortgage broker so they are working from the same assumptions.

Frequently asked

No. Enter the relevant property-transaction-tax estimate separately because the rules depend on location and buyer circumstances. Confirm it with your conveyancer.

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