Rates & sources
SDLT/LTT/LBTT bands vary between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Use the appropriate calculator.
Source: HMRC / Welsh Revenue / Revenue Scotland — figures refreshed at the start of each tax year.
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 South Africa planning example
Use these sample inputs as a quick scenario test, then change one variable at a time to compare outcomes.
Purchase Price (£)
R0.30
Closing Costs (%)
R500
Legal Fees (£)
1500
Survey Fees (£)
600
After entering these figures, focus on result first and then rerun the tool with a more cautious assumption to understand the realistic range of outcomes rather than relying on a single estimate.
How to read your results
Result
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 calculator estimates total closing costs by combining two components: a percentage-based variable cost (entered as a proportion of the purchase price, typically used to model Stamp Duty Land Tax) and fixed costs for legal fees and a surveyor. The total closing cost is the sum of all three, and the calculator also shows the overall cost of the purchase including the property price itself.
To use the calculator accurately for a UK purchase, enter the applicable SDLT rate or effective rate as the variable cost percentage — note that SDLT is a tiered, marginal tax rather than a flat rate, so the effective rate varies by price. For England, the 3% additional-dwelling surcharge applies to buy-to-let and second homes. Legal fees should reflect a full conveyancing quote including searches, Land Registry fees, and electronic transfer charges. Survey costs depend on the type commissioned: a mortgage valuation, RICS HomeBuyer Report, or full structural survey each carry different fee levels. This calculator does not replace a formal conveyancing quote or SDLT calculation from a qualified solicitor.
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
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End-of-article next steps
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