The cost of selling a house in 2026
Selling a house in England or Wales usually costs several thousand pounds, and most of it comes out of the sale price on completion day. The estate agent's fee is normally the biggest single cost, followed by your solicitor's fees. Smaller costs include an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), removals and, if you're part way through a mortgage deal, an early repayment charge that can run into thousands.
This guide lists every cost, with typical figures from named sources, and shows which ones you can cut or avoid. It's general information for England and Wales, and prices vary by area and provider, so always get your own quotes.
The costs of selling at a glance
| Cost | Typical figure | Can you avoid it? |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agent (high street) | Under 1% to 3.5% of the price; averages of about 1.3% to 1.4% (Which?, 2025 figures) | Yes, by selling privately or to a cash buyer |
| Estate agent (online, fixed fee) | £300 to £1,500, often paid upfront (Which?, June 2026) | As above |
| Conveyancing (legal fees) | Which? reports £2,182 on average for home movers selling and buying, based on November 2025 quotes | Rarely, unless the buyer pays |
| Leasehold extra legal work | Usually £100 to £300 more (Which?) | Only applies to leasehold homes |
| Title copies from HM Land Registry | £7 each | No, but they're small |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Around £65, up to £120 (Which?) | Yes, if you have one less than 10 years old |
| Early repayment charge | Usually 1% to 5% of the mortgage balance (MoneyHelper) | Often, by timing the sale or porting |
| Removals | £709 on average for home movers (Which?, November 2025 data) | Partly, by moving yourself |
| Capital Gains Tax | Usually nothing on your main home | Depends on the property |
If you want to see what you'd actually walk away with, our house sale proceeds calculator takes the sale price and subtracts the mortgage and every fee.
Estate agent fees
Most high-street agents charge a percentage of the final sale price, and you usually pay only when the sale goes through. Which? says fees range from under 1% to as much as 3.5%. It reports two recent averages: about 1.3% including VAT in 2025, and 1.42% of the sale price from quote data gathered in November 2025.
Your contract type makes a big difference. Which? puts sole agency (one agent) at typically 1% to 2%, and multi-agency (several agents, only the one who sells gets paid) at 2% to 3.5%.
Watch the VAT. Estate agents charge VAT at 20% on their fee. A fee of 1.2% plus VAT is really 1.44% of the price, or £3,600 on a £250,000 sale. Always ask for the fee including VAT. Our estate agent fee calculator shows what different rates cost at your price, and our guide to estate agent fees explains contracts, tie-ins and negotiating.
Conveyancing (legal) fees
You need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to handle the legal side: proving you own the home, answering the buyer's questions, exchanging contracts and paying off your mortgage on completion. Which? reports an average conveyancing bill of £2,182 for home movers, based on November 2025 quotes, though it doesn't split out the selling side. If you're only selling, there's less work, so compare quotes rather than relying on the average.
On top of the fee, expect small extras called disbursements, such as £7 for each official copy of your title from HM Land Registry, identity checks and a bank transfer fee. Selling a leasehold flat usually adds £100 to £300 for the extra legal work, and the landlord or managing agent charges separately for the information pack the buyer's solicitor needs. See conveyancing fees for sellers.
Energy Performance Certificate
You must have a valid EPC before you put your home on the market, and you can be fined if you don't. An EPC lasts 10 years, so check the government register first. If you need a new one, Which? reports an average of around £65, with some firms charging up to £120.
Mortgage costs: early repayment and exit fees
Your lender is paid first, straight out of the sale money. If you're still in a fixed-rate or other introductory deal, you'll usually pay an early repayment charge. MoneyHelper says these are usually 1% to 5% of the outstanding balance, though some deals charge a flat fee. On a £150,000 balance, a 3% charge is £4,500.
Which? says you're no longer subject to an early repayment charge once your fixed-rate period has ended, and that most mortgages can be "ported" (moved) to your next home. You may also pay a mortgage exit fee to close the account. Our guide to early repayment charges explains how to check yours and when it's worth waiting.
Removals and moving out
Which? reports an average removals bill of £709 for home movers, from November 2025 quote data. Its own May 2026 quotes for a short move within London ranged from £540 for a one-bedroom flat to £1,553 for a four-bedroom house, or up to £2,307 with packing included. Prices depend mostly on how much you own, how far you're going and how many people the job needs, so get at least three quotes.
Our guide to moving house costs covers removals, storage and the costs of buying your next home.
Costs people forget
- VAT on the agent's fee, if the quote didn't include it.
- The leasehold information pack for flats and some houses, charged by the landlord or managing agent.
- Two sets of bills if you move out before completion, including council tax, insurance and utilities on the empty home.
- Clearing the house, if it's full of contents, or minor repairs a buyer asks for.
- Fees to withdraw from an agent's contract, if your contract has them.
- Buying costs on your next home, including Stamp Duty in England or Land Transaction Tax in Wales.
Is there tax to pay when you sell?
Usually not, if it's your home. GOV.UK says you pay no Capital Gains Tax when you sell your home if you've lived in it as your only or main home the whole time you've owned it, haven't let part of it out (a lodger doesn't count), haven't used part of it only for business, the grounds are under 5,000 square metres, and you didn't buy it just to make a gain.
If tax does apply, for example on a buy-to-let or inherited house, you can deduct the costs of buying, selling and improving the property, including estate agents' and solicitors' fees. Normal maintenance such as decorating doesn't count.
A worked example
Here's how the numbers might look on a £250,000 sale with £130,000 left on the mortgage. The legal fee is an example quote, not an average.
| Amount | |
|---|---|
| Sale price | £250,000 |
| Mortgage paid off | −£130,000 |
| Estate agent (1.2% plus VAT) | −£3,600 |
| Solicitor (example quote, including VAT) | −£1,500 |
| Title copies and transfer fee (example) | −£50 |
| Energy Performance Certificate | −£65 |
| Removals | −£709 |
| Left after costs | £114,076 |
That's almost £6,000 in costs before any early repayment charge. If this seller had a 2% charge on the mortgage, that would add another £2,600.
How to cut the cost of selling
- Get three agents to value your home and quote a fee including VAT, then negotiate. Which? says you can usually get a better deal on a sole agency contract.
- Read the contract before you sign. Look for the tie-in period, withdrawal fees and any "sole selling rights" or "ready, willing and able purchaser" clauses, which can leave you paying even if you find the buyer yourself or pull out.
- Compare conveyancing quotes on the same basis, with VAT and disbursements included.
- Check your mortgage deal end date before you agree a completion date.
- Reuse your EPC if it's still in date.
- Declutter before you move, because removal prices depend mainly on volume.
Selling to a cash buyer: what changes
Selling to a cash buying company removes the estate agent's fee, and some cash buyers, including us, also pay the seller's legal fees. A quicker sale can mean fewer months of mortgage payments and bills too. But cash buyers usually pay below market value, and the price gap can be much bigger than the fees you save.
For a home in good condition, when you're not in a hurry, selling through an estate agent will usually leave you with more money. A cash sale makes more sense when speed or certainty matters most, the house needs work, or a chain keeps collapsing. Our cash offer vs estate agent calculator compares the two routes with your own figures.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to sell a house?
For most sales through a high-street estate agent, the biggest cost is the agent's fee. Which? reports averages of about 1.3% to 1.4% of the sale price, or roughly £3,250 to £3,550 on a £250,000 home. On top of that come legal fees, an Energy Performance Certificate if you don't have a valid one, removals and any early repayment charge on your mortgage. Many sellers pay several thousand pounds in total.
Are selling costs taken out of the sale price?
Most are. On completion, your solicitor receives the buyer's money, pays off your mortgage (including any early repayment charge), pays the estate agent and takes their own fee, then sends you what's left with a completion statement. Some costs come earlier: you need an Energy Performance Certificate before marketing, online agents often want paying upfront, and removal firms are usually paid before or on moving day.
Can I sell my house without paying estate agent fees?
Yes. You can sell privately, use an online agent that charges a fixed fee (Which? says usually £300 to £1,500, often paid upfront), or sell to a cash buyer that charges no fees. Each has a trade-off. A private sale means doing the viewings and negotiating yourself, and cash buyers usually pay below market value. You'll still have legal fees unless the buyer agrees to pay them.
Can I deduct selling costs from Capital Gains Tax?
If Capital Gains Tax applies, for example on a second home, a rental or an inherited property, GOV.UK says you can deduct the costs of buying, selling or improving it, including estate agents' and solicitors' fees. Normal maintenance such as decorating doesn't count. Most people selling their only or main home pay no Capital Gains Tax at all, because of Private Residence Relief.
Do I have to pay for an EPC when selling?
You must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate before you market a home for sale. It lasts 10 years, so check the government's online register first in case you already have one. If you need a new one, Which? reports an average cost of around £65, with some firms charging up to £120. Your estate agent may be able to arrange it for you.
Sources
- The cost of selling a house (Which?, January 2026)
- Estate agent fees and contracts (Which?, June 2026)
- Online estate agents: how do they work? (Which?, June 2026)
- How to choose the best removals company (Which?, June 2026)
- Worried about rising mortgage costs: early repayment charges (MoneyHelper)
- Energy Performance Certificates when selling (GOV.UK)
- Transferring ownership (conveyancing) (GOV.UK)
- Get information about property and land: fees (GOV.UK)
- Tax when you sell your home (GOV.UK)
- Tax when you sell property: work out your gain (GOV.UK)
- VAT rates (GOV.UK)
Related guides
Estate agent fees: what's normal and how to pay less
Most high-street estate agents in England and Wales charge a percentage of the sale price, from under 1% to 3.5%, and Which? reports averages of around 1.3% to 1.4%. VAT at 20% is added to the fee, and quotes should include it. Online agents usually charge a fixed fee of £300 to £1,500, often paid upfront whether or not the home sells.
Costs and moneyConveyancing fees for sellers: what you'll pay and why
When you sell a home in England or Wales, you pay a solicitor or licensed conveyancer a legal fee, usually with VAT at 20% added, plus small disbursements such as £7 for each copy of your title from HM Land Registry. Which? reports average conveyancing of £2,182 for home movers selling and buying, and leasehold sales usually cost £100 to £300 more.
Costs and moneyEarly repayment charges when you sell your house
An early repayment charge (ERC) is a fee your lender can charge if you pay off your mortgage during a fixed-rate or other introductory deal, which is what happens when you sell. MoneyHelper says ERCs are usually 1% to 5% of the outstanding balance, though some deals charge a flat fee. You can often avoid one by porting the mortgage or completing after the deal ends.
General information for England and Wales, not legal, tax or financial advice. Last checked 26 October 2026.