From estate agency fees to paying for a solicitor and everything in between, the costs of selling your house and moving are inevitable.
Understanding these costs will help you plan for them.
Let’s explore these costs and how you can save money on (some of) them.
1. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
An Energy Performance Certificate is a legal requirement when you sell your house.
Potential buyers will use this to understand how eco-efficient your property is and what impact this may have on their monthly bills.
The price of an EPC will vary depending on the size of your property and how in-depth you want it to be (e.g., making recommendations for improvements).
Average EPC costs
Between £35 and £150.
2. Estate agents
Most homeowners use a high-street estate agency to sell their house.
While the average estate agent will not charge you a fee upfront, you will pay a percentage commission on your final sale figure.
You should contact estate agents in your area for a quote on their commission.
It may vary depending on the size of your house or your location in the country.
For example, London estate agents often charge comparatively more than companies in the north.
A good estate agent will know how to sell a house quickly at a reasonable price. A bad one might cost you a fast or good-priced sale.
Estate agents’ hidden fees
You may also encounter estate agents who sneak in additional fees without you noticing.
The quote they gave you may not include VAT, or there is a withdrawal fee involved (if you decide to back out of the deal) that you should have paid.
In general, estate agencies are not allowed to hide these costs from you, so you should check the fine print and ask directly about potential expenses like this.
Removal conditions
For example, some removal companies offer ‘premium packing’ services, which include higher-quality packing and protection.
There may be add-on provisions for things such as:
- Moving items through windows (if necessary)
- Dismantling furniture
- Moving into an apartment in a building without a lift
Average estate agent costs
This commission can be from 1% to 3% of the selling price, with the average estate agency in the UK charging 1.42%.
At the average estate agent commission of 1.42%, your estate agency costs on a property worth £250,000 will be £3,550.
So, for a house worth £750,000, the cost will be £10,650.
3. Solicitors
Solicitors manage the legal issues and paperwork processes of property sales.
They are responsible for many critical administrative tasks, including:
- Carrying out searches for properties
- Overseeing the exchange of contracts between buyers and sellers
- Transferring money
- Draft contracts
- Gathering many essential documents needed to move (including title deeds, property information forms, TR1 forms, etc.)
And more.
Lots of solicitors charge as a percentage of your property’s value. If your house is worth more, you will likely pay higher fees.
Solicitor’s disbursements
It is essential to closely examine the ‘disbursements’ a solicitor charges you for when you enlist their services.
For example, there have been tales of solicitors charging for commission searches of a property.
The fee can become relatively high if this is done for every disbursement they complete.
Average solicitor costs
According to Sold.co.uk, the average solicitor’s fee when selling a freehold property valued between £200,000 and £300,000 is £1,000.
Meanwhile, if the house is worth £601,000 to £700,000, this figure could go up to £1,600.
And it could increase further for properties worth over £1,000,000.
4. Removal company
Even once the contracts have been exchanged, the costs of selling your house are usually still ongoing.
Removal companies are among the largest costs of moving into a property, especially if your new house is a long distance away.
The amount a removal company charges will depend on your number of possessions and how far you travel.
These two factors will affect the number of employees these companies need to bring, the size and number of vans, petrol money, and the time it takes to complete the job.
The time of year you sell your house may also impact the process, as these companies are sometimes busier during specific periods.
Average removal costs
According to Zoopla, the average house removal cost for a 3-bedroom home is £800, based on a moving distance of 15 miles.
Some removal companies charge by the hour, while others charge per mile for a relocation service.
The cost may be several hundred more if you move hundreds of miles.
Summary: the average cost of selling a house in the UK
Example case 1
If you are selling a 3-bedroom property in the UK that costs £250,000, and you are moving 15 miles, then you can expect your approximate costs to be as follows:
- Energy Performance Certificate: £55
- Estate Agent: £3,550
- Solicitor: £800
- Removal company: £800
- Total: £5,205
Example case 2
Meanwhile, if you are selling a 3-bedroom property in the UK that costs £750,000, and you are moving 15 miles, then you can expect your approximate costs to be as follows:
- Energy Performance Certificate: £55
- Estate Agent: £10,650
- Solicitor: £800
- Removal company: £800
- Total: £12,305.
Important considerations
You will need to alter your calculations slightly depending on:
- The size of your house
- The number of possessions
- The estate agency you opt for
- The distance you are moving
- Your location in the country
And more.
Are there steps that I can complete myself?
It is generally recommended that you seek specialist external support during the house-moving process.
Removal companies, solicitors, and estate agents typically have the experience and insight you need.
Unless you have worked in one of these roles professionally, you may feel a tad out of your depth.
With that being said, vast parts of the house-moving-journey can (theoretically) be completed by you, even if it isn’t advisable.
You can market your property yourself and complete the paperwork involved with selling your house, too.
Depending on your resources (e.g. access to vans, packing equipment, safety measures and so on), you could move your belongings into your new home, too.
But it will take a lot of work to complete in just one day…
If you get access to your new house before you sell your current one, you can move things slowly over several days.
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