Additional costs

Additional costs

House survey: Typically between £250 to £1,200

It's essential to have a survey carried out when you have an offer accepted on a property to find out about the condition of the building and make sure that it's worth the price you have offered. Your mortgage lender will carry out a valuation report but it is highly recommended that you arrange for your own independent survey. You can find a surveyor to carry out survey through the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors.

There are two main kinds of survey - a Homebuyer's report and a building survey (also known as a structural survey). A Homebuyer's report covers the general condition of the property you're going to buy and usually costs between £250 and £500. For conventional properties that are less than 40 years old a Homebuyer's report may be adequate, but it's worth considering a full building survey. A building survey provides a more in-depth analysis of the condition of the property, including the structure. This survey is for older properties and those of a non-standard construction (e.g. timber). These can cost between £500 and £1,200.

Legal fee; Typically between £500 and £1,500

You'll need to hire a solicitor or licensed conveyancer to deal with the legal aspects of buying a property. They either charge you a flat fee, or a percentage of the value of the property. You can expect to pay between £500 and £1,500, depending on how complex the transaction is.

Land Registry fee: Typically between £200 and £500

The Land Registry is a government department that keeps records of all registered properties in England and Wales. It charges a fee for registering property with a new owner. The fee will vary depending on the property price, but you can expect to pay between £200 and £500.

Stamp Duty:

You pay Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) on increasing portions of the property price above £125,000 when you buy residential property, e.g. a house or flat.

In the Autumn Statement in 2014 the then Chancellor, George Osborne, announced a complete shake-up of the tax from the previous structure with it's seemingly arbitrary levels and replaced it with a new "progressive" or gradual system.

The new Stamp Duty rates as of December 3rd 2014 are as follows:

However, Mr Osbourne later introduced additional 3% on top of the normal SDLT rates from April 2016 for anyone purchasing a residential property which meant they would own more than one property. You can use the HMRC SDLT calculator to check the amount you would have to pay.

There are special rules if the property you are buying is replacing your main residence and that has already been sold, or if you own property with someone else or already own a property outside England, Wales and Northern Ireland (please check with your tax advisor or direct with HMRC).