Moving House: How to Cut the Cost

Moving is expensive in a way that is easy to underestimate, because the costs arrive from six directions at once. Most of them are negotiable or avoidable, but only if you deal with them before you are committed.

Selling costs

Estate agent fees

High street agents typically charge a percentage of the sale price plus VAT. This is negotiable and agents expect you to try. Get three valuations, and use a lower quote as leverage.

Points to settle before signing:

• Sole agency versus multiple agency. Multiple costs more but can suit a difficult property.
• The tie-in period. Long exclusivity leaves you stuck with an underperforming agent. Push for something short.
• Whether the fee includes photography, floorplans and portal listings.
• Whether it is payable on completion or exchange.

Online and fixed-fee agents charge much less. The trade-off is that some charge upfront whether or not you sell, and you may do more of the work yourself. Read whether the fee is contingent on a sale.

EPC

You need a valid Energy Performance Certificate to market a property. Check whether an existing one is still valid — they last ten years — before paying for another.

Legal costs

Conveyancing quotes vary widely for the same work. Get at least three, and compare the total including disbursements — searches, Land Registry fees, bank transfer fees — not the headline.

• Ask for a fixed fee and a full written breakdown.
• Ask whether it is “no completion, no fee”, which protects you if the chain collapses.
• A local firm may know the area’s quirks; an online firm may be cheaper. Both work — responsiveness matters more than either.
• Check your mortgage lender’s approved panel before instructing, or you may pay twice.

Stamp duty and its equivalents

England and Northern Ireland charge Stamp Duty Land Tax; Scotland charges Land and Buildings Transaction Tax; Wales charges Land Transaction Tax. Thresholds, rates and first-time buyer relief differ between them and change with some regularity.

Check the current position on the relevant government site and factor it in early — it is often the largest single cost of moving, and it is not negotiable.

Surveys

A mortgage valuation is for the lender, not for you. It is not a survey.

Paying for a proper survey feels like an avoidable cost and frequently is not. A survey that uncovers a significant problem either saves you from the purchase or gives you grounds to renegotiate — often by far more than the survey cost.

Match the level to the property: a basic homebuyer report for a modern house in good order, a full building survey for anything old, extended, unusual or visibly neglected.

Removals

• Get three quotes, and insist on an in-person or video survey rather than a phone estimate.
• Move mid-month and midweek. Month-end Fridays are the busiest and most expensive slots.
• Avoid summer if you can. Winter moves are cheaper.
• Pack yourself to cut the quote substantially, but let professionals do anything fragile or awkward.
• Get free boxes from local shops, community groups and giveaway pages.
• Declutter first. You pay to move volume — selling or donating beforehand reduces the quote and makes money.
• Check the insurance the removal firm provides, what it excludes, and whether self-packed boxes are covered.
• Van hire and friends works for small moves. Be realistic about what you can lift, and check the van’s insurance and licence requirements.

The costs people forget

• Mortgage arrangement, booking and valuation fees — and early repayment charges if you leave a fixed deal early.
• Mail redirection.
• Final meter readings and settling utility accounts. Photograph every meter on both moving days.
• Updating home insurance, and making sure buildings cover starts at exchange, not completion.
• Cleaning, and any deposit deductions if renting.
• New keys and locks.
• Curtains, blinds, carpets and white goods, which sellers often take.
• Time off work.

If you are renting

Letting agents cannot charge tenants most fees in England, Wales and Scotland — that includes admin, referencing and renewal fees. Deposits are capped and must be protected in an approved scheme. If an agent asks for a prohibited payment, challenge it.

Use the deposit protection scheme’s free dispute service rather than accepting unfair deductions, and photograph the property thoroughly on both move-in and move-out days.

Order of operations

1. Work out the total cost of moving before committing to anything.
2. Get three quotes for agent, conveyancer and removals.
3. Negotiate all three.
4. Book removals early for a midweek, mid-month date.
5. Declutter and sell before you pack.