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How Much Does It Cost To Move House in 2021?

How much does it cost to move house?

With everything that’s been going on this year, it’s easy to just shut the door, turn off the news and go back to bed, happy that you still have your health and your job.

Regardless of the state of play, however, people will always want to buy properties.

Despite the pandemic situation that has reduced our freedom, house moving is one fairly immovable event which has continued, with the help of technology.

If you are thinking to move and wonder how much does it cost to move to a new house?

Well, the cost of moving a house varies depends on where you live, where you are moving to, and how much you are moving.

On top of this, you will also need to consider all the necessary fees for a successful move.

This can be the surveyor fee, conveyancing, and selling or buying fees.

In this article, we cover everything you need to know about the finances of moving house.

We hope to help give you some clarity and answer the question, how much does it cost to move house?

What Is The Average Cost to Move House in the UK?

The estimated average cost to move house in the UK is just under £9000. However, several factors will affect your total moving costs, such as the UK property price, solicitor and conveyancing fees, estate agent fees and removals fees, etc.

Recently, we have seen the government make efforts to support the housing market and remove some of the barriers to entry.

This has made the overall cost to move house cheaper than normal in 2020, but not necessarily for long – so don’t be caught out.

For first-time buyers especially, it is easy to concentrate on the obvious and daunting costs – your mortgage and new furnishings.

However, it is the oft-forgotten moving costs which can have the greatest immediate impact, as they are ones which you usually require immediate payment.

If you are planning to move in the next 12 months, you should consider and budget for these costs now and scout out the most cost-effective options to limit your outlay.

In this post, we have outlined the essential house moving costs you need to be aware of, although you might have additional costs depending on your particular situation.

We’ve broken this down in a simple way – property buying costs and property selling costs.

In this instance, first-time buyers moving costs are considerably lower, as they do not have some requirements, whilst other costs are waived for their assistance.

Hopefully, by breaking it all down we can establish how much it cost to move house in the UK.

Old Houses in rural area of the UK

Property Selling Costs:

  • Estate Agent Fees: Between 1-3.5% of the selling price

Agents’ fees feel like an inevitable part of house moving, though that doesn’t have to be the case. Today, there are opportunities to sell that don’t involve agents (auction, selling to friends or family, using no fees agents or fixed fees), although these are still uncommon. The UK average fee is around 1.42%. Ideally, you want to aim to keep the cost below 1% of the sale price – this is much easier to do as the property value starts to rise. Some can charge up to 3.5%, so watch out.

  • Conveyancing Fees £600

Conveyancing is the legal paperwork required to make sure your house transaction happens when it’s supposed to and in the correct manner, so you are not liable if anything goes wrong. Whilst there is potential to save costs and do it yourself, it is not advisable. For the saving potential, there is simply too much at stake to risk it. Conveyancing includes the transfer of legal ownership, transferring of cash, drawing up legal documents, and also dealing with the land registry.

  • Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – £120

Since 2010 it has been compulsory to have an EPC issued before you put your house up for sale or rent. This certificate tells a buyer how energy efficient the property is, which helps calculating utility costs. There are some EPC property exceptions listed on the government website here.

Property Buying Costs:

  • Property Survey – £500

When purchasing almost certainly your most expensive asset, you want to be sure you are not taking on a property in need of extensive and expensive repair work (unless that is your intention). A survey will identify any potentially costly issues upfront and is something that should be taken especially seriously with older properties, where ageing construction and fittings might need extensive work. Another cost which is worth investing in.

  • Conveyancing Fees – £1500

As a buyer, you also need to fork out conveyancing fees. In fact, fees will cost more as a buyer, as you need to investigate all liabilities you might be taking on regarding your new property. Obligations such as maintenance fees, service charges, and restrictive covenants are all legal requirements, but without due diligence may be overlooked. Historic covenants could incur potentially large repair or maintenance costs which you might be unaware of but are legally responsible for. A full investigation of the land registry will give you full disclosure of your liabilities and responsibilities before it’s too late.

  • Stamp Duty – 0% on the primary property up to £500,000 till April 2021

Officially known as Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT), stamp duty has fluctuated massively in recent years and costs are calculated according to buyer status and price, so don’t be caught out. The headline news is that until 1st April 2021 there is no stamp duty on primary home purchases up to a value of £500,000, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. There is talk that this period might be extended, given the continued economic hardship – ‘Which’ has the latest news on that here. A full breakdown of SDLT costs can be found on the official UK Gov page and here.

  • Mortgage Valuation – £200

Another cost not to be forgotten, but today many mortgage providers are offering this service for free or offset against the cost of your mortgage, so shop around.

A family is packing up to move to a new house.

Essential Costs For Buyers And Sellers – Removals Fee

At some point as both a buyer or a seller, you are going to have to move – usually out of, and then into a property. Even first-time buyers cannot escape the need to move their possessions. Now, you may be thinking of what is the costs of hiring a removals firm to move your house?

If you hire a local removals company instead of doing it yourself, getting a removal quote is the first step to find out your moving fees. The house removals cost can range from £300 up to £900 or even more, this depends on how much you are moving, how far you move, and the length of moving time.

Moving day is often cited as the most stressful day of your life (a close thing between that and your wedding day). There are many dedicated and professional removal companies out there who can save your back, and your heart from undue stress, and in this instance, it’s great value to give someone else the responsibility of packing, lifting, and transporting all your worldly possessions to your new home.

Using A BAR Member Removals

Most people amass property that holds significant personal and monetary value across their lifetime, which they want to make sure it is well looked after and safe. It’s advisable to use a removals company that is BAR registered (BAR – British Association of Removers), this ensures the services that you received are of high-quality standards, giving you peace of mind knowing you are in safe hands.

BAR has been maintaining the highest standards in the moving industry since 1900 and is another vital resource to help alleviate the stress of moving day. They have a code of practice that all removal companies must comply with, and an active directory of all affiliated member’s service by location.

Nevertheless, below are some factors that will affect the total cost of your removals:

  • The larger the home, the more you will need moving
  • Required carrying of items
  • Item packing and unpacking service
  • Distance between the two properties – for example, it might involve an overnight stay if the distance is very long.
  • Removals Insurance
  • Storage for furniture if required

One cheaper option is moving house yourself, but this will still incur costs for transport hire and fuel, as well as adding risk, stress, and significant labour to an already stressful experience – for most sensible people it’s just not a smart option.

Using a dedicated professional removal company will give you the best chance of arriving in your brand new dream home without wanting to tear your hair out or cry yourself to sleep and let you enjoy the moment when you can open the door and cross the threshold of your new life.

Crossing A UK Border?

Please be aware that specific details on all requirements and costs for moving might be different depending on if you are buying or selling in England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland – so don’t assume everything is the same as your current location.

Need Help With Your House Move?

Here at Curtiss & Sons Portsmouth, we are an experienced and professional removals company that has been helping people moving home since 1871.

If you need help and advice on moving your home or perhaps some questions about your house removals, you can get in touch with us on 023 9298 5830 and our friendly team is here to assist you with your enquiry.