Ask someone how much they need to move house and they’ll usually start with the deposit.

That’s understandable.

It’s also nowhere near the whole answer.

Buying a home can involve mortgage fees, conveyancing, a survey, Stamp Duty, removals and a collection of smaller expenses that have an annoying habit of arriving at exactly the same time.

Then you move in.

Suddenly you need different curtains, another piece of furniture, a locksmith and six trips to a DIY shop.

None of this is a reason not to move.

But at Location Location East, we’d much rather somebody understood the likely costs at the beginning of their move than discovered them when they’re already committed.

So, how much does moving house actually cost in 2026?

What costs should you budget for when buying a house?

There isn’t one standard figure because every purchase is different.

But most buyers should investigate some or all of the following:

Your deposit

This is usually the largest amount of cash a buyer needs.

The deposit required will depend on the property price, mortgage product and your individual circumstances.

Remember that the deposit affects more than the amount you need upfront. The loan-to-value of your mortgage can also influence which mortgage products and interest rates are available.

Mortgage costs

Depending on your lender and mortgage product, there could be arrangement or product fees, valuation costs and other charges.

If you’re using a mortgage broker, establish whether they charge you a fee too.

Don’t look only at the headline interest rate. Ask for the overall costs of the mortgage you’re considering and take appropriate mortgage advice.

Your survey

A lender’s mortgage valuation isn’t the same thing as a survey carried out for you.

The valuation principally helps the lender assess whether the property provides suitable security for the mortgage.

A survey helps you understand the condition of the home you’re considering buying.

That distinction can be particularly important with older, altered or unusual properties, of which we have plenty across this part of East Anglia.

Conveyancing

Your solicitor or licensed conveyancer deals with the legal side of your purchase.

Their quotation can include their professional fee alongside searches and other disbursements.

Ask what is and isn’t included before comparing quotes. The cheapest-looking headline figure isn’t necessarily the cheapest final bill.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Depending on the purchase price and your circumstances, this can be one of the largest additional costs.

We’ll come to the current rates shortly.

Removals

A few borrowed cars might work when leaving a furnished rental.

Moving the contents of a family house is rather different.

The cost depends on how much you’re moving, the distance involved, access at both properties and whether you want packing services.

Get quotations early rather than treating removals as an afterthought.

How much is Stamp Duty in 2026?

If you’re buying a residential property in England or Northern Ireland, the standard Stamp Duty Land Tax rates currently start at:

• 0% on the first £125,000
• 2% on the portion from £125,001 to £250,000
• 5% on the portion from £250,001 to £925,000
• 10% on the portion from £925,001 to £1.5 million
• 12% on anything above £1.5 million

Importantly, these are bands.

If you buy a home for £300,000, you don’t pay 5% on the whole £300,000.

HMRC’s example shows standard SDLT on a £295,000 purchase as £4,750 because different portions of the purchase price fall into different bands.

Your circumstances can change the calculation, so use HMRC’s official calculator and confirm the position with your conveyancer.

How much Stamp Duty does a first-time buyer pay?

First-time buyers can currently claim relief where the qualifying property costs £500,000 or less.

Under the current rules:

• no SDLT is payable on the first £300,000
• 5% applies to the portion between £300,001 and £500,000

If the purchase price exceeds £500,000, First Time Buyers’ Relief isn’t available and the normal rules apply.

That can make Stamp Duty an important consideration when deciding how far to stretch your budget.

What if you’re buying an additional property?

Higher rates normally apply if the purchase means you’ll own more than one residential property and no relevant exception applies.

The current higher rates are five percentage points above the standard residential rates, starting at 5% on the first £125,000.

This can make a substantial difference to the cash required for a second home or investment purchase.

There are detailed rules, including around replacing a main residence, so don’t rely on a rough online calculation if your ownership position is more complicated.

What moving costs do buyers commonly forget?

It’s often the smaller things rather than the solicitor’s invoice that catch people out.

Buildings and contents insurance

Your lender may require appropriate buildings insurance to be in place as part of the mortgage arrangements.

You’ll probably want to review your contents cover too.

Mortgage exit or early repayment charges

If you’re selling a mortgaged property, check what happens to your existing loan.

Can you port it?

Will there be an early repayment charge?

Are there administration fees?

Your lender or mortgage adviser can explain your particular product.

Storage

Chains don’t always cooperate perfectly.

If completion dates or temporary accommodation don’t align, you may unexpectedly need storage.

Time off work

Moving on a weekday can mean annual leave or, for some people, lost earnings.

It’s a cost that rarely appears on the spreadsheet.

Cleaning

You might pay for your old home to be professionally cleaned, the new one, or both.

Changing locks

Many buyers choose to change external locks after completion because they don’t know how many historic sets of keys might exist.

Redirecting post

Mail redirection is another relatively small cost, but worth including.

Immediate repairs

A survey may have identified jobs you knew you’d tackle after completion.

Make sure the money for them hasn’t accidentally become part of your furniture budget.

The first-week shopping list

This is the dangerous one.

Curtains.

Blinds.

Light fittings.

Bins.

Shelving.

Paint.

A lawnmower.

Furniture that fitted perfectly in your old house and looks completely wrong in the new one.

Individually, these aren’t necessarily major expenses.

Together, they can consume a surprisingly large amount of money.

Should you keep money aside after buying a house?

Ideally, yes.

Using every available pound for the deposit and purchase costs can leave very little room for the unexpected.

How much emergency money you should retain depends on your circumstances, so there isn’t a sensible universal figure.

But before deciding how much you can afford to spend on a property, ask yourself:

“What will we have left the day after completion?”

That’s a different question from:

“What’s the maximum a lender will let us borrow?”

And it’s arguably just as important.

How much does it cost to move into a rented property?

The upfront costs work differently for renters in England.

For most private renters starting an assured periodic tenancy, the key payments can include a holding deposit, tenancy deposit and initial rent, alongside the practical costs of moving.

Location Location East doesn’t currently provide lettings or property-management services, but these rules are useful to understand for anyone moving between rented and owned accommodation.

How much can a tenancy deposit be in England?

For properties with annual rent below £50,000, the maximum tenancy deposit is normally five weeks’ rent.

Where annual rent is between £50,000 and £100,000, the maximum is six weeks’ rent.

Where a tenancy deposit is taken, it must be protected in a Government-approved tenancy deposit scheme.

What is a holding deposit?

A holding deposit reserves a property while pre-tenancy checks are completed.

In England, the maximum is normally one week’s rent for the tenancy as a whole, rather than one week’s rent from each person moving in.

If the tenancy proceeds, the holding deposit must be refunded, although with the tenant’s agreement it can instead be put towards the tenancy deposit or first rent payment.

How much rent in advance can a landlord ask for in 2026?

This changed significantly on 1 May 2026.

For assured periodic tenancies covered by the new rules, a landlord or letting agent cannot ask for, encourage or accept rent before the tenancy agreement has been signed.

Once it has been signed and you’re in the pre-tenancy period, a monthly-paying tenant can usually be asked for a maximum of one month’s rent before the tenancy starts. For more frequent rent periods, the usual maximum is 28 days.

There are limited exceptions, so check the Government guidance if your tenancy circumstances are unusual.

Can a letting agent charge tenants administration or referencing fees?

Generally, no.

The Tenant Fees Act restricts what landlords and letting agents can require tenants to pay.

Permitted payments include rent, qualifying deposits and certain specific payments such as permitted charges relating to tenancy changes, early termination requested by the tenant, utilities and particular defaults.

Routine charges simply for referencing, viewing a property or setting up a tenancy aren’t something tenants should assume they have to pay.

If you’re asked for a fee you don’t recognise, check the current Government guidance before paying it.

Why can moving from one rental property to another still squeeze your finances?

Timing.

Your existing deposit may still be protected while you’re being asked for the deposit and permitted initial rent on your next home.

That can temporarily leave a substantial amount of your money tied up.

Then add a van or removal company, utility changes and everything else associated with moving.

So even though tenant fees are restricted, moving between rented homes can still require a reasonable cash buffer.

How can you work out your true moving budget?

Don’t begin with the maximum property price.

Begin with the amount of money you actually have available.

Then work backwards.

Allow for your deposit, tax, conveyancing, survey, mortgage-related costs, removals and the amount you’d like to retain afterwards.

If you’re selling and buying simultaneously, include the costs associated with both transactions.

Only then do you have a meaningful picture of what your next home comfortably costs.

This is particularly important for first-time buyers.

A mortgage Decision in Principle telling you that you might be able to borrow a certain amount doesn’t mean spending every penny of that amount is necessarily right for you.

Buying a home around Thetford and the Brecks?

One advantage of understanding your moving budget early is that it makes the property search much more useful.

Instead of viewing homes at the absolute limit and discovering later that the associated costs make them uncomfortable, you can concentrate on properties that genuinely work financially.

At Location Location East, we help buyers and sellers understand the practical side of moving as well as the property itself.

Our core market is around Thetford and the Brecks, with our estate agency work extending across Norfolk and Suffolk.

We won’t give you mortgage, tax or financial advice where that’s a job for a regulated or appropriately qualified professional.

But if you’re trying to understand the buying or selling process, what happens next or how the local property market fits into your plans, we’re always happy to talk it through.

Moving home is expensive enough.

The aim is to make sure as little of that cost as possible comes as a surprise.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to move house in the UK?

There isn’t one fixed amount. Buyers may need to budget for their deposit, Stamp Duty, conveyancing, survey, mortgage fees, removals, insurance and smaller moving-day expenses. The total varies considerably according to property price, mortgage and circumstances.

What fees do I pay when buying a house?

Typical costs can include your mortgage deposit, mortgage-related fees, conveyancing and searches, a property survey, Stamp Duty where applicable, removals and insurance. If you’re also selling a property, you’ll normally need to include your estate agent’s fee and the legal costs of the sale.

How much Stamp Duty would I pay on a £300,000 house?

For a standard main-residence purchase in England under the current rates, SDLT would be £5,000: nothing on the first £125,000, 2% on the next £125,000 and 5% on the remaining £50,000. Different rules can apply to first-time buyers, additional properties and some other circumstances.

Does a first-time buyer pay Stamp Duty in 2026?

Qualifying first-time buyers currently pay no SDLT on the first £300,000 of a property costing no more than £500,000, then 5% on the portion from £300,001 to £500,000. If the property costs more than £500,000, the relief isn’t available.

Is the mortgage valuation the same as a house survey?

No. A mortgage valuation is primarily for the lender. A survey commissioned by the buyer provides information about the property’s condition and can help identify defects or areas requiring further investigation.

What are the hidden costs of moving house?

Commonly overlooked expenses include storage, cleaning, changing locks, post redirection, insurance, immediate repairs, time away from work and buying items that don’t transfer easily from one property to another.

How much money should I have left after buying a house?

There’s no universal amount because household finances differ. However, retaining an emergency buffer rather than committing every available pound to the purchase can help with repairs and unexpected expenses after completion. Consider discussing affordability and emergency savings with an appropriately qualified financial adviser.

How much deposit can a landlord ask for in 2026?

In England, a tenancy deposit is normally capped at five weeks’ rent where annual rent is below £50,000 and six weeks’ rent where it is between £50,000 and £100,000.

Can a landlord ask for six months’ rent upfront in 2026?

For assured periodic tenancies covered by the rules introduced on 1 May 2026, landlords generally cannot require that. They cannot request rent before the tenancy agreement is signed and can usually request a maximum of one month’s rent during the pre-tenancy period where rent is paid monthly. Limited exceptions apply.

Does Location Location East offer lettings or property management?

No. Location Location East doesn’t currently provide lettings or property-management services. We include rental information where it helps people understand the wider property market and moving process.

Can Location Location East help me work out what my home is worth before I move?

Yes. If you own a property and are considering your next move, establishing its realistic current market value is one of the most useful starting points. Location Location East provides property appraisals and sales advice across our local market, helping homeowners understand their likely position before deciding what to do next.

Sources

HM Revenue & Customs / GOV.UK, Stamp Duty Land Tax: Residential property rates, including standard residential rates, First Time Buyers’ Relief and higher rates for additional properties. Rates checked September 2026.

GOV.UK, Tenant Fees Act 2019: guidance for tenants, including permitted payments and holding and tenancy deposit limits.

GOV.UK, Assured periodic tenancies: a guide for tenants – Rent in advance and deposits, covering the rules applying to rent in advance and deposits from 1 May 2026.

GOV.UK, Renters’ Rights Act overview for tenants, covering the private rented sector changes introduced on 1 May 2026.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial, mortgage, tax or legal advice. Rules and tax rates can change and individual circumstances differ, so check current Government guidance and seek appropriate professional advice before making financial decisions.

Article by Andrew Overman | Partner | Location Location East