Get individual quotes and separate estimates from known costs. There is no single allowance that fits every purchase.
Before you move
- Solicitor or conveyancer (the solicitor or licensed professional handling the legal purchase): fees, searches, registration and transfers.
- Survey (an inspection of the home’s condition), lender valuation (a check of the home’s value for the lender; not a condition survey) and any mortgage (a loan secured on your home) product or booking fees.
- Property reservation charges and moving costs, where relevant.
- Purchase tax, calculated separately in the planner.
Once you have the keys
- Council Tax, utilities and insurance.
- Service charges, estate charges, lease costs or shared-ownership rent where applicable.
- Repairs, basic furnishings and an accessible emergency reserve.
Do not count the same fee twice if it is included in a quote. Adding a fee to a mortgage increases the borrowing and interest paid. Our examples assume costs are paid in cash.
The tools on this site are free to use.
Make the total usable
Allow for any overlap between rent and the new mortgage, immediate repairs and essential purchases. Do not use money earmarked for emergencies as if it were spare deposit cash.
Build a buying-cost allowance →Sources and conditions
Checked 25 October 2026. Rules and product availability can change; check the original information before acting.
MoneyHelper · Buying and moving costs ↗Skipton · Lifetime ISA questions ↗GOV.UK · How to buy a home ↗MoneyHelper · Applying for a mortgage ↗Give the other costs a place.
Build an editable allowance for buying and moving. Keep it separate from your deposit and retained cash.
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