How much will I actually get when I sell my UK house?

The selling price is not the cheque you walk away with. In a market where house prices slipped 0.1% in April (Halifax House Price Index, April 2026) and the average two-year fixed mortgage rate climbed to 5.78% on 1 May (HomeOwners Alliance, May 2026), every cost between offer and completion matters more than it did six months ago. This guide walks through exactly what comes off the sale price, in the order it comes off, with a worked example on the UK average home.

What costs come out of a UK house sale before you see the cash?

Five costs are almost universal on a UK sale: the estate agent fee, conveyancing, an Energy Performance Certificate, mortgage exit costs, and removals. A sixth, Capital Gains Tax, only applies to second homes or properties that have been let. Work through them in order and you arrive at your net proceeds (the amount left after all selling costs and the mortgage are paid).

1. 1. Start with the agreed sale price, not the asking price

   Use the figure on the buyer's accepted offer, because most UK homes in 2026 are selling below the asking figure when buyer demand is soft. The RICS Residential Market Survey for April 2026 recorded a national house-price net balance of minus 34%, the weakest reading since the post-pandemic peak.

2. 2. Subtract the estate agent's commission

   High-street agents typically charge 1% to 1.5% plus VAT on a sole-agency contract in 2026. On a £300,000 sale, a 1.25% fee plus 20% VAT works out at £4,491.

3. 3. Subtract conveyancing and disbursements

   Conveyancing is the legal work that moves the property from your name to the buyer's name. Most sellers pay £1,000 to £1,500 for a freehold sale including the disbursements (small third-party charges such as bank transfer fees and Land Registry copies).

4. 4. Subtract the cost of a new EPC if yours has expired

   Every UK property listed for sale must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (a 10-year rating of the home's energy efficiency, from A to G). If yours has expired or never existed, a new EPC typically costs £60 to £120.

5. 5. Subtract mortgage exit costs and any Early Repayment Charge

   Most lenders charge a small administration fee of £50 to £300 to close the mortgage account. If you are still inside a fixed-rate deal, the Early Repayment Charge can add another 1% to 5% of the outstanding balance, which is usually the largest hidden cost on the deal.

6. 6. Settle the outstanding mortgage and the cost of moving

   The conveyancer redeems the mortgage on completion day from the sale proceeds, then pays the balance to you. Removals on top typically run £600 to £2,500 depending on distance and volume. What is left is your true net proceeds.

What does the math look like on the average UK home in 2026?

The Halifax House Price Index for April 2026 puts the average UK property at £299,313. Below is what a typical owner-occupier loses to selling costs on that price, before settling the mortgage.

On this example, the seller pockets £292,142 from the sale before the mortgage is settled. If £150,000 of mortgage is still outstanding and there is no Early Repayment Charge, the walk-away figure is £142,142. The same sale with a 2% ERC on the outstanding £150,000 drops the walk-away figure by another £3,000.

Where does the mortgage cost you the most?

An Early Repayment Charge (ERC) is the penalty a lender applies when a borrower closes a fixed-rate mortgage before the fix ends. It is usually expressed as a percentage of the outstanding balance and tapers downwards each year of the fix. On a £150,000 balance, the typical bands look like this:

• Year 1 of a 5-year fix: 5% = £7,500
• Year 2 of a 5-year fix: 4% = £6,000
• Year 3 of a 5-year fix: 3% = £4,500
• Year 4 of a 5-year fix: 2% = £3,000
• Year 5 of a 5-year fix: 1% = £1,500

Two practical workarounds reduce or remove the ERC. Porting the mortgage (moving the same deal across to the new property) usually avoids the charge if the lender agrees. Timing the sale to land after the fix expires removes the charge entirely. Both are worth checking with your lender before instructing an agent.

Do I have to pay tax on what I make from selling?

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is the tax on the profit between what a property cost and what it sold for. Private Residence Relief removes CGT in full on your main home if it has been your only residence throughout your period of ownership (HMRC, 2025). CGT applies in the cases below.

Why does the estate agent's fee swing the net more than anything else?

Agent fees in the UK in 2026 range from 0.75% to 3% plus VAT depending on the contract type, the agent's market position, and the negotiation. On a £300,000 home, the difference between 1% and 2% is £3,600 in your pocket either way. Conveyancing, EPC, and removals are roughly fixed regardless of which agent sells the property, which is why the agent fee is the single biggest controllable cost on the sale.

On a £300,000 sale, the gap between a 1% and a 2% agent fee is £3,600. That is the single biggest controllable line on the bill.

What hidden costs catch sellers out at completion?

• Withdrawal fees, charged by some sole-agency contracts if you leave the agent before the tie-in period ends.
• Sole-selling-rights extensions, which oblige you to pay commission even if you find your own buyer privately during the contract window.
• Online portal fees on hybrid contracts, which can be charged upfront and remain payable even if the property does not sell.
• Mortgage account fees, sometimes called closing fees or deed release fees, separate from the ERC and easy to miss in the offer paperwork.
• Indemnity insurance policies, which a buyer's conveyancer can insist on for missing FENSA certificates or planning permissions and which are usually charged to the seller.

How can sellers lift their net without raising the asking price?

• Compare written valuations from multiple local agents side by side, on fees as well as price, before signing anything.
• Choose a tie-in period of no more than 8 weeks on a sole-agency contract, so you keep the option to switch if the agent underperforms.
• Ask the agent to itemise what their fee covers (photos, floorplans, premium portal listings) and what costs extra.
• Check the date your mortgage fix ends before listing, because timing the sale to that date can save thousands in ERC.
• Get two conveyancing quotes, because fixed-fee conveyancers can be £300 to £500 cheaper than the agent's in-house referral.

ValuQ is a UK platform that gives homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so the comparison above happens on one screen before any conversation begins. The seller sees every agent's valuation and fee at once and chooses who to speak to on merit.