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Buying Budget

Estate Agent Fees & Solicitor Costs Calculator

Estimate only

Estate agent commission and conveyancing are the two biggest professional fees in a UK move, and both are negotiable. Compare what the same sale would cost under sole agency, multi agency and a fixed online fee, then add your solicitor's quote, VAT and disbursements to see the full bill.

Buyers pay conveyancing but not agent commission — switch the transaction type below to reflect your side of the move.

Estate agent arrangement

Sellers only. Choose an arrangement to load its typical rate, then edit it.

UK average is about 1.2% + VAT (1.44% including VAT).

Conveyancing transaction

Loads a typical legal fee and disbursements for that transaction type.

Searches, Land Registry fees, bank transfers and ID checks. No VAT is added to these.

Estate agent and legal costs

£5,646

Agent £3,960 + legal £1,586 + extras £100, all VAT included.

Agent fee (inc. VAT)

£3,960

£3,300 + £660 VAT

Effective agent rate

1.44%

Of the sale price, VAT included

Solicitor fee (inc. VAT)

£1,286

£1,072 + £214 VAT

Disbursements

£300

Total legal cost

£1,586

Spread across agent models

£7,250

Cheapest to dearest typical quote

Same sale, three agent models

Typical market ranges applied to £275,000, VAT included.

Estate agent fee comparison by agency model, VAT included
ArrangementLowTypicalHigh
High street — sole agency£3,300£3,960£5,940
High street — multi agency£6,600£8,250£11,550
Online / hybrid — fixed fee£500£1,000£1,500
  • High street — sole agency: Example sole-agency fee of 1.2% + VAT (1.44% including VAT). Payment obligations depend on the agreement; check no-sale terms and sole selling rights.
  • High street — multi agency: Several agents compete and only the one that sells is paid — wider reach, but a much higher commission rate.
  • Online / hybrid — fixed fee: A set fee regardless of sale price. Some packages are payable whether or not the property sells — check before signing.

Typical conveyancing costs

Typical solicitor legal fees and disbursements by transaction type
TransactionLegal fee (ex. VAT)Disbursements
Buying — freehold£800–£1,800£350–£800
Buying — leasehold£1,100–£2,300£450–£1,100
Selling — freehold£700–£1,800£200–£350
Selling — leasehold£1,000–£2,400£400–£1,200

Estimate only

These are market ranges, not quotes. Fees vary by firm, region, property value and tenure, and leasehold work costs more. Always get at least three written quotes and compare the total including VAT and every disbursement.
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How this calculation works

Percentage agent fees are the sale price multiplied by the commission rate, with VAT at 20% added. Fixed fees are taken as quoted including VAT. The solicitor's legal fee also has VAT added; disbursements are passed through unchanged because they are third-party charges. The comparison table applies published market ranges for each agency model to the price you entered.

agent fee inc VAT = price × commission % × (1 + VAT)
effective rate = agent fee inc VAT ÷ price
legal total = (solicitor fee × (1 + VAT)) + disbursements
total = agent fee inc VAT + legal total + other costs

Assumptions

  • VAT is charged at 20% on agent commission and solicitor legal fees.
  • Sole agency averages around 1.2% + VAT; multi agency 2.0%–3.5% + VAT; online agents £500–£1,500 fixed.
  • Disbursements are third-party costs and are not marked up or VAT-rated here.
  • Conveyancing benchmarks reflect England and Wales.

Limitations

  • Not a quote — individual firms price on value, tenure, region and complexity.
  • Excludes stamp duty, survey fees, mortgage product fees and removals — use the buying costs calculator for those.
  • Scotland uses solicitors and a Home Report, and Northern Ireland differs again; local costs may not match these ranges.
  • Some online agent packages are payable whether or not the property sells.

Sources

Last reviewed: 1 September 2026 · Calculation version 1.0.0

Comparing written fee quotes on the same basis

Agent fee example, with VAT made explicit

On a £300,000 sale, an agent charging 1% plus 20% VAT costs £3,600. A quote of 1.2% including VAT is the same amount, not a higher fee. A £1,500 fixed fee appears lower, but compare what it includes, when it is payable and whether it is due even if the property does not sell. This tool compares entered fee models; it is not a ranking of actual estate agents.

Read the agency agreement

Sole agency, sole selling rights and multi-agency contracts can create different payment obligations. Ask about minimum terms, notice periods, withdrawal charges and whether you could owe more than one agent. Photography, viewings and progression support may be included or separately charged. Price is only one part of the comparison; obtain a written description of the service before selecting a fee model.

Legal fees versus third-party costs

A conveyancer's professional fee may exclude VAT and disbursements. Searches, registration and leasehold administration can be added later, so compare itemised quotes for the same purchase and sale circumstances. Ask about charges for gifted deposits, lender work and an aborted transaction. A seller normally budgets agent fees, while a buyer budgets property tax; someone selling and buying needs both sides rather than one combined headline quote.

Further reading: MoneyHelper — selling a home. Examples are illustrations using stated inputs, not quotes or personal recommendations.

See our method and limitations or report a correction.

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