One sitewide cost taxonomy
The calculator, guides and price pages use these twelve categories. Natural wording can vary in prose, but tables do not merge categories that are calculated separately.
- Deposit
- Property tax
- Solicitor/conveyancing
- Search fees
- Survey and valuation
- Mortgage fees
- Registration fee or allowance
- Bank transfer fee
- Moving costs
- Insurance
- Furnishing and setup
- Contingency
How figures are classified
The table below shows classification labels used across calculator results and editorial content, with columns for Classification and Meaning.
| Classification | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Official calculation | A result calculated from published jurisdiction-specific rules, such as property tax. |
| Official charge | A charge taken from a published official fee scale for the applicable transaction. |
| Market estimate | A planning amount based on the central estimate bands, not a statutory tariff. |
| User-entered amount | An amount or percentage supplied by the user. |
| Optional allowance | A selected planning allowance that can be excluded. |
| Adjustable allowance | A centrally suggested amount that should be confirmed or replaced for the transaction. |
On smaller screens, scroll sideways to view every column clearly.
What each headline scope means
The table below shows named total scopes used by TrueHomeCosts, with columns for Scope and Definition.
| Scope | Definition |
|---|---|
| total upfront cash | Deposit, property tax, core transaction costs, selected moving costs, insurance, furnishing and contingency. |
| core transaction costs | Property tax, solicitor/conveyancing, searches, survey and valuation, mortgage fees, registration and bank transfer fee. Moving costs are excluded. |
| core non tax transaction costs | Solicitor/conveyancing, searches, survey and valuation, mortgage fees, registration and bank transfer fee. Deposit, property tax, moving, insurance, furnishing and contingency are excluded. |
| wider moving and insurance | Moving costs and insurance only. Furnishing and setup are excluded. |
| optional furnishing and setup | The optional furnishing and setup allowance only. |
| contingency | The selected contingency percentage applied to estimate-led costs. |
On smaller screens, scroll sideways to view every column clearly.
First-year costs are discussed separately as purchase-completion costs, moving and setup, ongoing ownership costs and optional improvements. Ongoing mortgage payments and household bills are not silently added to the upfront calculator total.
Low, average and high assumptions
Market-estimate categories have low, average and high planning values. The appropriate price band and jurisdiction are selected where relevant. The figures are judgement-based planning ranges, so a real quotation should replace the estimate as soon as it is available.
Derived ranges are calculated by summing named categories from the same calculator result. They are not separately maintained headline figures.
Jurisdiction handling
England and Northern Ireland use SDLT, Scotland uses LBTT and Wales uses LTT. First-time buyer and additional-property treatment is selected from the relevant official rule set.
Registration is also jurisdiction-specific: HM Land Registry for qualifying England and Wales applications, Registers of Scotland for Scottish dispositions, and Land & Property Services for Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is never treated as an HM Land Registry jurisdiction.
Source and review practice
Official tax and registration sources are checked when rules or fee tables change and during substantive factual reviews. Market estimates are reviewed for internal consistency and explainability; one commercial quote does not automatically replace the central range.
The table below shows official sources checked for calculator data version 2026.07.1, with columns for Source, Jurisdiction, Checked, and Rule or fee verified.
| Source | Jurisdiction | Checked | Rule or fee verified |
|---|---|---|---|
| HM Revenue & Customs | England and Northern Ireland | 2026-07-19 | SDLT standard bands, first-time buyer relief and the 5% additional-property surcharge |
| Revenue Scotland | Scotland | 2026-07-19 | LBTT bands and the first-time buyer nil-rate threshold |
| Revenue Scotland | Scotland | 2026-07-19 | 8% Additional Dwelling Supplement for relevant transactions |
| Welsh Revenue Authority | Wales | 2026-07-19 | Main and higher residential LTT bands |
| HM Land Registry | England and Wales | 2026-07-19 | Electronic Scale 1 whole-title transfer fees |
| Registers of Scotland | Scotland | 2026-07-19 | Disposition registration fee bands |
| Land & Property Services Northern Ireland | Northern Ireland | 2026-07-19 | 2014 Land Registry electronic transfer scale; proposed 2027 changes are not yet in force |
On smaller screens, scroll sideways to view every column clearly.
A visible review date records a substantive factual review, not a build or formatting date. Article schema uses the same substantive date shown on the page.
Versioning, changes and corrections
Calculator data version 2026.07.1 is separate from individual article review dates. Material tax, registration or market-assumption changes are recorded in the calculator data change log.
Report an incorrect tax result, outdated fee, broken source, misleading wording or calculator fault through the public corrections route.
Disclaimer
TrueHomeCosts provides general UK home-buying cost information for planning purposes only. It is not financial, mortgage, tax or legal advice. Costs can change, and buyers should confirm figures with official sources and qualified professionals before making decisions.