Costs
The Cost of Selling a House in Scotland
Selling a Scottish property typically involves five costs: the Home Report, estate agency fees and advertising, solicitor and conveyancing fees, any mortgage redemption or early repayment charge, and removals. Sellers do not pay Land and Buildings Transaction Tax — that is a buyer's cost.
Lothian Property is a property information and professional-introduction service operated by Maybury Scotland Limited. Lothian Property is not an estate agency. Where requested, we may connect homeowners with independent estate agents and other property professionals. How we work.
The five costs to budget for
Every seller faces the same categories; only the amounts change.
- Home Report — commissioned by you before marketing
- Estate agency fee and advertising, usually plus VAT
- Solicitor's fee, outlays and registration costs
- Mortgage redemption and any early repayment charge
- Removals, storage and cleaning
The costs sellers forget
Discharge of the standard security, any factor arrears settled at completion, an outstanding common repair share, overlap costs if your purchase and sale dates do not align, and a withdrawal fee if you take the property off the market.
What sellers do not pay
LBTT is paid by the buyer on the purchase, not by you on the sale. Capital gains tax does not normally apply to a property that has been your only or main residence throughout ownership, though it can where the property has been let or is a second home — take advice from an accountant if that applies.
Work out your own figure
Our cost of selling calculator lets you enter your own price, fee rate and mortgage balance and see the net position rather than a generic estimate.
Where costs are negotiable
Agency rates and add-on charges are the most negotiable. Home Report and legal fees vary between firms enough to be worth two or three quotes. Mortgage early repayment charges are usually fixed by the lender, but the timing of the sale can sometimes avoid them.
Common questions
- Does the seller pay LBTT in Scotland?
- No. Land and Buildings Transaction Tax is paid by the buyer on their purchase.
- Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home in Scotland?
- Usually not, where the property has been your only or main residence for the whole period of ownership. It can apply to second homes and previously let property — take professional tax advice for your circumstances.
- Can I sell before my mortgage fixed term ends?
- Yes, but an early repayment charge may apply, and some mortgages can be ported to a new property. Ask your lender for a redemption statement early.
Want your own numbers rather than averages?
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Sources
Costs of selling
Selling because something changed?
These guides explain what usually happens in Scotland when a move is prompted by a change in circumstances. They are general information, not advice about your position.
Downsizing or retirement
Moving to something smaller, releasing equity from a family home, and the order to do it in.
Mortgage payments becoming difficult
What options exist when the mortgage is a stretch — long before arrears or repossession.
Selling before buying another home
Sequencing a sale and a purchase in Scotland, and what to do if a chain goes wrong.
Published 2026-08-17 · Last reviewed 2026-08-17. General information about selling property in Scotland, not legal, tax or financial advice. Editorial policy.