Completion Day Costs: What Sellers Need to Pay

Completion day is the moment you have been working towards throughout the entire sale process. The buyer's solicitor sends the purchase price, the keys are handed over, and the property officially changes hands. But before any money reaches your bank account, a series of deductions are made from the sale proceeds -- and the total can come as a surprise if you have not prepared for it.

This guide breaks down every cost that comes out of your sale proceeds on completion day, explains how each one is calculated, and shows you what a realistic worked example looks like. It covers residential property sales in England and Wales. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the day itself, see our guide to what happens on completion day for the seller.

How completion day payments work

On completion day, the buyer's solicitor sends the full purchase price (minus any deposit already held from exchange) to your solicitor's client account via CHAPS bank transfer. Your solicitor then distributes the money according to the completion statement -- a financial summary prepared a few days before completion that itemises every deduction.

Your solicitor pays the mortgage lender, the estate agent, and themselves (for their fees and disbursements) directly from the sale proceeds. Only after all these payments are made is the remaining balance -- your net proceeds -- transferred to your bank account. This typically happens on completion day itself or within one to two working days.

The key point for sellers is that you do not need to find the money for these costs separately. Everything is deducted from the sale price before you receive your share. However, understanding exactly what is being deducted -- and checking the figures are correct -- is essential.

Breakdown of completion day costs

The following table summarises every cost that is typically deducted from the sale proceeds on completion day. The figures are based on a £300,000 freehold sale with an outstanding mortgage of £150,000, using a sole agency estate agent at 1.2% plus VAT.

In this example, the seller receives £143,936 from a £300,000 sale. The mortgage redemption accounts for the vast majority of the deductions. If you own the property outright with no mortgage, the deductions would total around £5,752, leaving net proceeds of approximately £294,248.

Mortgage redemption

For most sellers, the mortgage redemption is the single largest deduction on completion day -- often dwarfing all other costs combined. It is the total amount required to pay off your mortgage in full and release the lender's charge over the property.

Your solicitor obtains a redemption statement from your mortgage lender during the conveyancing process. This statement is calculated for a specific date (the planned completion date) and includes:

• Outstanding capital balance -- the amount of the original loan you have not yet repaid.
• Daily interest -- interest accrued up to the redemption date, calculated on a per-day basis. If your mortgage charges £12 per day in interest, a five-day delay in completion adds £60 to the redemption figure.
• Early repayment charge (ERC) -- if you are still within a fixed-rate, discounted-rate, or tracker period, your lender may charge 1% to 5% of the outstanding balance. On a £150,000 mortgage, a 2% ERC adds £3,000.
• Administration or deeds release fee -- a one-off charge of £50 to £300 for the lender to close the account and release the title deeds.

Because interest is calculated daily, the redemption figure is only valid for the specific date shown on the statement. If completion is delayed, your solicitor will need to request an updated figure from the lender. This is one of the reasons why unexpected delays near the end of a sale can have a direct financial cost.

Estate agent fees

Estate agent commission is typically the largest selling cost after the mortgage. Under a standard sole agency agreement, fees range from 1.0% to 1.8% plus VAT of the final sale price. On a £300,000 property at 1.2% plus VAT, that is £4,320 including VAT.

Your solicitor pays the estate agent directly from the sale proceeds on completion day. The fee should match the percentage agreed in your signed agency terms. If you used a multi-agency arrangement, the fee will be higher -- typically 2.0% to 3.5% plus VAT -- and only the agent who introduced the successful buyer earns the commission.

For a detailed breakdown of how agency fees work and how to negotiate them, see our guide to estate agent fees explained.

Online agents are the exception. If you used an online estate agent with a fixed upfront fee (typically £500 to £1,500), you will already have paid this before completion day. In that case, no estate agent fee appears on the completion statement.

Solicitor fees and disbursements

Your solicitor's charges fall into two categories: their professional legal fee and disbursements (third-party costs paid on your behalf).

Legal fee

For a straightforward freehold sale in 2026, solicitor fees typically range from £800 to £1,500 plus VAT, bringing the total to £960 to £1,800 including VAT. Most firms charge a fixed fee that is agreed at the outset, so the amount on your completion statement should match the quote you received when you instructed them. For a full breakdown, see our guide to solicitor fees for selling a house.

If you are selling a leasehold property, expect a leasehold supplement of £200 to £400 plus VAT on top of the standard fee to cover the additional work of reviewing the lease and liaising with the freeholder or managing agent.

Disbursements

Disbursements are charged at cost with no markup and typically total £150 to £350 for a seller. The main items are:

• Land Registry official copies: £7 per document. Most sellers need at least two (the title register and title plan), costing a minimum of £14. Fees are set by HM Land Registry.
• CHAPS bank transfer fees: £35 to £45 per transfer including VAT. You typically need two transfers -- one to redeem your mortgage and one to send the net proceeds to your bank account. For more on why this costs what it does, see our guide to bank transfer fees in conveyancing.
• Anti-money laundering (AML) ID checks: £10 to £30 per person. If you are selling jointly, each owner is checked separately.
• Indemnity insurance (if needed): £20 to £300 if there is a minor title defect that needs to be covered by an insurance policy rather than resolved.

Apportionments on completion day

Apportionments are adjustments that split ongoing property costs fairly between you and the buyer based on the completion date. They appear on the completion statement as either a credit (money added to your proceeds) or a debit (money deducted).

The most common apportionments are:

• Council tax: If you have paid council tax for the full month but completion happens partway through, the buyer owes you the balance for the remaining days. Your solicitor calculates the daily rate and adds it as a credit.
• Ground rent (leasehold): If you have paid ground rent in advance for a period extending beyond completion, you are owed a refund for the unused portion.
• Service charges (leasehold): Similar to ground rent -- if service charges have been paid in advance, the buyer owes you their share from the completion date onward.

Apportionments typically add or subtract small amounts -- often under £200 -- but they should still be checked carefully. Your solicitor calculates them to the exact day.

Costs you may have paid before completion

Not every selling cost is deducted on completion day. Some costs are paid earlier in the process and will not appear on your completion statement. It is worth being aware of these so you have a complete picture of your total selling costs.

• Energy Performance Certificate (EPC): £50 to £120, payable when the certificate is ordered. You must have a valid EPC before marketing your property, so this is one of the first costs you incur.
• Solicitor payment on account: Some firms request £200 to £500 early in the process to cover initial disbursements. This is deducted from their final bill on completion.
• Online estate agent fee: If you use an online or hybrid agent, their fixed fee of £500 to £1,500 is usually payable upfront when you instruct them.
• Leasehold management pack: The LPE1 form from your freeholder or managing agent costs £200 to £500 and is usually paid before completion.
• Home improvements or repairs: Any work done to prepare the property for sale is paid for separately before listing.

Worked example: £300,000 freehold sale

To bring all the costs together, here is a complete worked example showing every deduction on a £300,000 freehold sale. The seller has an outstanding mortgage of £150,000, uses a sole agency estate agent at 1.2% plus VAT, and has instructed a solicitor at a fixed fee of £1,100 plus VAT.

In this example, total deductions from the sale price are approximately £156,006, leaving the seller with net proceeds of £143,994. The mortgage redemption alone accounts for over 96% of the deductions. If the seller owned the property outright, net proceeds would jump to approximately £294,306.

For a detailed explanation of how to read and verify every line on this document, see our guide to what is a completion statement.

How to check your completion day costs

Your solicitor sends the completion statement two to five working days before completion. This is your opportunity to verify every figure before the money is distributed. Here is what to check:

1. Mortgage redemption figure. Cross-reference this against the redemption statement from your lender. Check that the date on the redemption statement matches the planned completion date. If completion has been delayed, ask your solicitor to confirm they have an updated figure.
2. Estate agent fee. Calculate the fee yourself: sale price multiplied by the agreed percentage, multiplied by 1.2 for VAT. Compare this against the figure on the completion statement and your signed agency agreement.
3. Solicitor's fee. Check this matches the original quote or engagement letter from your solicitor. If there are any additional charges (such as a leasehold supplement), they should have been communicated to you earlier in the process.
4. Disbursements. Review each disbursement against the list provided in your solicitor's original quote. Query any item you do not recognise or that was not included in the original estimate.
5. Apportionments. Check the daily rate calculations for council tax or service charges against your actual bills. Multiply the daily rate by the number of days to verify the figure.
6. Net proceeds. Add all credits and subtract all debits yourself. The result should match the net proceeds figure on the statement exactly.

If you spot an error, contact your solicitor immediately -- by phone, not email, to ensure a prompt response. They are obliged to issue a corrected statement before completion day. Do not agree to proceed until you are satisfied the figures are accurate.

How to reduce your completion day costs

While some costs are fixed (such as Land Registry fees and CHAPS charges), others can be reduced with the right approach:

• Negotiate your estate agent fee. This is the largest negotiable cost. Getting three quotes and using competing offers as leverage can save £500 to £1,500 on a typical sale.
• Compare solicitor quotes. The Law Society recommends getting at least three conveyancing quotes. Always compare the total cost including VAT and all disbursements, not just the headline fee.
• Time your sale to avoid ERCs. If your mortgage fixed-rate period ends in a few months, waiting until it expires before completing could save you thousands in early repayment charges.
• Avoid estate agent referral solicitors. Agents who recommend a particular solicitor often receive a referral fee of £150 to £300, which is typically passed on to you through higher charges. Choose your own solicitor independently. The Estate Agents Act 1979 requires agents to disclose any referral arrangement in writing.
• Prepare your paperwork early. Completing your property information forms and ordering searches before listing reduces delays, which in turn reduces the risk of your mortgage redemption figure increasing due to additional daily interest. Pine helps sellers get their legal preparation done before a buyer is even found.

What happens if completion is delayed

Delays to completion can have a direct financial impact on your costs. The most significant effect is on the mortgage redemption figure, which increases by a day's interest for every day the completion is pushed back. On a £150,000 mortgage at 4.5% interest, that is approximately £18.50 per day.

If the delay is caused by the buyer, you may be entitled to compensation under the Standard Conditions of Sale (the standard contract terms used in England and Wales). The Law Society's Conveyancing Protocol provides that if the buyer fails to complete on the agreed date, they must pay interest on the outstanding purchase price at the contract rate. However, enforcing this can be difficult in practice, and the additional mortgage interest you pay in the meantime comes directly out of your pocket.

The best way to minimise delay risk is to ensure your side of the transaction is fully prepared well in advance. Having your legal paperwork, property information forms, and title documents ready before listing means fewer reasons for the process to stall. Our guide on conveyancing costs breakdown covers the full range of costs you should plan for throughout the entire selling process.

Sources and further reading

• HM Land Registry -- Registration Services Fees (GOV.UK)
• SRA Transparency Rules -- Price and Service Information (Solicitors Regulation Authority)
• The Law Society -- Conveyancing Protocol (Law Society)
• Selling Your Home -- Consumer Guidance (HomeOwners Alliance)
• Estate Agents Act 1979 (legislation.gov.uk)
• Capital Gains Tax -- Reporting and Paying (GOV.UK)

Related guides

• Mortgage Redemption Figure Explained: What Sellers Need to Know

Frequently asked questions