Things to consider when buying a house: a UK checklist

Before you make an offer, check these essential items: affordability and a mortgage decision in principle, total upfront and running costs, leasehold or freehold status, an independent survey, standard searches and the EPC, and early instruction of a regulated conveyancer. Add fraud and payment security to that list, because completion day is exactly when scammers strike hardest. Get these things to consider when buying a house right and you avoid the two outcomes that ruin most purchases: a mortgage refusal after you've fallen in love with a property, or a nasty surprise buried in the lease that surfaces three weeks before completion.

• Affordability: get a mortgage decision in principle before you view anything seriously.
• Leasehold check: if it's leasehold, ask the seller's solicitor for an LPE1 pack immediately.
• Survey: book an independent homebuyer or structural survey, don't rely on the lender's valuation.
• Searches and EPC: confirm local authority, water/drainage and environmental searches, plus check the EPC rating.
• Conveyancer: instruct an SRA- or CLC-regulated solicitor the moment your offer is accepted.
• Fraud check: verify any bank detail change by phone, using a number you already had, never one from a new email.

Pro Tip: Do the mortgage decision in principle and the leasehold check in the same week you start viewing. Both are free or cheap, and both can rule a property out before you waste money on a survey.

Key Takeaways

Getting the things to consider when buying a house right means combining a realistic mortgage assessment, a genuine survey, a clear-eyed leasehold check, and an early, regulated conveyancer instruction, all backed by strict fraud verification at completion.

Table of Contents

How much can you afford? Mortgage and deposit basics

Get a mortgage decision in principle before you make an offer, and stress-test your monthly budget against a higher interest rate than the one you're currently quoted. Estate agents rarely take an offer seriously without one, and it stops you falling for a property that's simply outside your reach.

Deposit size shapes everything else. A 5% deposit gets you into the market but usually means a weaker interest rate and a smaller pool of lenders willing to take you on. Push to 10% and the rate improves modestly. Reach 15% or above and you start unlocking the more competitive end of the market, because lenders see less risk in the remaining loan-to-value.

Lenders look at more than your payslip. They check your income against your outgoings (including credit cards, car finance, and other loans), your credit history, and how consistent your spending patterns are over the preceding three to six months. If you're self-employed, expect to provide two to three years of accounts or SA302 tax calculations. That paperwork takes time to gather, so start early rather than scrambling once you've found a property.

A quick worked example: on a joint income of £55,000, most lenders will offer somewhere around 4 to 4.5 times income, subject to affordability checks, giving a rough borrowing ceiling of £220,000 to £247,500. That's a rule of thumb, not a promise. Every lender's calculator behaves differently.

• Aim for at least a 10% deposit if you want meaningful choice of lender and rate.
• Get your decision in principle before viewing, not after you've made an offer.
• Gather self-employed documentation (tax returns, accountant's certificate) weeks in advance.
• Stress-test your monthly budget against a rate 2 to 3 percentage points higher than today's offer.

Pro Tip: A mortgage broker who covers the whole market, rather than a single lender, often finds products you'd never see searching alone. Many charge no fee because they're paid commission by the lender, so it's worth at least one conversation before you commit.

Buyers and sellers together can face over £5,000 in transaction costs, excluding the deposit and Stamp Duty. That figure alone should factor into how much cash you keep in reserve rather than throwing everything at the deposit.

What will buying a house actually cost you?

Many buyers underestimate the cash needed on top of the deposit. Between surveys, legal fees, mortgage arrangement costs and search fees, it's realistic to budget over £5,000 in fees before you even account for Stamp Duty Land Tax or the deposit itself.

A worked example for a typical purchase: £1,000 for a homebuyer survey, £1,500 for conveyancing including VAT, £500 in mortgage fees, £350 in searches, £300 for Land Registry, and £600 for removals. That's roughly £4,250, before Stamp Duty. Add a modest SDLT bill on a mid-priced property and you're comfortably past the £5,000 mark that MoneyHelper flags as typical.

Stamp Duty itself varies by price band, region and buyer status. First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland benefit from relief up to a lower threshold, with a reduced rate applying in the next band and no relief above the upper threshold. Scotland and Wales run their own separate systems (LBTT and LTT respectively), so always check the rate for your specific nation rather than assuming an England-based figure applies. Our Stamp Duty guide breaks the current bands down in full.

• Buildings insurance from exchange, not completion, is a cost many buyers forget until the last minute.
• Council Tax band and average utility bills for the area should be checked before you commit, not after.
• Leasehold properties add ongoing service charges and ground rent to the running-cost picture.

For a fuller line-by-line breakdown, our guide to the full costs of buying a home walks through each figure in more detail.

Do you need a survey, and which type?

Yes. Always commission an independent survey, because a mortgage valuation exists to protect the lender's security, not to tell you whether the roof needs replacing. Treating the lender's valuation as your own condition report is one of the most common and expensive mistakes buyers make.

Which level of survey depends on the property's age and condition.

During viewings, keep an eye out for the signs that should push you towards a Level 3 survey rather than a Level 2: cracks wider than a hairline, especially near doors and windows; damp staining on walls or ceilings; a roofline that sags; old rewiring with round-pin sockets or a fuse box rather than a modern consumer unit; and any sign of recent, unexplained patch repairs.

Commission the survey as soon as your offer is accepted and your mortgage application is underway, not after. Survey firms can have a two to three week backlog in busy periods, and a late booking is one of the most avoidable causes of a delayed exchange.

Pro Tip: Check the surveyor is RICS registered, and ask directly whether they'll flag issues like Japanese knotweed, subsidence indicators or non-standard construction. A generic survey firm won't always volunteer this unless you ask.

Leasehold or freehold: what changes?

Confirm whether the property is freehold or leasehold before you get emotionally attached, because leasehold status changes your costs, your control, and your ability to sell or remortgage later. If it's leasehold, request the remaining lease term, ground rent terms, service charge history and any planned major works immediately.

• Ask for the LPE1 leasehold information pack from the seller's solicitor as early as possible.
• Check how many years remain on the lease, not just whether one exists.
• Review the ground rent clause for escalation terms (some older leases double every 10 years).
• Ask for at least three years of service charge accounts and any sinking fund statements.
• Find out about any Section 20 notices for major works planned or in progress.

A lease with fewer than around 80 years remaining is where problems start to bite. Mortgage lenders grow cautious below that threshold, and extending a short lease gets progressively more expensive the closer it gets to 80 years, thanks to the marriage value calculation that kicks in. If you're looking at a lease under 90 years, factor lease extension costs into your offer, or walk away.

Since June 2022, new-build leasehold properties in England and Wales have been protected from ground rent charges entirely. That's genuinely useful protection if you're buying new. It does not apply retroactively, though, so an older leasehold flat with an escalating ground rent clause carries exactly the same risk it always did. Don't assume leasehold reform has quietly fixed a problem in a resale property; check the lease itself.

Lease issues are a leading cause of mortgage valuations coming back with conditions attached or being declined outright, which is why solicitors flag lease length so early in the process.

When should you instruct a conveyancer?

Instruct a regulated solicitor or licensed conveyancer the moment your offer is accepted, not once you've found a property you're "fairly sure" about. Early instruction means searches go out sooner, enquiries get raised earlier, and any title problems surface while there's still time to negotiate or walk away.

1. Instruction and initial checks — your conveyancer opens the file, verifies your identity, and requests the draft contract and title from the seller's side. 2. Searches and enquiries — local authority, water and environmental searches go out; your conveyancer raises questions on anything unclear in the title or the seller's replies. 3. Mortgage offer and report — once your lender issues a formal mortgage offer, your conveyancer reviews it alongside search results and survey findings. 4. Exchange of contracts — both sides sign, deposit is paid, and the transaction becomes legally binding, unlike the position when you first made your offer. 5. Completion — the balance of funds transfers, keys are released, and the property is legally yours.

When comparing conveyancers, ask specifically for the total price, including disbursements, and check whether the firm is SRA or CLC regulated. Confirm any "no sale, no fee" terms in writing, and ask directly what their average completion turnaround looks like on similar transactions.

• Searches and enquiries: typically 2 to 4 weeks.
• Mortgage offer to exchange: often 1 to 3 weeks, longer if a chain is involved.
• Exchange to completion: commonly 1 to 2 weeks, sometimes same day.
• Chains, missing documents and slow local authority search turnaround are the most frequent causes of delay.

Pro Tip: Never act on a change of bank details received by email alone. Call your conveyancer using a phone number from their official website, not one in the email, before transferring a single pound.

What searches and title checks matter most?

Run the standard set: local authority, water and drainage, and environmental searches, alongside a check of the Energy Performance Certificate and the property's title register. Each one is designed to catch a specific category of problem before it becomes your problem.

• Local authority search: reveals planning permissions, building control records, and any enforcement notices against the property.
• Water and drainage search: confirms whether the property connects to public sewers and mains water, and flags any nearby drainage issues.
• Environmental search: checks for contaminated land history, flood risk, and subsidence risk in the surrounding area.
• EPC: shows the energy efficiency rating, which feeds directly into your running-cost estimates.

On the title register itself, look closely at boundaries (do they match what the seller describes?), easements (does a neighbour have a right of way across the garden?), and restrictive covenants (is there a ban on running a business from the property, or on further building work?). Entries here that look unusual are worth a specific query to your conveyancer rather than a quiet assumption that they don't matter.

Your conveyancer will also request property information forms, planning consents for any extensions, and (for leasehold) the LPE1 pack. Missing paperwork here is one of the quieter causes of delay, so ask the seller's agent early whether any of it is outstanding.

Pro Tip: If the property has had an extension or loft conversion, ask specifically whether building regulations sign-off exists. A structurally sound extension without the paperwork can still complicate your mortgage or resale later.

What should you ask when viewing a property?

Ask targeted questions and watch for signs that the seller, or the property, is hiding something. A good viewing is part inspection, part interview, and the answers you get (or don't get) tell you almost as much as the fixtures.

• Why is the seller moving, and how long have they owned the property?
• Has any building work been done, and is there paperwork for it?
• Has there been damp, a leak, or subsidence, and was it repaired professionally?
• How many times has this property changed hands in the last ten years?
• What are the neighbours like, and is parking guaranteed or contested?

Pause, and dig deeper, if you spot obvious structural cracks, a property that's changed hands unusually often, a documented boundary dispute, a lease under 80 years, or damp patches that have clearly been painted over rather than treated. None of these rule a property out automatically, but each one deserves a direct question and, often, a specialist survey before you commit.

Bring a simple checklist on every viewing: torch for lofts and under-stair cupboards, phone for signal and photos, and a notepad for questions that come up mid-visit. Viewing the same property at a different time of day, ideally once in daylight and once after dark, often reveals things a single visit misses, from traffic noise to how well the street lighting actually works.

Pro Tip: Ask the agent directly whether there have been any other offers that fell through, and why. Agents can't always answer fully, but a hesitant response is itself useful information.

How do you protect yourself from property fraud?

Verify every change of bank details independently, and use secure payment channels for any transfer connected to your purchase. Fraud targeting the completion stage of conveyancing is common precisely because large sums move quickly and buyers are focused on moving day, not security.

• Confirm your conveyancer's identity and regulatory status (SRA or CLC) before sending any funds.
• Use contact details from the firm's official website, never a number or link supplied in a suspicious email.
• Never change payment details after receiving your solicitor's original letter without an independent phone call to verify.
• Use CHAPS or another secure bank transfer method as your conveyancer advises, and confirm receipt promptly.

Pro Tip: Before transferring your deposit or completion funds, call your solicitor's office using the number from their letterhead or website, and read the account details back to them aloud. It takes two minutes and closes off the most common fraud route.

If something feels off, contact your bank immediately, report it to Action Fraud, and notify your conveyancer's firm directly so they can alert other clients if a scam is circulating.

How long does buying a house actually take?

Buying typically takes around five months on average, and considerably longer if you're part of a chain. Treat that as your baseline, not a worst case.

1. Offer accepted to conveyancer instructed: within days, ideally immediately. 2. Searches and survey commissioned: weeks 1 to 4. 3. Enquiries raised and answered, mortgage offer issued: weeks 4 to 10. 4. Exchange of contracts: weeks 10 to 16. 5. Completion: typically 1 to 2 weeks after exchange.

Chains are the single biggest cause of delay, since every link has to be ready simultaneously. Slow conveyancers, survey backlogs and late mortgage valuations run a close second. If you're in a chain, build in contingency time and keep your conveyancer updated on every other party's progress, rather than assuming they're tracking it for you.

Pro Tip: Ask your conveyancer at the outset how they'll keep you updated on chain progress. A firm using digital case tracking tends to surface delays faster than one relying on occasional phone calls.

What documents will you need to have ready?

Have proof of identity, proof of address, proof of funds for your deposit, recent payslips or tax returns if you're self-employed, and your mortgage offer documents ready before you need them, not after your conveyancer asks.

• Passport or driving licence, plus a recent utility bill or bank statement for address verification.
• Bank statements showing deposit funds and their source (gifted deposits need a separate declaration).
• Three to six months of payslips, or two to three years of accounts if self-employed.
• Mortgage decision in principle, followed by the formal mortgage offer once issued.
• From the seller's side: title deeds, the LPE1 pack for leasehold properties, planning consents, and the EPC.

Missing documents are a quiet but frequent cause of delay. Scan everything to PDF as soon as you start the process, and if any document needs a certified translation, arrange it weeks before you expect to need it.

How do you choose the right conveyancer?

Choose an SRA- or CLC-regulated firm that gives you a transparent total price upfront, explains the expected timetable clearly, and tells you exactly who at the firm will handle your file. Regulation isn't a box-ticking formality here. It's what gives you a formal complaints route and compensation protection if something goes wrong.

• Regulation and credentials: confirm SRA or CLC registration directly, don't take a website badge at face value.
• Fixed-price transparency: ask for the total price including disbursements and electronic transfer fees, not just the headline legal fee.
• Turnaround times: ask how long their average transaction takes on similar property types.
• Reviews and track record: genuine client reviews, not just a handful of testimonials on the firm's own site.
• Digital case tracking: a firm offering online updates tends to catch delays earlier and communicate them faster.

Red flags include vague fee estimates that dodge a total figure, no clear regulatory information, pressure to use an in-house referral without written disclosure of any commission, and poor or absent client reviews. Any of these on their own is worth a second question. Two or more together is a reason to get a quote elsewhere.

When comparing quotes, ask each firm the same direct question: what is the total price, including every disbursement and bank transfer fee, and what happens to that price if the sale falls through? This is where a no sale, no fee arrangement genuinely earns its keep, protecting you from paying full legal fees on a transaction that never completes.

This is exactly the comparison Conveyancing-solicitor was built to simplify. Rather than ringing round firms individually, an instant conveyancing quote matches you with vetted, five-star SRA- or CLC-regulated firms offering fixed fees, often at a significant saving against standard rates, so you can compare like for like from the outset.

What the checklist doesn't tell you

Most guides to buying a house treat every checklist item as equally urgent. They aren't. If you take one thing from this article, take this: leasehold status and mortgage affordability deserve checking before you fall for a property, because both can end a purchase outright, while most other items (surveys, searches, fraud checks) are about managing risk on a purchase that's already viable.

The conventional advice undersells how much time pressure shapes decision quality. Buyers under chain pressure skip the independent survey, or accept a vague fee estimate from a conveyancer because getting someone instructed feels more urgent than getting the right someone instructed. That's backwards. A rushed conveyancer choice costs you weeks later if they're slow to respond to enquiries, which is a worse outcome than spending an extra day comparing regulated firms upfront.

If you prioritise one thing this week, make it the mortgage decision in principle and a straight answer on leasehold status. Everything else on this list matters, but those two determine whether the rest is even worth doing.

What are the most important things to consider when buying a house in the UK? Affordability and a mortgage decision in principle come first, followed by total upfront costs, an independent survey, leasehold or freehold status, standard searches, and early instruction of a regulated conveyancer.

What questions should I ask when buying a house? Ask why the seller is moving, whether any building work has planning consent, whether there's been damp or subsidence, and for leasehold properties, the remaining lease length, ground rent and service charge history.

How much does it cost to buy a house beyond the deposit? Budget for over £5,000 in transaction costs, covering surveys, conveyancing, mortgage fees and searches, before Stamp Duty and the deposit itself.

Should I get a survey if the mortgage lender already valued the property? Yes. A mortgage valuation protects the lender's interest, not yours, and won't identify repair needs the way an independent homebuyer or structural survey will.

When should I instruct a conveyancing solicitor? As soon as your offer is accepted. Early instruction lets searches and enquiries start immediately, reducing the risk of delays later in the process.

How long does buying a house typically take? Around five months on average, longer if you're part of a chain or waiting on slow searches and survey bookings.

This article is general information, not a substitute for advice from a qualified financial advisor. Consult a qualified financial professional about your own circumstances before acting on anything here.

Sources

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