What Are Costs of Selling a Luxury House in Central London? 

Looking to sell your luxury home in London? 

If you are, there are various, standard costs to factor in – as well as unique considerations for luxury homes in areas like Kensington, Chelsea, Knightsbridge and Battersea. Since the stakes are high when selling a prime property in London, it’s wise to be aware of the costs involved before you proceed. 

Take a look at the typical costs of selling a property, and understand how much you are likely to pay before you begin. 

Cost of selling luxury homes in London   

1. Estate agency fees 

If you’re using an estate agent to sell your home, you will have to factor in the fees they charge. The average cost is 1.42% of the sales price, though figures swing between 1-3%, depending on the services offered by the agent. 

For example, if you sign a multi-agency agreement, it’s likely you will pay higher fees. At the same time, hybrid and online often charge a fixed fee or offer a ‘free at point of service’ model. However, it’s unwise using these agencies to sell your home, as they will not have the expertise or personal touch required for luxury property. 

At the same time, if you require a discreet, off-market sale, you will likely pay more to access the agent’s unique network of high-value buyers across the UK (and beyond). This is a valuable addition for any premium property sale, where it’s critical to expose your home to those with the means to buy it – something not easily done by your average high street estate agent. 

2. Marketing & PR  

Marketing is a critical cost for marketing luxury property. Since you’re appealing to an elite market, your estate agent must be capable of providing (or facilitating) videography, high end photography, 3D tours, targeted PR campaigns and international outreach to high-value buyers. 

You will need to check how much of this is included upfront as part of the estate agent fees, or if these are additional extras you will have to pay for. 

3. Legal Fees (Conveyancing)  

Selling your home requires a conveyancer or solicitor to handle the legal side of the transaction. Typically, conveyancers verify the property title and deeds, draft and prepare the sales contract,  handle communications with the buyer’s solicitor – and more. 

In 2025, the average conveyancing cost for sellers is £610-£950, however, this varies depending upon the specific transaction. Fees are often charged at different property price bands, as a fixed amount, or on a per hour basis. Aside from the standard cost, there are disbursements to pay for too. For sellers, here’s what these include, alongside typical prices: 

• Anti-money laundering – £6 – £20 
• Title deeds -£10 
• Management packs for leasehold property – £200 – £300 
• Transfer of ownership – £300 – £800 

However, when selling a luxury property, it’s likely that you will need bespoke packages require specialist conveyancing. For example, extra costs involved due to complex title issues or offshore ownership structures. There are also additional costs if you are selling a leasehold property.

4. Wealth Management & Advisory Services  

If you’re selling a high-value property, it makes sense to engage an experienced wealth manager or tax advisor to structure the proceeds of the sale correctly. For example, they can advise on reinvestment, inheritance tax, residency issues, and whether to funnel money into trusts, pensions or offshore vehicles. 

Cost will vary greatly for these services, and will depend upon the price of your property and the complexity of the work. It may be wise to see if your conveyancing solicitor offers these services too. 

5. Mortgage Redemption Fees   

When you sell your home, you may have to pay Mortgage Redemption Fees. These are charged by the lender to cover administrative expenses and to compensate for lost interest—especially if the mortgage will paid off during a fixed rate period from the proceeds of the sale. The fee can include an early repayment charge (ERC), which is the most significant cost, as well as a mortgage exit fee. 

It’s important to check your mortgage terms to understand the associated fees, and if these are significant to postpone your sale or proceed anyway. ERC costs are usually a percentage of the outstanding mortgage balance at the time you repay it, so this could be expensive if you are dealing with a large balance. 

6. Staging and Presentation Costs 

When catering to the luxury buyers’ market, it’s essential to stage your home for sale. You should hire a professional designer or home stager to advise on layout, furnishings, colour schemes, furniture placement and more. Equally, it’s worth having a professional cleaner do a deep clean of the property before viewings and photography take place. 

Cleaners cost an average of £25 per hour, leading to larger costs for larger homes. At the same time, professional home staging varies greatly in price, according to the size of the home, whether it is vacant, accessibility of the property and more.  

A professional designer can synchronise the appearance of your home to maximise appeal and persuade buyers to pay a premium. Aside from professional services, it is still worthwhile carrying out the basics: decluttering the home, putting excess possessions in storage and tidying the property – even if saving money is not a major concern to you. 

7. Pay Capital Gains Tax (when home is not main residence)  

Capital Gains Tax (CGT) is a significant cost if you’re selling a property which is not your main residence. This tax means that you pay on the ‘gain’ between the price you bought the property for, and the price of the property at the time of the sale.  

Higher rate taxpayers (and trustees, personal representatives and businesses) pay CGT at 24%, while Basic Rate Taxpayers pay it at a rate of 18%. When calculating the cost, you can factor in £3,000 worth of tax-free CGT allowance (doubling to £6,000 if shared with a spouse). 

Here’s an example:  

A higher-rate taxpayer buys a second home in Mayfair for £3,000,000, and later sells it for £3,402,519 (the average sales price), meaning they have a capital gain of £402,519. After deducting the £3,000 annual Capital Gains Tax allowance (as of the 2024/25 tax year), the taxable gain would be £399,519. Since the property is residential and the taxpayer is in the higher rate band, the applicable CGT rate is now 24%. Therefore, the tax bill would be approximately £95,885 (24% of the gain).  

For non-UK residents, CGT is paid on the gains made on the property since 6^th April 2015. Gains made before that date will not have to be accounted for. 

8. Energy performance certificate (EPC) cost 

Before you can put your property on the market, you will have to pay for an energy performance check, and to acquire an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This grades the energy efficiency of your home on an A-G scale, and recommends any improvements that could be made. 

An EPC costs approximately £60-120. 

9. Removal costs 

If you’re living in the home you’re selling, you will have to pay for removals services. The cost will vary according to the distance, time of year, day of the week, property size and service required. For example, some sellers pay for furniture re-assembly on the part of the removals company. 

ReallyMoving estimate that the average cost of removals for a 5-bedroom house is £1,612, but this could be much higher if you are selling a mansion in central London. 

10. Vacant property costs 

If your property is going to lie vacant while on the market, you will have to take special measures to make sure it is secure and well-maintained in the meantime. At the bare minimum, you should pay for vacant property insurance (possibly with contents cover).

The cost is usually determined by the value of the property and how long it will be vacant for, so this could be significant if you are selling a multi-million-pound home in Mayfair, for example.  

The average cost for 60+ days of cover is £319, though this will likely be higher for a premium property. 

Know how much it costs to sell your house? 

Selling a luxury property in central London is a challenge, especially if you live abroad or are unfamiliar with the English property market.

At Eaton Premier, we offer an end-to-end sales service for home sellers, handling all the essential communication and paperwork for you, as well as connecting you with other tax and legal professionals. Contact us today for a stress-free property sale.