Almost every homebuyer in the UK now experiences unexpected costs when moving home, according to new research by PEXA, which shows that uncertainty - not cost or time taken - is becoming the defining challenge of the home moving experience.
The research, which included a survey of more than 1,000 UK homebuyers who had moved home in the last 12 months, revealed that almost all (95%) of them had experienced unexpected costs during their move, up from 62% in 2025. Just under two thirds (64%) of this group also described those costs as significant, and nearly half (47%) believed these costs could have been avoided altogether.
At the same time, there is also uncertainty around the time to transact. 83% of consumers surveyed said the home moving process was stressful, highlighting the impact of uncertainty and poor visibility throughout the process.
The research highlighted a growing disconnect between how long consumers believe transactions should take, and how long they actually take in practice. Respondents believed the current process should take approximately four months from offer acceptance to moving in, while wider market data indicates that the complete home moving journey often takes seven to eight months. These delays are widely acknowledged to be caused by fragmented processes, repeated checks and disconnected organisations – issues that have become structural in the UK process.
Despite the common experience of unexpected costs, most respondents felt that they were clear on professional service fees.
85% felt conveyancer fees were transparent, while 79% said the same about estate agent fees and over two thirds (69%) said mortgage broker fees were transparent.
This contradiction suggests the issue isn’t charges being hidden, but instead the unclear process expectations and the way costs emerge incrementally throughout the transaction journey.
Krystle Kocik, UK co-CEO of PEXA, said: "Buying a home should be exciting, yet too many people are left dealing with unexpected costs and a lack of visibility over what's happening and when. Our research suggests that improving certainty (not just speed) should be the defining objective of the next generation of UK property transactions, and will benefit estate agents, mortgage brokers, lenders, and conveyancers.
“Achieving this certainty depends not only on better information, but on ensuring trusted property data, verified identities, the secure movement of funds and the transfer of legal ownership are connected throughout the transaction. As government and industry work together to modernise the process, we see a significant opportunity to remove surprises and give consumers more confidence in what is likely the biggest financial commitment of their lives.”
