Unexpected costs hit 95% of homebuyers, research reveals, with the proportion of affected movers surging from 62% in the previous year. The data comes from PEXA, which surveyed more than 1,000 UK homebuyers who completed a move within the last 12 months. Despite the sharp increase in financial surprises, the analysis points away from professional fees as the primary culprit. Instead, the blame lies with the uncertainty inherent in the transaction process itself, where additional costs emerge incrementally as sales progress rather than appearing all at once in a single lump sum.
Hidden Expenses and Transparency
Professional fees do not appear to be the main driver of the problem, with 85% of respondents saying conveyancer charges were transparent and 79% saying the same of estate agent charges. Yet, the financial impact is still substantial. Of those who encountered unexpected costs, 64% described them as significant and almost half (47%) believed they could have been avoided altogether. Such findings suggest that while the pricing of services is clear, the costs associated with the process—such as storage or temporary accommodation due to delays—are not fully transparent.
Homebuyers often budget strictly for the purchase price, but the transaction process introduces hidden variables that can disrupt timelines and finances. When communication breaks down between solicitors, lenders, and estate agents, these delays are rarely communicated clearly until the costs stack up, meaning buyers are forced to pay for temporary accommodation or storage while they wait for paperwork to clear.
Process Fragmentation and Time Delays
There was a substantial gap between expectations and actual transaction times. Respondents believed the process should take around four months from offer acceptance to moving in, while [market data](https://www.toyrantula.com/house-price-growth.html) showed the complete home-moving journey often lasts seven to eight months. Delays were widely attributed to fragmented processes, repeated checks and disconnected organisations.
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A lack of connectivity forces parties to act independently, leading to the cumulative costs and stress reported in the study by the firm. The pressure is evident, as 83% of those surveyed described the entire experience as stressful. Such timing disconnections imply that while the goal is to complete a sale, the operational reality creates friction points that generate unnecessary overhead for the consumer.
Industry Response to the Roadmap
The findings come following publication of the government’s Home Buying and Selling Reform Roadmap. As policymakers and the property industry look to improve transparency and connectivity across transactions, experts are focusing heavily on data integration. Krystle Kocik, UK co-CEO of PEXA, said that improving certainty should be the defining objective of the next generation of UK property transactions. She said that achieving this depends on ensuring trusted property data, verified identities, and secure movement of funds are connected throughout.
Alison Verlander, director of mortgages at UK Finance, agreed that uncertainty—not speed—is the real barrier to confidence. She suggested that better upfront information and reusable verified data are necessary to improve the experience. Stephen Ward, director of strategy at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers, added that consumers continue to value professional expertise while expecting clearer communication and a more predictable experience.
