Wednesday, March 16, 2005

A Grand Don't Come For Free

Buying a house:

£750 - Lawyer's Fee

(ignoring the increasingly frantic calls from your client while you indulge in extended lunches costs money, y'know?)

£1999.50 - Stamp duty

(the government likes their share. Of course they do.)

£150 - Registration fee

(tippexing out the name of the old owner and writing my name in its place is something that takes time and effort)

£179 - Local authority search

(the most expensive press of the 'return' key on any keyboard in the world anywhere)

£34.08 - Environment search

(sniffing the ground around the house to see if it smells funny or not)

£35.25 - Bank transfer fee

(sending data down them wires don't come for free. Oh, wait a minute, it does, but we're banks and don't give a shit)

£4 - Land registry

(gotta love those photocopying charges)