THE cost of moving home in Northern Ireland is the cheapest in the UK, a report has found.
The figures, compiled by Lloyds Bank, show that homeowners in the north can expect to pay £5,401 on average when moving, a 6 per cent decrease from last year.
Elsewhere in the UK, the cost of moving home is on the up, with households paying around £870 more than last year.
In the last decade, moving costs in Northern Ireland have fallen by nearly £2,000 - a 27 per cent drop.
The cost has been calculated through analysing stamp duty, home removal, conveyancing, energy certificate, surveyor and estate agency fees.
The average cost of moving home now stands at an average of around £11,000 in the UK, with London remaining the most expensive location at £31,416 - an 18 per cent increase from last year.
Northern Ireland's position at the cheaper end of the scale is due to house prices falling sharply since the economic downturn, whereas elsewhere in the UK house prices have increased in recent years.
Mike Songer, mortgage director at Lloyds Bank, said the figures reflect a growing trend.
"The cost of stepping up the housing ladder has continued to rise sharply over the past year," he said.
"This trend is especially marked for buyers in London and the South East with the combination of both higher property prices and more rapid increase in prices in recent years resulting in significantly higher moving costs in these parts of the country."
