UK property explainers
FAQ-style explainers on UK property: fees, contracts, tax, timelines, jargon, and the things sellers wish someone had told them earlier.
What fixtures and fittings do I leave when I sell?
When you sell in England or Wales, anything fixed to the property (a fitted kitchen, built-in wardrobes, radiators) is assumed to stay unless you say otherwise, while free-standing items (sofas, curtains, a plug-in fridge) are yours to take. You record exactly what stays and what goes on a form called the TA10, which becomes legally binding once contracts are exchanged.
What is conveyancing and how long does it take?
Conveyancing is the legal work that transfers ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer, handled by a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. In 2026 it typically takes about 16 to 20 weeks from offer acceptance to completion, though a simple, chain-free sale can finish in as little as 8 weeks.
What happens on completion day when selling a house?
Completion day is the day the sale legally finishes: the buyer's money reaches your solicitor, ownership transfers, and you hand over the keys. For the seller it usually means being moved out and giving vacant possession by an agreed time, often early afternoon, once your solicitor confirms the funds have landed.
Do I need an EPC to sell my house?
Yes. If you are selling a home in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, the law says you must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate, and you need to have at least ordered it before your home goes on the market. An EPC is valid for ten years, so if you bought recently you may already have one.
Can I change my mind and pull out of selling my house?
Yes. In England and Wales you can pull out of selling your home at any point before contracts are exchanged, for any reason, with no legal penalty. You may lose money you have already spent on fees, and there are a few stages where withdrawing gets harder, so it helps to know exactly where you stand.
Do I have to tell buyers what's wrong with my house?
Yes, in most cases you do. When you sell a home in England or Wales you fill in a Property Information Form, and the law says you must not hide a problem that would matter to a buyer's decision.
Property scams to watch when selling or buying a home
The most damaging property scams target the moment large sums of money or your home's ownership change hands, usually by impersonating your solicitor, your agent or you. You can avoid almost all of them with two habits: confirm any bank details by phone on a number you already trust, and never act on an urgent last-minute change without checking it first.
Sole agency vs multi-agency: which is better for selling?
Sole agency means one estate agent has the exclusive right to sell your home for a set period, usually at a lower fee of around 1.2% to 1.8% including VAT. Multi-agency lets several agents market it at once and only the one who finds your buyer gets paid, but the fee is typically about double, around 3% to 3.6% including VAT.
Freehold vs leasehold: what's the difference when selling?
Freehold means you own your home and the ground it stands on outright, with no time limit. Leasehold means you own the right to live there for a fixed number of years while someone else owns the land, and that difference changes how easily, and for how much, you can sell.
Do I pay capital gains tax when I sell my home?
Most people who sell the only home they have always lived in pay no capital gains tax, because a rule called Private Residence Relief covers the gain on a main home. You usually only pay capital gains tax on a property that was not your main home for the whole time you owned it, such as a second home, a buy-to-let, or a home you let out or left empty for part of your ownership.
What does Sold STC mean, and is the sale final?
Sold STC means Sold Subject to Contract: a seller has accepted a buyer's offer, but nothing is legally binding until contracts exchange. The property is off the open market in practice, yet the sale can still fall through, and around one in four agreed sales did in early 2026.
What is conveyancing, and how long does it take?
Conveyancing is the legal process of transferring ownership of a property from the seller to the buyer, handled by a solicitor or licensed conveyancer. In the UK it usually takes about 12 to 16 weeks from offer accepted to completion, though chains and slow searches can stretch it further.
What documents do I need to sell my house in the UK?
To sell your house in the UK you need proof of your identity, proof that you own the property, a valid Energy Performance Certificate, and the standard property forms your conveyancer sends you (the TA6 and TA10, plus the TA7 if the property is leasehold). Getting these ready before you list is one of the simplest ways to keep your sale moving once a buyer is found.
What is a property chain, and how does it work?
A property chain is a line of linked home sales where each move depends on the one before it going through, so your sale can rise or fall with people you never meet. The longer the chain, the more moving parts there are, which is why knowing your position in it is the best way to protect your sale.
My neighbour sold for more. Is my house worth the same?
Not necessarily, because one neighbour's sale price is a single data point, not the value of your home. Two similar-looking houses on the same street can sell tens of thousands apart on condition, layout, plot, and timing, which is why you compare several recent sales and more than one agent's view rather than anchoring to one number.
What is exchange of contracts, and when does it happen?
Exchange of contracts is the moment a property sale in England and Wales becomes legally binding. Until contracts are exchanged either side can walk away without a legal penalty, and once they are exchanged both the buyer and the seller are committed to completing on the agreed date.
Sale agreed but nothing's happening: is this normal?
Yes, in most cases this is completely normal. The first few weeks after a sale is agreed are usually the quietest, because solicitors are being instructed, searches are being ordered, and the buyer's mortgage is being processed, and almost none of that produces a visible update for you.
How much do estate agents charge to sell a house?
Most UK high street estate agents charge a commission of around 1% to 1.5% of your sale price plus VAT, which works out near 1.42% once VAT is added. On a £300,000 home that is roughly £4,260, while online agents offer fixed fees from about £500 to £1,500 instead.
Do you need an EPC to sell your house in 2026?
Yes. By law you must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate, known as an EPC, before you put your home on the market to sell, and you can be fined if you do not. There is no minimum rating you must reach to sell, so even a low rated home can be sold legally.
Why the average UK house price ranges from £268k to £378k
There is no single average UK house price. Depending on which official source you read, the typical UK home is worth anywhere from £268,132 to £378,304 right now, a gap of more than £110,000, because each measure tracks a different stage of the sale on a different timetable.
Is Basildon a good place to live in 2026?
Basildon is an Essex new town about 23 miles from London, with fast trains reaching London Fenchurch Street in around 37 minutes and an average house price near £362,000 in early 2026. For buyers priced out of London it offers a shorter commute than much of the home counties and more space for the money, which is the main reason people move here.
Basildon house prices by postcode: SS13 to SS16
Across Basildon, homes have sold for an average of £334,000 in the period to March 2026, but that single figure hides a wide split by postcode: a detached home runs from about £414,000 in SS14 to £591,000 in SS16. This is ValuQ's own analysis of 3,162 Basildon sales recorded by HM Land Registry, broken down by the four SS postcodes and plotted on our free Basildon postcode map.
Do first-time buyers pay stamp duty in 2026?
First-time buyers in England and Northern Ireland pay no stamp duty on the first £300,000 of a home priced up to £500,000, and 5% on any part of the price between £300,001 and £500,000. Buy for more than £500,000 and the first-time buyer discount disappears, so you pay the standard rates that apply to everyone else.
How much is stamp duty in 2026?
In 2026 you pay stamp duty on a home in England or Northern Ireland once the price passes £125,000, and the rate climbs in bands from 2% to 12%. First-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000, and the rates have not changed since they were set on 1 April 2025.
What is gazumping and what to do if it happens to you
Gazumping is when a seller accepts a higher offer from a different buyer after they have already accepted yours, before contracts are exchanged. It is legal in England and Wales, painful for the buyer caught in it, and most common in markets where demand outpaces supply.
How long does it take to sell a house in the UK?
A UK house sale takes about six months end to end in 2026, with around five to seven weeks to find a buyer and another 16 to 22 weeks of conveyancing. The range between fast and slow sales is wide, and is usually decided by pricing, paperwork, conveyancer choice, and chain length.
Leasehold reform 2026: what it means if you're selling a flat
The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill was published on 27 January 2026 and confirmed in the King's Speech on 13 May 2026. It caps ground rents, makes commonhold the default for new flats, and is expected to start taking effect from late 2028, so leasehold flats sold in 2026 still trade under the current rules.
How does a house valuation work in the UK?
A house valuation is an estimate of what your home would sell for on the open market today. In the UK you can get one in three ways: free from local estate agents, paid from a RICS chartered surveyor, or instant and approximate from an online tool.
Should I accept the first offer on my house?
Whether to accept the first offer depends on three things: how it compares to your home's true market value, how strong the buyer's position is, and how soon you need to move. Quick is not always best, and high is not always safe.
Do I pay estate agent fees if my house doesn't sell?
With most high-street estate agents you pay nothing if your house does not sell, because their fee is a commission tied to completion. The exceptions are fixed-fee online agents that charge whether or not the sale happens, plus withdrawal fees and certain contract clauses that can still cost you.
What is a tie-in period in an estate agent contract?
A tie-in period is the fixed stretch of time at the start of an estate agent contract during which you cannot instruct another agent or walk away without paying a fee. It is the lock-in window, separate from the notice period, and once you sign it you are committed to that one agent until it ends.
Sole agency vs multi-agency: which costs less?
Sole agency almost always costs the seller less, because you commit to one agent and pay a lower commission. Multi-agency spreads your home across several agents but charges roughly double the rate, since only the agent who sells gets paid.
How much does it cost to sell a house in the UK in 2026?
Selling an average-priced UK home in 2026 costs roughly 4,800 to 6,000 pounds once estate agent commission, conveyancing, and an Energy Performance Certificate are added up. Estate agent fees are the largest single line, and extra costs such as removals or a mortgage early-repayment charge can push the total higher.
How accurate are online house valuations?
An online house valuation is a computer estimate built from past sold prices and property data, and for ordinary homes it usually lands within a sensible range of the true figure. It is less reliable for unusual, period, extended or improved homes, because the model has never seen the inside of your home.
How many estate agents should value my house?
Get at least three estate agents to value your house. Three valuations give you enough evidence to see where the real price sits and to spot any figure that has been quoted high to win your business.
What happens if a survey values your house too low?
If a mortgage valuation comes in below the agreed sale price, the lender will only lend against the lower figure, so the buyer faces a funding gap. The deal does not automatically collapse: the price can be renegotiated, the valuation can be challenged with evidence, or the buyer can find the difference another way.
How long does conveyancing take when selling?
In 2026, conveyancing on a typical UK home sale takes around 12 to 16 weeks from the day an offer is accepted to the day you complete. A chain, a leasehold property, or slow local authority searches can push that past 20 weeks, while a well-prepared seller with no chain can finish in 6 to 8 weeks.
What does 'sold subject to contract' mean?
Sold subject to contract means a seller has accepted an offer, but the sale is not yet legally binding. In England and Wales either side can still walk away until contracts are exchanged.
How often do UK house sales fall through?
Roughly one in four agreed sales in the UK collapsed before completion in the first quarter of 2026. TwentyEA put the national fall-through rate at 23.7 percent, down slightly from 24.0 percent a quarter earlier.
When is the best time of year to sell a house?
In the UK, spring is the strongest window for selling a home, with February and March the standout months for new listings and buyer demand. Early autumn is a useful second window, and the period around Christmas is the quietest, though the month you choose matters far less than pricing the home correctly.
Do I pay Capital Gains Tax when I sell my home?
Most people do not pay Capital Gains Tax when they sell their only or main home, because a rule called Private Residence Relief usually covers the whole gain. You can still owe the tax if the property was a second home, a buy-to-let, or somewhere you did not always live as your main residence.
Should I sell my house before I buy the next one?
Selling first gives you a known budget and a stronger hand as a chain-free buyer, but it can leave a gap where you need somewhere to live. Buying first secures your next home, but it risks bridging finance costs, two sets of payments, and the higher rate of Stamp Duty Land Tax until your old home is sold.
Do I need an EPC to sell my house in 2026?
Yes. You need a valid Energy Performance Certificate to market your home for sale in the UK, and it must be commissioned before marketing begins and made available to potential buyers.
Which home improvements add the most value?
The improvements that tend to add the most value are the ones that add usable space: loft and garage conversions, extensions, and an extra bedroom or bathroom. A modern kitchen, good kerb appeal and energy-efficiency upgrades help too, but the return depends entirely on your street and the local price ceiling.
Should I drop my asking price to sell my house?
Possibly, but a reduction is only the right move once you understand why the home has not sold. If it was priced too high from the start, a meaningful and well-judged cut can reset interest; if the price was fair, the cause is more likely the photos, the marketing, or the market itself.
Why do estate agents give such different valuations?
Three estate agents valuing the same house will give three different numbers because they use different evidence, judge the local market differently, and bring different incentives to the figure on the paper. The biggest gap is between agents valuing to win the listing and agents valuing to actually sell.
How to compare estate agent fees in the UK in 2026
Compare estate agent fees on five things, not one: the headline commission, the contract type, the tie-in period, what is included, and the cancellation terms. The agent quoting the lowest percentage is rarely the agent who leaves you with the most money in your pocket at completion.
How long does it take to sell a house in Basildon in 2026?
A Basildon home in 2026 typically sells in 5 to 6 months end-to-end: roughly 9 to 11 weeks from listing to sale agreed, plus 12 to 16 weeks of conveyancing to completion. The local timeline runs close to the UK average, but the spread is wider in Basildon than the national headline suggests.
Do I need a house survey when buying a UK home?
Yes, in almost every case. A house survey is independent advice on the condition of the property, paid for by the buyer, and it is separate from the mortgage lender's valuation. The right survey level depends on the age, construction, and condition of the home.
What are the legal requirements for selling a house in the UK?
Selling a UK home legally requires a valid Energy Performance Certificate, the Law Society protocol forms (TA6, TA10, TA13), a regulated conveyancer or solicitor, anti-money-laundering identity checks, and full disclosure of material information about the property under National Trading Standards rules. Most steps are routine; missing one can delay or unwind a sale.
How much is my house worth in Essex in 2026?
An honest Essex valuation in 2026 starts with recent sold prices on the same street or postcode, adjusts for the condition of the home, and is then triangulated against three local agents who have to back their figures with evidence. The single number on a portal is a starting point, not an answer.
How much do UK estate agents charge in 2026?
The typical UK estate agent fee in 2026 is around 1% to 1.5% of the agreed sale price plus 20% VAT, so 1.2% to 1.8% inc VAT for sole agency. Online flat-fee agents charge between £99 and £1,500 regardless of sale value.
How long does it take to sell a house in the UK?
Selling a UK home in 2026 takes roughly 5 to 6 months end-to-end, split into 66 days to find a buyer and 12 to 16 further weeks to complete. About 1 in 3 agreed sales fall through before completion, so the calendar is rarely a straight line.
How much stamp duty will I pay in the UK in 2026?
Stamp Duty Land Tax in 2026 starts at 0% up to £125,000 and rises in bands to 12% above £1.5 million. First-time buyers pay 0% up to £300,000; anyone buying an additional property pays a 5% surcharge across every band.
Why don't UK houses sell? The 2026 overpricing problem
Around 44% of UK homes listed for sale in the past three years didn't end up selling. The single biggest cause is the asking price being set too high at the start of the listing.