UK property explainers
FAQ-style explainers on UK property: fees, contracts, tax, timelines, jargon, and the things sellers wish someone had told them earlier.
Do I have to tell buyers about a neighbour dispute?
Yes. The standard property information form your solicitor sends you asks directly about disputes and complaints involving your property or one nearby, past as well as present, and answering it inaccurately can unravel the sale even after completion.
I have leased solar panels. Will they stop my sale?
Leased solar panels rarely stop a sale, but they are one of the most reliable ways to slow one down, and almost always because the paperwork is missing rather than because the panels are a problem. Get the lease and the certificates together before you list, and this becomes an administrative step rather than the thing that costs you your buyer.
Will flood risk stop me from selling my house?
Flood risk rarely stops a sale on its own, but it changes who can buy your home and how the middle of the sale feels. The homes that sell smoothly are the ones where the seller had the flood history and the insurance position ready before the buyer's searches came back.
Can my agent make my buyer see their mortgage adviser?
No, and it matters to you as much as to your buyer. An agent can ask a buyer to prove they can afford your home, but tying a viewing, an offer or its progress to the agency's own mortgage adviser is conditional selling, it is prohibited, and it can mean the strongest offer never reaches you.
My buyer is a first-time buyer. Is that risky?
A first-time buyer is usually one of the safer buyers you can accept, because they have no property to sell and nothing behind them in a chain to collapse. The risk sits in a different place: their deposit and their lender, which is where your questions should go.
Should I move out before my house sale completes?
Moving out before exchange of contracts is the risk you want to avoid, because until contracts are exchanged your buyer can walk away and you are left paying for an empty house. Moving out between exchange and completion is far safer, and it is what most sellers who move early actually do.
Someone viewed my house twice. Will they make an offer?
A second viewing means you made someone's shortlist, which is genuinely good news, but it is not the same as winning. In a market carrying more homes for sale than at any point in a decade, buyers are comparing two or three serious options before they commit to one.
Is my house unmortgageable? What lenders refuse to lend on
A home is called unmortgageable when mainstream lenders will not lend against it because of what the property is, not because of who is buying it. Research published by the specialist lender Together on 31 July 2026 put the number at more than 1.5 million UK homes, around 6% of the housing stock, and almost all of them still sell.
Someone offered on my house without viewing it. Is it real?
An offer made without a viewing is usually genuine in the sense that a real person made it, and it usually comes from a buyer who values speed over price, most often a cash buyer, an investor or a buying company. What it is not is proof of commitment, so treat it as an opening position to be tested rather than a decision to be made today.
My agent's contract ended. Can they still charge a fee?
Yes, in one specific situation: if you go on to sell to a buyer that agent introduced to your property while they were instructed, they can still be owed their fee even though the contract has ended. If the buyer came from somewhere else entirely, an ended contract means no fee.
Does off-street parking add value when you sell?
Off-street parking usually helps, but its value is local rather than national, and published estimates of the premium vary far too widely to be treated as a figure for your home. What parking reliably changes is the number of buyers who will consider your property at all, and from October 2026 the running-cost gap between a home with a driveway and one without gets wider.
Should I sell my house to a cash buying company?
A cash buying company will buy your home quickly and with certainty, and it pays for that speed by offering you less than the open market would. Whether the trade is worth making comes down to one number you should work out before you answer: the gap between their offer and what competing local agents say your home is actually worth.
Can I ask my estate agent to redo my listing photos?
Yes, and you should ask if the listing is not working. Put the request in writing, say exactly what you want changed and by when, and check the listing yourself first so the conversation is about specifics rather than a feeling.
Do I have to tell buyers about problems with my house?
You do not have to point out every flaw a buyer could spot for themselves, but you must answer the seller's property information form, the TA6, truthfully and never actively hide a problem you know about. Getting this wrong can lead to a misrepresentation claim after completion, so when you are unsure, the safe and standard advice is to disclose.
Is it a buyer's or a seller's market right now?
In the middle of 2026 the UK is tilted toward buyers, not sellers. There is more choice on the market, buyers are in less of a hurry, and asking prices are being trimmed to meet them, which means homes priced realistically still sell while over-ambitious ones sit.
Is summer a slow time to sell a house?
Summer is usually a little slower than spring, but homes still sell right through it, and a well-priced house finds a buyer in most weeks of the year. The season matters far less than your price, your photos and your timing, and all three are yours to control.
Can I complain about my estate agent, and what can I get?
Yes. Every UK estate agent that sells homes must by law belong to a free, independent redress scheme, so if yours has treated you unfairly you complain to the agent first in writing, then escalate to their ombudsman if it is not resolved within eight weeks.
Why do Nationwide and Halifax give different house prices?
They disagree because each one measures a different thing at a different stage of the sale, so no two indices are counting the same homes. In June 2026 the average UK home ranged from about £270,000 to £376,000 depending only on which index you read, which is why a single national average never tells you what your own home is worth.
Does my estate agent have to tell me about every offer?
Yes. By law your estate agent must pass on every offer to you promptly and in writing, right up until contracts are exchanged, unless you have told them in writing to stop. Holding an offer back, or being slow to tell you about one, breaks the rules that all UK estate agents work under.
Can I take my mortgage with me when I sell?
In most cases, yes. The majority of UK fixed-rate mortgages are portable, which means you can move your existing deal to your new home instead of paying it off and starting again.
Do I pay estate agent fees if my house doesn't sell?
With most high-street estate agent contracts you pay nothing if your home does not sell, because they run on a no sale, no fee basis. The catch is in the contract type and the small print, so the real answer depends on exactly what you signed.
Exchange of contracts vs completion: what's the difference?
Exchange of contracts is the moment your house sale becomes legally binding; completion is the day ownership and the keys actually change hands. In England and Wales they are two separate steps, usually a few days to a few weeks apart, and that gap is normal.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.