Selling a Property
Free property selling guides covering the full sales process — estate agents, conveyancing, chain management, EPC requirements, and completion.
74 guides
Upfront Property Information & the Home Buying Reform, What Sellers and Agents Need to Know
The UK government's Home Buying and Selling Reform is the biggest change to property transactions in decades. This guide explains upfront property information requirements, the sale-ready pack, and what changes in 2026.
Material Information in Property Listings, What Estate Agents and Sellers Must Disclose
National Trading Standards requires estate agents to include material information in property listings under Parts A, B, and C. This guide explains what counts as material information, what agents must disclose, and how sellers can prepare.
What Documents Do You Need to Sell Your House in the UK?
A complete list of the documents your solicitor will need to sell your home in the UK, and how having them ready in a property logbook can speed up conveyancing.
Selling a Leasehold Flat, Extra Steps and Documents You Will Need
Selling a leasehold flat involves considerably more paperwork than selling a freehold house. This guide explains every additional step, who is responsible, and how to prepare in advance.
How to Handle a Property Chain Collapse, What to Do and Who to Call
A chain collapse is one of the most stressful events in a property transaction. Understanding your options immediately after it happens can help you act quickly and limit the damage.
Selling a Tenanted Property, Your Obligations to Sitting Tenants
Selling a property with tenants in occupation requires careful management of your legal obligations. This guide explains what you must do, what you cannot do, and how to plan the sale correctly.
How to Set the Right Asking Price, Valuations, Comparables and Strategy
Getting your asking price right from the start is one of the most important decisions in a property sale. Overpricing is the single most common reason a property fails to sell quickly.
What is Sale by Tender? How the Sealed-Bid Process Works in the UK
Sale by tender, the sealed-bid process, is an alternative to a traditional open listing. Understanding how it works helps both buyers and sellers use it strategically.
Online vs High Street Estate Agent, Which Should You Choose?
Online agents charge far less than high street firms, but the service model is fundamentally different. This guide compares both options honestly so you can choose the right approach for your sale.
Estate Agent Fees, What You Pay and How to Negotiate
Estate agent fees in England and Wales are not regulated and vary significantly. Understanding how fees are structured, and how to negotiate them effectively, can save you thousands.
What Does SSTC Mean? Sold Subject to Contract Explained
SSTC, Sold Subject to Contract, appears on almost every property listing at some point, but it is widely misunderstood. This guide explains exactly what it means for sellers, buyers, and the market.
Capital Gains Tax on Property, When You Pay and How to Calculate It
Capital Gains Tax applies when you sell a property that is not your main home. Understanding the rates, allowances, and reliefs available in 2026 can make a significant difference to your tax bill.
Selling at Auction, Costs, Process and When It Makes Sense
Selling at auction provides speed and certainty that the open market cannot always match. This guide explains auction costs, the two main auction formats, and the types of property best suited to auction sale.
The True Cost of Selling a House in 2026, Every Fee You Will Actually Pay
Most sellers underestimate how much it costs to sell a property. Between estate agent fees, conveyancing, removals, and tax, the total on an average sale can easily reach £15,000–£25,000. This guide itemises every cost with realistic figures.
How Long Does It Take to Sell a House in England? A Realistic Timeline
From accepting an offer to collecting the keys, the average sale in England takes four to six months, but chains, surveys, and slow searches can push this considerably longer. This guide breaks down every stage and explains what you can do to speed things up.
Abortive Costs When a Sale Falls Through, What You Lose and Can You Claim It Back
Around one-in-three property sales in England fall through before exchange. When they do, both sellers and buyers face costs they cannot recover. This guide explains exactly who pays what, and how to minimise your losses.
Property Searches in Conveyancing, What They Check, How Long They Take, and Why They Delay Sales
Property searches are a compulsory part of buying with a mortgage, and a prudent part of any cash purchase. This guide explains every type of search, what problems they can uncover, and how to manage them so they do not derail your transaction.
The TA6 Property Information Form, What Sellers Must Disclose and the Risks of Getting It Wrong
The TA6 Property Information Form is one of the most important documents in any property sale. Sellers who complete it carelessly, or dishonestly, risk claims for misrepresentation that can run to hundreds of thousands of pounds. This guide explains every section and your obligations.
The TA10 Fixtures and Fittings Form, What You Must Leave and What You Can Take
The TA10 Fixtures and Fittings Form determines what stays in the property and what the seller removes. Getting it wrong is one of the most common causes of completion-day disputes, and they can be expensive to resolve.
Conveyancing Delays, The Most Common Causes and How to Avoid Them
Conveyancing delays are the number one frustration in property transactions. Understanding where delays come from, and what you can do about each one, puts you in control of your timeline.
Estate Agent Overvaluation, Why It Happens and the Damage It Does to Your Sale
Overvaluation is one of the most damaging things that can happen to a property sale. A price that is too high leads to a slow start, a series of reductions, and a stigmatised listing that buyers treat with suspicion. This guide explains the mechanics of overvaluation and how to protect yourself.
Lock-Out Agreements, Can You Stop a Seller Accepting a Higher Offer?
A lock-out agreement is designed to give buyers a period of exclusive negotiation with a seller. But in England and Wales, they are rarely used and often misunderstood. This guide explains what they are, whether they are enforceable, and when they genuinely help.
Simultaneous Exchange and Completion, When It Works and When It Goes Wrong
Simultaneous exchange and completion, where the sale becomes legally binding and keys change hands on the same day, is sometimes presented as the simple solution to property transaction complexity. In reality, it carries significant risks that both buyers and sellers need to understand.
Property Chains Explained, How They Break and How to Manage Yours
Most property sales in England and Wales involve a chain of linked transactions. Understanding how chains form, where they break, and what you can do about it could save your sale.
Gazumping and Gazundering, What They Are and How to Protect Yourself
Gazumping and gazundering are both legal in England and Wales and can derail a sale at any point before exchange. This guide explains how each works and what practical steps you can take to protect yourself.
Exchange of Contracts, What Happens on the Day and What Can Go Wrong
Exchange of contracts is the moment a property sale becomes legally binding. This guide explains exactly what happens on exchange day, what solicitors check beforehand, and why some transactions fail at the last hurdle.
Completion Day, What Actually Happens and Why It Sometimes Goes Wrong
Completion day is when ownership of a property legally transfers and you receive, or hand over, the keys. This guide explains the money flows, the key release process, and what can cause delays on the day itself.
What Happens if Your Buyer Pulls Out After Exchange?
Exchange of contracts makes a sale legally binding, but buyers do sometimes pull out. This guide explains your legal position, what you can recover, and how to get your sale back on track.
Home Sale Fall-Through Insurance, Is It Worth Buying?
Home sale fall-through insurance pays your abortive costs if a transaction collapses before completion. This guide explains exactly what it covers, what it does not, and whether the premium is justified.
How to Sell Without a Chain, Cash Buyers, Part-Exchange and New Build Options
Selling with a chain adds risk and delay. This guide explains all the practical ways to achieve a chain-free sale, including the price trade-offs involved and where to find genuine chain-free buyers.
Mortgage Exit Fees and Early Repayment Charges, What Sellers Pay When They Clear Their Mortgage
When you sell a property with a mortgage, you must repay the outstanding balance at completion. This guide explains early repayment charges, deeds release fees, and how to minimise the cost when timing your sale.
Solicitor Negligence in Property Sales, What It Is and How to Claim
Solicitor negligence during a property sale can result in significant financial loss. This guide explains what constitutes negligence, how to complain, and how to make a claim for compensation.
Property Indemnity Insurance, When Sellers Need It and What It Covers
Property indemnity insurance resolves legal defects that might otherwise block a sale. This guide explains the most common situations where sellers need it, what it covers, and how much it costs.
How to Prepare a Property for Sale, What Buyers and Agents Actually Look For
First impressions drive offers. This guide explains what buyers notice during viewings, what surveyors flag in reports, which improvements deliver real returns, and where your preparation budget is best spent.
Pre-Sale Surveys for Sellers, Are They Worth Getting Before You List?
A pre-sale survey can prevent nasty surprises after an offer is accepted, support your asking price, and reduce the risk of a buyer renegotiating. But there are real risks to disclosure. This guide helps you decide.
When Your Property Sits on Rightmove Too Long, What Buyers Think and What to Do
A property that has been on the market for more than 90 days develops a stigma that is difficult to overcome. This guide explains the psychology, the practical options, and how to reset a stale listing.
When to Reduce Your Asking Price, The Right Time and the Right Amount
Knowing when to reduce your asking price, and by how much, is one of the most important decisions in a property sale. This guide gives you a data-driven framework for making that call.
Estate Agent Contract Pitfalls, The Clauses That Can Cost You Thousands
Estate agent agreements contain clauses that can bind you to an agent you want to leave, create disputes over fees, and generate unexpected charges. This guide explains the terms you must scrutinise before signing.
Home Staging, Does It Actually Add Value to a Property Sale?
Home staging has a strong evidence base in the US but a mixed track record in the UK. This guide looks at the real data, what staging involves, what it costs, and when it makes sense for UK sellers.
Property Photography, Why Bad Photos Lose You Money and What to Insist On
More than 90% of property searches start online. Your photographs are the first and sometimes only impression a buyer has. This guide explains what separates good property photography from bad, and what to demand from your estate agent.
Best Time of Year to Sell a Property in England, Seasonal Patterns and What They Mean
Property markets have clear seasonal rhythms in England, but they are not the whole story. This guide explains the spring and autumn peaks, the summer and Christmas slowdowns, and the macro factors that can override seasonal timing.
Getting Multiple Estate Agent Valuations, What They Tell You and What They Don't
Getting three or more estate agent valuations is standard advice. But valuations vary widely, and not always for honest reasons. This guide explains how to interpret them, spot inflated figures, and arrive at a realistic asking price.
Bridging Loans for Property Sales, When They Help and When They Are a Trap
A bridging loan can solve a chain break, fund a purchase before your sale completes, or finance a property that cannot yet get a mainstream mortgage. But the costs are high and the risks are real. This guide covers everything you need to know.
Selling an Inherited Property, Probate, CGT and What to Do in What Order
Selling an inherited property involves several legal and tax steps that must happen in the right sequence. This guide covers grant of probate, Capital Gains Tax on inherited property, choosing the right sales method, and navigating disputes between beneficiaries.
Selling a Property During Divorce, Joint Ownership, Consent Orders and Timing
Selling a jointly owned property during or after divorce involves legal steps that go beyond a standard sale. This guide covers joint tenancy versus tenants in common, what happens when one party refuses to sell, consent orders, and the tax implications.
Selling a Buy-to-Let Property With Tenants In Situ, Your Rights and Theirs
Selling a tenanted property is more complex than selling a vacant one. This guide covers your legal rights as a landlord-seller, tenant rights under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, how marketing works with tenants in situ, and the choice between vacant possession and an investment sale.
Selling a Property With a Help to Buy Equity Loan, How Repayment Works
If you used a Help to Buy equity loan to purchase your home, the repayment rules on sale are frequently misunderstood. This guide explains how the loan amount is calculated, the Target HCA process, redemption statements, and what happens if your property has fallen in value.
Selling a Property in Negative Equity, Your Options and the Costs
Negative equity means your property is worth less than your outstanding mortgage. If you need to sell, you have several options, each with different financial and credit consequences. This guide explains what negative equity is, when it happens, and what you can do about it.
Selling a Property With a Short Lease, What Counts as Short and How to Maximise Value
A short lease can dramatically reduce what buyers will pay, and whether they can get a mortgage at all. This guide explains where the critical thresholds sit, the choice between extending before selling and selling at a discount, and how the statutory lease extension process works.
Selling a New Build on the Open Market, Why It's Harder Than Buyers Expect
Selling a new build property on the open market is not like selling any other home. The premium evaporates quickly, you may be competing with the developer's own sales team, and certain leases contain marketing restrictions. This guide explains what to expect.
Selling to a Cash Buyer, What Due Diligence They Still Do and Why Cheaper Isn't Always Worse
Cash buyers are often presented as the ideal, no mortgage, faster completion, less risk. But cash buyers still carry out due diligence, often still get surveys, and some conditional cash buyers are far from the sure thing they appear. This guide sets out what to expect.
Sale and Rent Back Schemes, What They Are and Why the FCA Regulates Them
Sale and rent back schemes promise to solve financial distress by letting you sell your home and continue living in it as a tenant. In reality, most cases end badly for sellers. This guide explains how these schemes work, why the FCA regulates them, and what alternatives exist.
Selling a Property With a Planning Issue, How Disputes and Enforcement Notices Affect a Sale
Planning issues, including enforcement notices, unapproved extensions, and planning contravention notices, can block or significantly complicate a property sale. This guide explains your disclosure obligations, how buyers and their lenders react, and how planning indemnity insurance can provide a practical solution.
What Your Solicitor Actually Does in a Property Sale, Week by Week
Most sellers are surprised by how long conveyancing takes. This guide breaks down every stage of a solicitor's work, from instruction to completion, and explains why the process takes weeks, not days.
Retentions in Conveyancing, When Buyers Hold Back Money After Completion
A retention allows a buyer to withhold part of the purchase price at completion to cover a known defect or outstanding issue. This guide explains how retentions work, what triggers them, and how to get the money released.
Leasehold Management Packs, Why They Delay Sales and What Sellers Can Do
Obtaining a leasehold management pack is one of the most common causes of delay in a flat sale. This guide explains what a management pack contains, how long it takes to arrive, and how to order it early to protect your sale.
Missing Building Regulations, How to Sell a Property Without the Completion Certificate
A missing building regulations completion certificate is one of the most common title defects encountered in property sales. This guide explains your options, regularisation, indemnity insurance, or doing nothing, and when each is appropriate.
Chancel Repair Liability, The Obscure Medieval Tax That Can Still Affect Property Sales
Chancel repair liability is an ancient legal obligation that can still bind properties near certain parish churches. This guide explains what it is, how to check whether your property is affected, and what insurance costs.
Restrictive Covenants on a Property, When They Cause Problems in a Sale
Restrictive covenants are promises in the title deeds that bind current and future owners. This guide explains how they work, what common covenants restrict, and how to deal with them when selling.
Gifted Deposits and Property Sales, How Previous Financial Arrangements Affect Future Sales
A gifted deposit used when you originally bought your property can cause unexpected complications when you come to sell. This guide explains how gifted deposits affect title, what buyers and lenders look for, and how to manage the issues.
Overage Clauses When Selling, How Developers Use Clawback to Reclaim Profit
An overage clause allows a buyer to pay less now but claim a share of any future development profit. This guide explains how overage works, what triggers payment, and how these clauses affect your ability to sell again in the future.
When Your Auction Reserve Is Not Met, What Happens Next
If bidding at auction does not reach your reserve price, the property is "passed in" unsold. This guide explains what happens after an unsuccessful auction, what costs you still owe, and how to decide whether to relist or switch to private treaty.
How to Speed Up Your Property Sale, Practical Steps That Actually Work
The average property sale in England and Wales takes 12–20 weeks. These practical, proven steps can materially reduce that timeline, starting before you even list the property.
Capital Gains Tax on Property UK: What You Owe and How to Calculate It
How to calculate Capital Gains Tax (CGT) on a property sale in the UK — rates for 2026, what costs you can deduct, private residence relief, and how to use the Property Passport UK CGT calculator.
How to Sell a House in the UK: Complete Step-by-Step Guide 2026
A complete walkthrough of selling a property in England and Wales — from choosing an estate agent and setting a price to exchange, completion, and what to expect on moving day.
How to Value Your Property: What Estate Agents Don’t Tell You
How to establish a realistic market value for your home using sold price data, comparable analysis, and independent tools — and why estate agent valuations are often inflated.
How to Choose an Estate Agent: Questions to Ask and Fees to Expect
A practical guide to selecting the right estate agent to sell your property — what to look for in a valuation meeting, how fee structures work, and the key contract terms to negotiate.
Energy Efficiency Improvements That Add Value Before You Sell
Which energy upgrades are worth making before putting your property on the market — costs, typical payback, and how they affect your EPC rating and buyer perception.
What to Fix Before Selling a House: Repairs That Pay Off
Which repairs and improvements are worth making before you sell and which are not — a practical guide to spending on preparation that maximises your sale price.
How to Sell Your House Without an Estate Agent in England and Wales
Can you sell a house without using an estate agent in the UK? Yes — but it is more complex than many expect. This guide covers the options, the process, and the genuine risks.
How to Build a Sale-Ready Property Pack — The Documents That Speed Up Your Sale
Sellers who have their documents ready before going to market sell faster and with fewer fall-throughs. This guide explains which documents to gather, where to find them, and how to organise them using a digital property logbook.
Documents Your Buyer’s Solicitor Will Ask For — A Complete Seller’s Checklist
Buyer’s solicitors raise dozens of enquiries during conveyancing, many of which require documentary evidence from the seller. Knowing what they will ask for in advance means you can respond quickly and avoid delays.
TA6 Mistakes That Kill Property Sales — How to Complete the Property Information Form Correctly
The TA6 Property Information Form is the primary source of disclosed information from seller to buyer. Incomplete or inaccurate answers are the most common cause of conveyancing enquiries, delays, and misrepresentation claims.
TA10 Fixtures, Fittings and Contents Form — What Stays and What Goes
The TA10 form records which items are included in the sale price and which the seller will remove. Disagreements over fixtures and fittings are a surprisingly common cause of disputes at completion. This guide explains how to complete it correctly.