How to read this page
Figures fall into three categories, and the distinction matters:
Published by HM Land Registry, HMRC, HMCTS, the Ministry of Housing or the Office for National Statistics. Verifiable, dated and authoritative.
Published by named commercial organisations to their own methodologies. Reliable, but not directly comparable between sources.
Typical ranges observed in practice, including our own. Not published data. Labelled as estimates throughout.
A note on "average": the word is used loosely across the property industry and can mean the mean, the median or simply what is typical. Where we use it, we state the source so you can check the methodology.
How long does a UK property transaction take?
Around 170 days from offer to completion.
Government analysis published in June 2026 found the average residential property transaction currently takes approximately 170 days from offer accepted to completion. The government's homebuying reform package is expected to reduce this by around 4 weeks, and to save first-time buyers an average of £650.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, "Homebuying shake-up to slash delays, cut costs and stop sales falling through", 19 June 2026 (gov.uk).
Note the methodology: this measures offer accepted to completion, not listing to completion. Marketing time sits on top of the 170 days. This matters when comparing against figures from estate agents or property portals, which often measure from listing.
- Listing to completion: the full marketing and legal process
- Offer accepted to completion: the conveyancing period only (the government's 170-day measure)
- Listing to sale agreed: marketing time only
A figure of "12 weeks" means something entirely different depending on which is being measured. Always check the methodology before comparing two sources.
- Chains, the largest single factor
- Leasehold, management-pack delays
- Local authority search backlogs
- Mortgage approval and valuation
- Probate, adds months where applicable
- No chain
- A cash buyer (no mortgage stage)
- Freehold rather than leasehold
- Documents assembled before listing
How many UK house sales fall through?
More than one in five.
Government analysis published in June 2026 found that over 20% of property transactions fall through before completion. Reducing this is one of the stated aims of the government's homebuying reform package.
Source: Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, 19 June 2026 (gov.uk).
A failed sale costs the seller money already spent on legal work, searches and surveys, plus the time cost of returning to market. The most common causes are chain breaks, mortgage refusals or down-valuations, survey findings, and buyers changing their circumstances, though the government release does not publish a percentage breakdown by cause and we do not estimate one. A sale to a cash buyer removes chain risk and mortgage risk, which together account for a substantial share of failed transactions.
Probate fees and timescales
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Application, estates over £5,000 | £526 |
| Estates of £5,000 or less | No fee |
| Extra copies ordered with the application | £2 each |
| Extra copies ordered later | £16 each |
Source: HMCTS, "Applying for probate: Fees", gov.uk, accessed July 2026.
Order the copies you need with the application. At £2 each versus £16 afterwards, ordering four extra copies upfront costs £8 rather than £64. You will typically need several: HM Land Registry, the buyer's solicitor, banks and other institutions each want sight of one. Executors can apply for the grant themselves and pay only the court fee; professional help is priced separately at market rates.
Most applications are processed within around 12 weeks of submission, although complex estates and applications requiring further information can take significantly longer. This is the processing time from submission, not from the date of death.
Source: HMCTS, "Applying for probate", gov.uk, accessed July 2026.
The full timeline from death to a completed sale is longer, because of a sequence of stages: registering the death and locating the will; valuing the estate (a date-of-death property valuation is required before applying); calculating and paying any inheritance tax (the grant is generally not issued until IHT is settled); HMCTS processing the application (around 12 weeks); then selling the property. Stages before the application are within the executor's control and are where most avoidable delay occurs.
Important: you can market a probate property, conduct viewings, accept an offer and instruct solicitors before the grant is issued. Only completion must wait. Marketing during the probate period rather than after it removes months from the total timeline.
Can you sell before probate is granted? → · Probate house sale process →
Inheritance tax thresholds
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Nil-rate band | £325,000 |
| Residence nil-rate band | up to £175,000 |
| Rate above threshold | 40% |
| Payment deadline | 6 months from end of month of death |
Source: HMRC, gov.uk, accessed July 2026. Thresholds change at Budgets, confirm the current figures on gov.uk.
The residence nil-rate band applies where a main residence passes to direct descendants, including children and grandchildren. Where allowances transfer between spouses or civil partners, a couple's combined estate can reach a higher effective threshold. Inheritance tax is generally payable before the grant of probate is issued, which is before the property can be sold. HMRC permits inheritance tax on land and buildings to be paid in instalments; check the current rules on gov.uk.
Capital gains tax on residential property
| Item | Figure |
|---|---|
| Annual exempt amount, individuals | £3,000 |
| Annual exempt amount, estates and trustees | £3,000 |
| Rate, residential property | 24% |
Source: HMRC, gov.uk, accessed July 2026. Allowances have been reduced repeatedly in recent years, confirm the current tax year on gov.uk.
For inherited property, capital gains tax applies only to the increase in value between the date of death and the date of sale, not to the whole sale price. This is one of the most commonly misunderstood points in UK property tax. Capital gains tax on inherited property →
What does it cost to sell a house?
Market estimates, based on current market observations. Not published statistics. Obtain your own quotes.
| Cost | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Estate agent, sole agency | 1.0%-1.8% + VAT |
| Estate agent, multiple agency | 2.0%-3.0% + VAT |
| Online or hybrid agent, fixed fee | £100-£1,500 |
| Conveyancing (sale) | £800-£1,500 |
| Energy Performance Certificate | £60-£120 |
| House clearance | £300-£1,500 |
No official government statistic exists for estate agent commission or conveyancing costs, so these ranges are market observations rather than published data. Commission varies by region, property value, agreement type and how competitive the local agent market is. On a £200,000 property, a 1.5% sole agency fee plus VAT at the current 20% rate is approximately £3,600. Sell without an estate agent →
Comparing selling routes
Market estimates, not published data. Price achieved and timescales vary by property, condition and local market.
| Route | Time | Price achieved | Fees |
|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agent | Longest | Highest | 1-3% + VAT |
| Online agent | Similar to agent | Near full value | Fixed fee |
| Auction | Weeks | Variable | 2-3.5% + VAT |
| Cash buying company | 14-28 days typical | 75-90% of value | None |
| Private sale | Variable | Negotiable | Solicitor only |
There is no universally best route. The trade is between price achieved and speed plus certainty, and which side suits you depends entirely on your circumstances. The cash buying company range of 75-90% of open market value is an indicative industry figure based on market observation, not an official statistic, no government body publishes data on cash buying company pricing.
What is a cash buyer?
A cash buyer is any purchaser buying without a mortgage. The category includes several distinct types, frequently conflated:
- Private cash buyers: individuals purchasing from savings, often downsizers or those who have already sold.
- Property investors: individuals or companies buying to let or to add to a portfolio.
- Auction buyers: typically investors or developers.
- Cash buying companies: businesses buying directly from sellers using their own funds, then refurbishing, reselling or letting.
All four are cash buyers. Only the last is a "house buying company" in the sense meant by industry codes of practice such as those operated by NAPB and The Property Ombudsman. For current data on the proportion of UK purchases made without a mortgage, HM Land Registry Price Paid Data and UK Finance mortgage lending statistics are the authoritative sources. How much do cash buyers pay? →
Benchmarking your own sale?
Get a free, no-obligation cash offer and a written breakdown of how it compares to the open-market figure. No fees, no chain, completion in as little as 7 days.
Get a free cash offer Frequently asked questions
How long does a house sale take in the UK?
Government analysis published in June 2026 found the average residential transaction takes around 170 days from offer accepted to completion. Marketing time sits on top of that. Reforms announced at the same time are expected to reduce the figure by around four weeks.
What percentage of house sales fall through in the UK?
More than one in five, according to government analysis published in June 2026. Chain breaks and mortgage problems are among the most common causes.
How much does probate cost?
The application fee is £526 for estates over £5,000, with no fee for estates of £5,000 or less. Extra copies of the grant cost £2 each when ordered with the application, or £16 each afterwards. Professional help is charged separately at market rates.
How long does probate take in the UK?
Most applications are processed within around 12 weeks of submission. Complex estates, or applications where HMCTS needs further information, can take considerably longer.
Can you sell a house before probate is granted?
You can market it, hold viewings, accept an offer and instruct solicitors. You cannot complete the sale until the grant is issued, because HM Land Registry will not register the transfer without it.
Where can I find official UK house price data?
HM Land Registry publishes the UK House Price Index monthly and Price Paid Data covering every registered sale in England and Wales. Both are free and record actual sale prices rather than asking prices.
What happens if a buyer pulls out before exchange?
Either party can withdraw without penalty up to exchange of contracts. The seller loses money already spent on legal work, searches and surveys. After exchange, withdrawal carries significant financial consequences.
Can a house sale complete in four weeks?
Yes, where there is no chain, no mortgage and documents are ready at the outset. A cash purchase can complete in as little as 7 working days in exceptional circumstances, though 14 to 21 days is typical. A mortgage-dependent purchase rarely completes that quickly because of the approval and valuation stages.
Do cash buyers always pay less than market value?
Cash buying companies do, typically 75% to 90% of open market value, because the discount funds their costs, risk and margin. Private cash buyers purchasing a home to live in may pay full market value, though they often negotiate a modest discount in exchange for speed and certainty.
Do I pay capital gains tax on a house I inherit?
Not on the inheritance itself. Capital gains tax may apply to any increase in value between the date of death and the date you sell, and only on the amount above the annual exempt amount.
Sources
- Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Homebuying shake-up to slash delays, cut costs and stop sales falling through. 19 June 2026.
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Applying for probate: Fees. gov.uk.
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service. Applying for probate. gov.uk.
- HMRC. Inheritance Tax rates and allowances. gov.uk.
- HMRC. Capital Gains Tax rates and allowances. gov.uk.
- HM Land Registry. UK House Price Index and Price Paid Data. Published monthly.
- UK Finance. Mortgage market statistics.
Methodology. Government figures are as published, with the source and date stated. Market estimates are typical ranges observed in practice and are labelled as such throughout. Where a metric is measured differently by different organisations, we identify the difference rather than presenting a single figure.
Corrections. If you believe a figure on this page is wrong or out of date, please contact us. We would rather correct it than leave it.