Six ways to sell a house fast in the UK, and who checks each one
Each route below names the body that oversees it, what its own guidance says about timing, and the register or
code you can check a firm against. The list is in A to Z order. It is not a ranking.
How we chose and ordered the list
An entry is on the list when it meets all three tests:
Sellers use it to sell quickly, and GOV.UK, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the FCA covers it in guidance for sellers.
A named body oversees it, or says where to check a firm.
We could read that body’s own page on 2 November 2026.
The order is A to Z by route name, so nothing is promoted by position. Part exchange is not listed because
we found none of those sources covering it. Guaranteed sale schemes have their own guide.
The six routes at a glance
Six routes compared on who oversees them, what the sources say about timing, and what to check first
Route
Who oversees it
What the sources say on timing
Check first
Auction: modern method
TPO guidance, if your agent is a member
Window of typically 14 to 30 days, 28 days to exchange, usually 28 more to complete
Ask who keeps the reservation fee
Auction: traditional
RICS standard for auctioneers; TPO guidance
Exchange on the day, completion usually within 28 days
Fees, reserve, 10% deposit
Cash buyer or buying company
TPO code for buying companies, for members
In writing with the offer. No official typical time
The discount to open market value
Estate agent, open market
TPO or the Property Redress Scheme
120 days on average to complete (GOV.UK)
Fees, sole selling rights, comparables
Private sale
None of the schemes here applies
No official time. Legal steps still apply
Your own price and paperwork
Sale and rent back
FCA authorisation
No official time
The firm on the FCA Firm Checker
Auction: modern method
Overseen by: TPO guidance, if your agent is a member
Who it suits. Sellers who want a set bidding window and are happy for buyers who need a mortgage to take part. TPO says this method is more accessible to buyers who need a mortgage than a traditional auction.
What the sources say
The property is sold through a conditional auction. The highest bidder signs a reservation agreement and pays a reservation fee.
TPO gives a timed online window of typically 14 to 30 days, then an exclusivity period of 28 days to exchange contracts, and usually a further 28 days to complete.
The legal pack is prepared before the auction, and buyers rely on it when deciding to bid.
What to watch for
If the buyer fails to exchange, the reservation fee is forfeited. TPO says the auction provider usually keeps it.
Confirm how fees are split between the estate agent and the auction provider.
You must still give material information about the property.
Overseen by: TPO code for buying companies, for members
Who it suits. Sellers who want one written offer without marketing the home. GOV.UK lists a company offering an instant cash purchase as one option.
What the sources say
A TPO member must explain the valuation, the offer and the process before you commit, and tell you the sale will be at a discount to open market value.
Timescales must be given in writing with the offer, and must not be false or unrealistic. No official source gives a typical completion time.
All fees and extra costs belong in the Terms of Business, including VAT. A company cannot call itself a cash buyer if it is using mortgage finance.
NAPB says membership is voluntary and that its members have signed up to the TPO code. GOV.UK’s 2019 guide says to use a firm that is a member of NAPB.
What to watch for
GOV.UK warns that companies offering an instant cash purchase “may pay well below the market price for your home”.
The FCA says quick sale offers usually involve a discounted price in exchange for completing quickly, and advises checking the offer with Citizens Advice or an independent solicitor.
Ask what an option or tie-in agreement costs to leave, and use your own solicitor if you prefer.
Overseen by: none of the schemes on this page applies
Who it suits. Sellers who already have a buyer, or are willing to find one and do the work an agent would.
What the sources say
GOV.UK’s guide says it is possible to sell without an estate agent and mentions private sales as an alternative to using one.
Your property is not legally sold until you have exchanged written contracts with the buyer.
No estate agent is involved, so the TPO agent code and its complaints route do not apply to how the buyer was found.
What to watch for
You set and defend the price. GOV.UK suggests checking local prices online, finding what similar homes sold for on the Land Registry website, and getting valuations.
The legal steps of searches, contract, exchange and completion still apply, on whatever timetable your buyer and solicitors can manage.
Who it suits. Homeowners who want to stay in the home after selling it, with the buyer letting it back to them. The FCA asks people to treat all offers like this with caution.
What the sources say
The FCA says firms offering these agreements must be authorised by it.
You can check a firm on the FCA Firm Checker, to see whether it is authorised and has permission for the service it offers. If a firm is not on it, the FCA gives 0800 111 6768.
What to watch for
The FCA warns that if you use an unauthorised firm, you may have no protection if things go wrong.
The FCA says some quick sale companies may act in ways that are not in your financial interest, and advises checking any offer with Citizens Advice or an independent solicitor.
We found no source that says which route is best. What separates them is the price you keep after costs,
and how firm the deal is at each stage. The side-by-side in
three routes compared shows how each one sets its
price. The cost of selling worksheet adds up your own
quotes. If an offer is advertised as fee-free, where the costs can still sit decodes the claim. Before you accept any company’s offer, work through the
questions to ask a cash buyer and the
safety checks.
What is the fastest way to sell a house in the UK?
No official source ranks the routes by speed. A traditional auction exchanges contracts on the day, with completion usually within 28 days, according to The Property Ombudsman. A buying company must give timescales in writing with its offer. GOV.UK’s consultation gives 120 days on average for a sale to complete.
Does a faster sale mean a lower price?
GOV.UK warns that companies offering an instant cash purchase may pay well below the market price, and the FCA says quick sale offers usually involve a discount. No source gives the size of that discount. Three routes compared sets out how each route fixes its price.
Is NAPB membership a guarantee?
NAPB says membership is voluntary and that its members have signed up to The Property Ombudsman’s code. That gives you a complaints route. It does not set the price or timescale of any offer, so ask for both in writing.
Why is part exchange not on the list?
We could not find part exchange covered in the GOV.UK, TPO or FCA guidance we read, so there was no named body to check it against. If a firm offers it, ask which ombudsman or regulator oversees it before you commit.
Which route costs least?
The sources do not rank them on cost. Costs differ in kind: agent fees, auction house fees and a discount on the price. Put your own quotes into the cost of selling worksheet to compare what you would keep.
Is this financial or legal advice?
No. It is a summary of public guidance, published by Loud Crowd IT Ltd, which does not buy property, sell homes or give advice. A solicitor or conveyancer can advise on your own sale.
Sources and when we checked them
Every figure and rule on this page comes from the sources below, read on .
The date next to each source is the “last updated” date the publisher shows. Rules and thresholds change, so check the
source before you rely on a detail.
GOV.UK: How to sell a homeUpdated 6 September 2019 (published 7 May 2019). Agent fees, sole selling rights, offers, the cash buyer warning, private sales and the 12-week milestone.
Enquiries through this site are not open yet. The guides explain how cash buyers, auctions and quick-sale agents compare, and the checks that protect you.