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Read Full Bio >Before selling to a cash house buyer, ask ten questions: are you the buyer or a middleman, can I see proof of funds, how is the offer calculated, what would make it drop, and are you NAPB and TPO registered?
Key takeaways
- The most revealing question is “are you the actual buyer, or passing me on?” — middlemen add weeks and a fresh chance for the deal to collapse.
- A genuine UK cash buying company offers roughly 75–85% of open-market value; an offer near 100% is usually a number designed to be reduced later.
- You should pay nothing — no valuation, admin or reservation fee — and a reputable buyer covers your legal costs.
- Membership of the NAPB and registration with The Property Ombudsman are the only two credentials that give you an independent complaints route; check both member lists yourself.
- Around 24% of agreed UK sales fall through — one in four — and that is the risk a cash sale is meant to remove.
Why do the questions you ask matter so much?
Because a cash sale removes almost every safeguard the open market gives you: no estate agent chasing progress, no mortgage lender ordering an independent valuation, no competing buyer keeping the price honest. The only due diligence in the room is yours.
That is not an argument against cash buyers — for the right situation it is the fastest, most certain route there is, as our comparison of cash buyer vs estate agent vs auction sets out. It is an argument for twenty minutes on the phone before you agree to anything.
The 10 questions to ask a cash house buyer
Ask them in order: the first four separate genuine buyers from brokers, the rest protect your price and your timeline.
1. Are you the actual buyer, or are you passing me to someone else?
Ask this first. A genuine cash house buyer purchases your property in its own company name using money it already holds. A broker or lead-generation site takes your details, sells them on, and leaves you negotiating with a stranger weeks later.
A good answer: “We buy in our own name — here is the company number, and the buying entity on the contract will be us.”
Red flag: “We work with a national panel of investors”, or the buying company named on the draft contract is different from the company you first spoke to.
2. Can I see proof of funds in writing?
Ask for dated evidence that the money exists today — a bank statement, a solicitor’s letter, or confirmation of an available credit facility. A real cash buyer will not hesitate. If funds only appear after you have signed something, they were never really there.
A good answer: proof supplied within a day or two, addressed to you or your solicitor, who is welcome to verify it.
3. How is your offer calculated, and how far below market value is it?
Every genuine cash buyer offers below full market value — that discount pays for speed, certainty and the buyer carrying the risk. In the UK, established cash buying companies typically offer around 75–85% of open-market value. What matters is that the figure is explained, evidenced with comparable sales, and consistent.
Be more suspicious of a headline offer near 100% of market value than one at 80% — an inflated opening number is the classic setup for a reduction later. Our guide to how much below market value cash buyers offer breaks the maths down.
4. Under what circumstances would you reduce your offer?
Ask it out loud and write down the answer. Late reductions — sometimes days before exchange, when you are committed and have no time to restart — are the most common complaint about the quick-sale sector. The tactic has a name: gazundering.
A good answer: “Only if the survey or the legal title reveals something material we did not know about, and we would show you the evidence and the revised valuation.”
Red flag: a vague “it depends on survey” with no threshold, no evidence promised, and no willingness to put the commitment in writing.
5. What fees, charges or deductions will come out of my price?
A reputable cash buyer charges the seller nothing: no valuation fee, no admin fee, no “reservation” payment, and usually your legal costs are covered too. The number you agree should be the number that lands in your account. Ask specifically about deductions at completion — that is where surprise charges hide. Our breakdown of house buying company fees lists what is normal and what is not.
Red flag: any request for money upfront. A company that needs your money to buy your house does not have the funds to buy your house.
6. Are you a member of the NAPB, and are you registered with The Property Ombudsman?
These are the two credentials that mean something in this sector. The National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) requires members to register with The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and follow its code of practice, giving you a free, independent route to complain and seek an award.
Do not take the logo at face value — both bodies publish member lists, so check the company name against them directly. Springbok Properties is TPO-regulated and an NAPB member.
7. Will you tie me into an exclusivity period or an option agreement?
Some contracts stop you marketing elsewhere for weeks while the buyer decides, or give them an option to buy rather than an obligation. Others are assignable, letting the company sell the contract on. All three shift the risk onto you.
A good answer: “No lock-in — you are free to walk away at any point before exchange.”
8. What is your realistic timescale, and can I choose the completion date?
“Seven days” is achievable but rarely typical; two to four weeks is a more honest average once searches and legal work are factored in. The better test is flexibility — a genuine buyer can go fast when you need speed, and wait if you need time to find somewhere to live. See our guide to selling a house in 7 days.
9. How many properties have you actually completed on, and can I see recent reviews?
Ask for a completion volume and a date range, then verify it independently. Read the three-star reviews on Trustpilot and AllAgents rather than the five-star ones — that is where the real process problems show up. Our guide to whether cash house buyers are legit covers the wider checks.
10. Who is my named point of contact, and who is doing the legal work?
You want one named person who owns your sale, plus a firm you can look up on the SRA register. A buyer paying your legal fees is normal — but the solicitor must act for you, not them, and you can always instruct your own.
Red flag: pressure to use one specific firm with no alternative, or a refusal to give you a named contact and a direct number.
Green flags vs red flags: how the answers should sound
Use this as a scorecard while you are on the call.
| What you are asking about | Green flag answer | Red flag answer |
|---|---|---|
| Who is buying | Buys in its own named company | “Our investor network”; entity changes later |
| Proof of funds | Dated evidence within 1–2 days | Delayed, redacted, or only after you sign |
| The offer | 75–85% of value, backed by comparables | Near 100%, no evidence, “today only” |
| Offer changes | Written triggers plus revised valuation | Vague “depends on survey”; cut near exchange |
| Fees | Nothing payable by you; legal costs covered | Upfront, admin or reservation fees |
| Regulation | NAPB member, TPO registered, listed on both | Logos on site, absent from member lists |
| Contract | No lock-in before exchange | Exclusivity, option or assignable contract |
| Timescale | Honest 2–4 weeks, flexible date | “7 days” guaranteed, no conditions named |
| Track record | Completion volumes, verifiable reviews | No history; reviews all posted in one week |
| Contacts | Named handler, SRA-listed solicitor, free choice | No named contact; one firm forced on you |
How do you verify the answers independently?
Four checks, all free, all doable in under half an hour:
- Companies House — confirm the legal entity, incorporation date and filed accounts, and that the trading name maps to a real registered company.
- NAPB and TPO member lists — search the company name on napb.co.uk and tpos.co.uk, not the badge on their homepage.
- Independent reviews — look for complaints about late price reductions specifically.
- HM Land Registry Property Alert — free monitoring on your title at gov.uk.
If something goes wrong with an NAPB member, TPO can investigate and make an award. If you suspect an outright scam, report it to Action Fraud.
What if the answers do not add up?
Walk away before you commit, and get two or three quotes instead — our roundups of the top 10 house buying companies in the UK and the best company to buy your house are a starting point. If a cash sale still is not right, the pros and cons of selling for cash and the other ways to sell a house fast set out the alternatives.
Frequently asked questions
What should I ask a cash house buyer first?
Ask whether they are the actual buyer or a middleman passing your details on. A genuine cash house buyer purchases in its own company name using funds it already holds, and can name the buying entity on the contract straight away.
How do I know a cash buyer really has the money?
Ask for dated proof of funds in writing — a bank statement, solicitor’s letter or confirmation of an available facility — and let your own solicitor verify it. A genuine buyer supplies this within a day or two and never asks you to pay anything upfront.
Is it normal for a cash buyer to offer below market value?
Yes. Established UK cash buying companies typically offer around 75–85% of open-market value, and that discount pays for speed and certainty. What matters is that the offer is explained with comparable evidence and does not drop later without cause.
Can a cash buyer lower their offer before completion?
They can, and some do — usually days before exchange when you are committed. Ask in advance what would trigger a reduction, insist on evidence and a revised valuation, and treat a vague answer as a warning sign.
Do I have to pay anything to sell to a cash house buyer?
No. With a reputable buyer you should pay nothing: no valuation fee, no admin or reservation fee, and normally your legal costs are covered too. Any request for money upfront means the company is not funding the purchase itself.
Written by Dan Green, Springbok Properties. Springbok Properties Ltd is regulated by The Property Ombudsman and is a member of the NAPB. Last updated: 25 August 2026.
