How to sell your house without an estate agent
Updated 6 November 2026
You do not need an estate agent to sell a home in the UK. Plenty of people sell privately, and save the agent's fee, which is often around 1% to 2% of the sale price plus VAT. You do still need a solicitor or licensed conveyancer for the legal work.
What the law requires before you advertise
- England and Wales: a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Certificates last 10 years, and you can check whether your home already has one on the government's EPC register.
- Scotland: a Home Report, which includes a survey, an energy report and a property questionnaire, before the home is marketed.
- Honesty: describe the home accurately. Misleading a buyer about the property can lead to a claim against you after the sale.
Set a sensible price
Look at what similar homes nearby have actually sold for, not what they were advertised at. HM Land Registry publishes every sale price in England and Wales, and Homeflit's area pages show recent sales for every postcode district.
Compare like with like: the same type of home, a similar size, and sales from the last year or two. If you want a professional view, a RICS surveyor can value your home for a fee.
Let buyers find you
On Homeflit you can list free and anonymously. Buyers see your home at postcode level, never your name or address, and make offers straight to you. You can also tell friends and neighbours, or put a notice up locally.
Good photos and a clear description make the biggest difference. Take photos in daylight, tidy first, and mention what buyers ask about: the number of bedrooms, the garden, parking, and the council tax band.
Viewings
- Agree a time in advance, and only share the full address once you are happy to proceed with that buyer.
- Have someone else at home with you if you can.
- Ask whether the buyer has a mortgage agreement in principle or the funds ready. On Homeflit, buyers can show a Funds checked badge.
Offers and agreeing a sale
You do not have to accept the first offer, or any offer. When you agree a price, the sale is "subject to contract": in England and Wales nobody is legally bound until contracts are exchanged, and in Scotland until missives are concluded.
Once you agree, write down the price, what is included (for example curtains or appliances), and both solicitors' details, and send it to both solicitors.
Instruct a solicitor or conveyancer
Your solicitor prepares the contract, answers the buyer's legal questions, and handles the money on completion. You will fill in property information forms about the home. Never accept money directly from a buyer: deposits and the purchase price go through solicitors only.
List your home free, without your name or address
Claim your home in a couple of minutes, prove you own it, and let serious buyers make offers straight to you.
General information, not legal or financial advice. For your own situation, ask a solicitor, conveyancer or adviser.