If you've searched "sell my house fast," you've seen the adverts: guaranteed offers, cash in seven days, no chains, no fees. What most of those adverts don't put in the headline is how much less than market value you'll actually receive.
Here's the honest breakdown.
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Build My Free Plan →Quick sale companies typically offer 70–85% of market value. On a £250,000 house, that's a discount of somewhere between £37,500 and £75,000.
That's not a hidden fee buried in small print — it's the entire business model. These companies buy at a discount, then sell on (often to a landlord or investor) at closer to market value. The gap is their margin.
Some firms advertise "up to 100% of market value." In practice, that figure is rarely what gets offered once a surveyor has actually valued the property — initial estimates get revised down, sometimes significantly, once the formal offer stage is reached.
A genuine cash buyer is taking on real risk and cost in exchange for speed:
None of that makes the discount a scam. It makes it a trade-off, and the size of that trade-off is the thing most adverts don't lead with.
This is worth knowing before you sign anything. Quick house sale companies are not required to be regulated in the way an estate agent or solicitor is.
There is a National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) and an associated ombudsman scheme, but membership is voluntary, not a legal requirement. Firms can operate — and advertise heavily — without belonging to either.
If something goes wrong, the redress available is often modest. Ombudsman awards in this sector have historically been in the low hundreds of pounds, which is a small remedy against a discount that can run into tens of thousands.
Before using any quick sale company, check: Are they a member of the NAPB? Is their offer genuinely guaranteed in writing, or is it "subject to survey" with no cap on how far it can be revised down? Do they charge any fees on top of the discounted price? (Some do, on top of the below-market offer.)
This isn't a sector to dismiss outright. For some situations, the trade-off is the right one:
If speed and certainty matter more to you than maximising price, a quick sale company can solve a real problem. The key is going in with accurate expectations about the number, not the one in the advert.
| Route | Typical timeline | What you receive | Certainty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open market (estate agent) | 3–6 months+ | ~95–100% of market value, minus agent fees | Can fall through |
| Auction | 4–8 weeks | Often below market value, but transparent bidding | High, once bid accepted |
| Quick sale company | 7–28 days | 70–85% of market value | Very high |
There's no universally "right" choice here — only the right choice for your circumstances and your timeline.
If a "we buy any house" advert is tempting you, run the numbers before you enquire. Ask directly: what percentage of market value is this, and is that figure guaranteed or subject to revision? A company confident in its offer will answer both questions plainly.
For anyone earlier in the process — comparing routes, working out a realistic timeline, or just trying to keep track of everything a sale involves — BandBack Move's free checklist is built around exactly where you are, whatever route you end up choosing.
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