Selling guide · 10 min read
Selling a house in the UK — step-by-step timeline and real costs
Most sales take three to five months from accepting an offer to completion. Knowing the order of events — and what each stage costs — is the difference between a sale that drifts and one that lands.
Last verified 6 September 2026 against HMRC and GOV.UK publications.
On this page
How long does it take to sell a house?
Marketing to accepted offer varies enormously with the market. From accepted offer to completion, three to five months is typical, longer in a chain.
1. Decide and prepare
Gather the title, certificates, guarantees and planning consents before you list. Missing paperwork is the most common cause of delay.
2. Price it on evidence
Set the asking price from recorded sales on your street, indexed to today, not from the highest agent valuation.
3. Instruct an agent and a conveyancer
Instructing the solicitor at the same time as the agent saves two to three weeks later.
4. Market and receive offers
Ask the agent to confirm the buyer's position — funds, mortgage in principle, chain length.
5. Memorandum of sale
The agent issues it to both solicitors and the legal process begins.
6. Enquiries and searches
The buyer's solicitor raises enquiries and orders local authority, drainage and environmental searches. This is the longest stage.
7. Survey and mortgage offer
The buyer's lender values the property. A down-valuation can reopen the price.
8. Exchange of contracts
The date is fixed and the sale becomes legally binding. The deposit is paid.
9. Completion
Money moves, keys are handed over, and the transfer is sent for registration.
10. Report the tax
If Capital Gains Tax is due, report and pay within 60 days of completion.
What does it cost to sell?
| Cost | Typical basis | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Estate agent fee | Percentage of the sale price plus VAT | Sole agency is usually cheaper than multi-agency |
| Conveyancing | Fixed fee plus disbursements | Leasehold adds a management pack fee |
| Energy Performance Certificate | Fixed fee | Legally required before marketing |
| Mortgage exit or early repayment charge | Set by your lender | Check the redemption statement early |
| Removals | Quoted per job | Book once exchange is in sight |
| Capital Gains Tax | Only on non-main-home gains | Due within 60 days of completion |
What paperwork will a buyer ask for?
- Title register and title plan
- Property information form and fittings and contents form
- Energy Performance Certificate
- Gas safety and electrical certificates where they exist
- Building regulation completion certificates and planning permissions for any works
- FENSA or CERTASS certificates for replacement windows
- Guarantees for damp proofing, roofing or underpinning
- For leasehold: the lease, service charge accounts and the management pack
We list every document a buyer's solicitor will ask for and track what you still need.
Build my sale pack →What causes sales to fall through?
- Missing consents for past building work
- A down-valuation by the buyer's lender
- Chain collapse further down the line
- Slow responses to enquiries
- Unexpected findings in the survey or the searches
In summary
- Prepare the paperwork before you list — it is the biggest time saver.
- Price from recorded sales, not from the highest valuation you are offered.
- Exchange, not offer acceptance, is the binding moment.
- Budget for the tax as well as the fees.
Frequently asked questions
How long does selling a house take?
Typically three to five months from accepted offer to completion, plus however long marketing takes.
Do I need an EPC to sell?
Yes. A valid Energy Performance Certificate must be commissioned before the property is marketed.
When is the sale legally binding?
At exchange of contracts, not at acceptance of the offer.
Can I sell without an estate agent?
Yes, but you must still provide an EPC, complete the property forms and instruct a conveyancer.
What is the memorandum of sale?
The agent's note to both solicitors confirming the agreed price, the parties and the chain — it starts the legal process.
Who pays the estate agent?
The seller, normally on completion out of the sale proceeds.
What happens if the survey comes back low?
The buyer may ask to renegotiate. You can hold firm, split the difference, or remarket — recorded comparable sales are your evidence.
Do I have to declare problems with the property?
You must answer the property information form honestly. Concealing a known defect can lead to a claim after completion.
Need to work out your own numbers?
Everything a buyer's solicitor will ask for, tracked in one place.
Start my sale pack →Official sources
Every figure in this guide is transcribed from these published pages. Always confirm against the source before filing or signing anything.
- How to sell your home — GOV.UK
- Energy certificates when selling — GOV.UK
- Report and pay CGT on UK property — GOV.UK
Guidance only. mypropclear explains published rules and how they apply to figures you provide — it is not personalised tax or legal advice.