📝 TL;DR
Selling a house at auction gives you a fixed date and, with a traditional auction, a binding sale when the hammer falls. You pay entry and legal pack fees up front and commission if it sells, and roughly one lot in three does not sell on the day, so compare the costs and alternatives before you commit.
If you are asking, “should I auction my house?”, you are probably weighing up speed and certainty against the price you might achieve. Auction can work well for the right property, but it pays to understand the process, the fees and what happens if it does not sell before you sign with an auctioneer.
This guide explains how to sell a house at auction in the UK, what it typically costs, the difference between a traditional and a modern auction, and the alternatives if certainty matters more to you than testing the market. For a fuller breakdown of charges, see our guide to what auction houses charge the seller.
Selling a house by auction usually takes around six weeks from instruction to auction day, because the property needs to be listed in the auction catalogue and marketed to bidders first (Unbiased).
Auction gives you a fixed date and a sale that is binding at exchange, which avoids months of chain delays and buyers pulling out late. It also reaches investors and developers who are used to buying properties that need work.
Properties that commonly go to auction include repossessions, probate properties, homes in poor structural condition, properties with short leases or title issues, development plots and empty homes that have struggled on the open market.
The trade-off is price and cost. Guide prices are usually set low to attract interest, and you pay several fees whether or not the property sells. If you are still deciding, our guide to selling a house at auction versus a private sale and our list of the pros and cons of selling your house at auction go into more detail. If your property needs significant work, you may also find our guide to selling a house in poor condition useful.
The guide price is the public figure used to attract interest. It gives bidders an idea of where the price may land, but it is not the minimum you have agreed to accept.
The reserve price is the confidential minimum you will accept, agreed between you and the auctioneer. If bidding does not reach it, the property does not sell.
This matters because a low guide price can bring in more bidders without guaranteeing a sale at that figure. Set a reserve you would genuinely be happy to accept on the day.
Auction fees vary between auctioneers, so always read the terms before you sign. Typical seller costs are:
| Cost | Typical amount | When you pay |
|---|---|---|
| Entry or listing fee | A few hundred to a few thousand pounds (Unbiased) | Up front, even if it does not sell |
| Legal pack | From around £390 including VAT with some auctioneers (SDL Auctions), more if your solicitor prepares it | Before the auction |
| Auctioneer commission | Around 2% to 4% plus VAT of the sale price (Unbiased) | Only if it sells |
| Unsold or withdrawal fee | Charged by some auctioneers | If it does not sell or you withdraw |
| Your own conveyancing | Varies by solicitor | On completion |
Example: on a house that sells for £150,000 with 2.5% commission plus VAT, the commission alone is £4,500. Add a £500 entry fee and a £500 legal pack and you are looking at around £5,500 before your own conveyancing. These are illustrative figures, so check your auctioneer’s actual terms.
The key point is that some of these costs are paid before you know whether the property will sell. Use the calculator below to work through the figures for your own situation.
Not every lot sells. Unbiased reported a 65.5% auction success rate for July 2026 (Unbiased), so roughly one property in three did not sell on the day.
If bidding does not reach your reserve, the lot is passed as unsold. You still own the property and may already have paid the entry fee and legal pack costs. You can then:
It is worth deciding what you would do in that situation before auction day rather than assuming the property is guaranteed to sell.
There is no easier way to sell a house today.
In a traditional auction, the sale becomes legally binding when the hammer falls. The buyer pays a 10% deposit straight away and normally completes within 28 days, and cannot simply walk away once the hammer has fallen.
The modern method of auction works differently. The winning bidder pays a non-refundable reservation fee rather than exchanging on the day, then has 28 days to exchange and a further 28 days to complete, 56 days in total. The buyer is not legally bound until exchange, and because they pay the reservation fee, some may bid lower to allow for it (HomeOwners Alliance).
If you are comparing online auctions or different auction providers, ask exactly when the buyer becomes legally committed and what happens if they pull out.
Yes. Probate properties are commonly sold at auction, particularly when executors want a clear timetable for dealing with the estate.
The downside is that the estate may already be paying council tax, insurance, utility bills and maintenance while the property is empty. If the reserve is not met, auction fees add to those costs without completing the sale. If you are dealing with a property after a bereavement, our guide to selling an inherited house explains the other options available.
The following is an illustration rather than a real customer, but it shows how the costs can add up.
An executor puts an inherited terrace into auction with a guide price of £125,000 and a reserve of £140,000. They pay a £500 entry fee and £500 for the legal pack. Bidding stops at £128,000, below the reserve, so the property does not sell. The executor has spent £1,000, still owns an empty house and is still paying council tax and insurance while they decide what to do next.
At that point the options are to accept a lower reserve at the next auction, go back to an estate agent, or compare a direct offer.
Auction and a direct cash sale solve different problems. Auction lets the market bid on a set date, while a cash buyer gives you a direct offer without putting the property through a public auction.
Auction may suit you if:
A direct cash sale may suit you if:
If you want to compare the alternative in more detail, read our guide to selling your house for cash.
| Method of sale | Value achieved | Fees | Timeframe | Is sale guaranteed? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estate agents | 90–95% | 1–5% | 3–6 months | No – one in three sales collapse |
| Auctioneers | 70–80% | 2% plus | 2–3 months | No – half of properties don’t sell |
| Property Saviour | 70–80% | £0 | 10–28 days | Yes – 99% success rate |
If you decide not to auction and speak to a cash buyer instead, check the company before accepting an offer. Look at its Companies House record, ask for proof of funds and make sure you understand who is actually buying the property. Our guide to identifying a genuine cash house buyer gives you a fuller checklist.
Property Saviour buys directly rather than putting your home into an auction. The cash purchase is based on 70% of a realistic open market valuation, with the difference covering legal costs, holding costs, stamp duty, resale costs and gross profit before tax.
You do not pay auction entry or legal pack fees for a direct purchase. You can use your own solicitor, choose a completion date that suits you, and Property Saviour contributes £1,500 towards your legal fees.
It is not the right route for every seller. If achieving the highest possible price is your main goal and you have time to wait, selling on the open market or testing the property at auction may be more suitable. If certainty matters more, a direct cash offer gives you another option to compare. You can also read our seller success stories to see how other homeowners have handled difficult sales.
Allow around six weeks from instructing an auctioneer to auction day. With a traditional auction, the buyer then usually completes within 28 days. With the modern method of auction, exchange and completion can take up to 56 days after the auction.
The seller usually pays the entry fee, legal pack and commission. Buyers may pay their own fees set by the auctioneer and, with the modern method of auction, a reservation fee. Our guide to auction fees for sellers covers this in full.
Usually yes before auction day, but some auctioneers charge a withdrawal fee and you may have already paid for the legal pack. Check the terms before you sign, and see our guide to withdrawing a property from auction for the details.
It can be if your property is likely to attract several bidders and you are comfortable with the fees and the risk of it not selling. If certainty and a known figure matter more, compare it with an estate agent sale and a direct cash offer first.
Auctioning a house can be a sensible option if the property is likely to attract competitive bidding and you are comfortable with the fees and the risk of the reserve not being met.
Before you decide, compare the likely auction costs, choose a realistic reserve price and think about what you would do if the property did not sell. The auction fees calculator above can help you work through the numbers.
If you would rather compare auction with a direct cash purchase, request a callback from Property Saviour. There is no obligation to proceed, so you can look at the options before deciding how you want to sell.
Whether you’re facing a tricky sale, navigating probate, or simply looking to sell fast without hassle, you’re in the right place. Our blog is packed with practical advice, expert insights, and real-life tips to help homeowners, landlords, and executors across England, Scotland and Wales make informed decisions — whatever the condition of their property.
