Do auction houses charge the seller? Yes. Entry fees of £300-700 plus VAT whether it sells or not. Then 1.5-3% commission plus VAT if it does sell. And you’re locked into their contract for weeks even if it doesn’t.
Over 42,000 residential properties went to auction in the UK last year. Property auctioneers collected over £285 million in fees. That’s £285 million from sellers, successful or not. Most auctioneers won’t tell you this clearly: the entry fee is non-refundable.
Legal pack costs are non-refundable. EPC costs are non-refundable. Property doesn’t sell? You’ve still paid £700-1,500. That’s the trap nobody explains until you’ve signed the contract.
Forget the glossy brochures. Here’s what you actually pay.
Total upfront: £700-1,920 before the auction even happens.
Nobody explains this clearly when you’re desperate to sell inherited property. They show you the packed auction room. The excitement. The “competitive bidding.” Never the itemised bill.
Yes. But not all of them.
The upfront costs are gone whether it sells or not. Entry fee: paid and lost. Legal pack: paid and lost. EPC: paid and lost. Photos: paid and lost. That’s £700-1,920 you’ll never see again.
The commission (1.5-3%) only gets charged if it sells. Similar to estate agents. But unlike estate agents, you’ve already paid £700-1,920 just to enter.
And here’s what the small print doesn’t shout about: you’re tied into that contract for 4-8 weeks minimum even if it doesn’t sell. Can’t list with estate agents. Can’t accept private offers. Can’t sell to cash buyers. You’re stuck waiting whilst bills pile up.
The basic fees are just the start. Here comes more bleeding.
Some auction houses offer to “defer” the entry fee until after sale. Sounds generous. They just charge you more for the privilege (£400-500 instead of £300).
You’re still paying £400-1,200 in truly upfront costs before anything gets deferred. Add it up honestly.
Auctioneers say “quick sale.” That’s marketing speak for something else entirely.
Here’s the actual timeline:
Total: 12-16 weeks minimum. That’s 3-4 months. Not the “fast sale” they advertise. And you’re paying bills the entire time whilst you wait.
Property Saviour gives you an offer in 48 hours. Completion in 7-28 days after probate. You choose the date. That’s actual speed.
| Method of Sale | Upfront Costs (Non-Refundable) | Success Fee (Only If Sells) | Time to Auction/Sale | Total Timeline | If It Doesn’t Sell |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property Auction | £700-1,920 | 1.5-3% + VAT | 8-12 weeks | 12-16 weeks | Lost £700-1,920 + tied in for 4-8 weeks |
| Estate Agent | £0-500 | 1-3% (only if sells) | N/A | 16-24 weeks | You pay nothing, leave anytime |
| Property Saviour | £0 | £0 | 48 hours | 1-4 weeks | Not applicable (guaranteed) |
Estate agents take longer but charge nothing if they don’t sell. Auctions take your money regardless.
You sign the auction contract thinking “if it doesn’t sell, I’ll just try something else.” Wrong.
The small print ties you in for 4-8 weeks AFTER the auction fails. During that period, you can’t sell the property to anyone else. You can’t accept offers. You can’t list with estate agents. You’re contractually blocked whilst still paying all the bills.
Why? The auction house wants “exclusive marketing rights” to find a buyer privately after auction. They take another commission if they do. You’re stuck waiting whilst they half-heartedly send emails to their database.
Read that contract before you sign. Most sellers don’t. They discover the trap when a cash buyer offers them a guaranteed sale and their solicitor says “you’re still under contract for another 6 weeks.”
You’ve paid £1,200 in prep costs upfront. Auction day arrives. Bidding stops at £240,000. Your reserve was £275,000.
Property doesn’t sell. You’ve lost £1,200. The commission doesn’t apply (at least there’s that). You start again from zero. Except now everyone knows it failed at auction. That kills your negotiating position for months.
Auctioneers will pressure you to accept the highest bid anyway. “It’s only £35,000 less. Better than nothing.” Easy for them to say. They’ve already collected their entry fee.
And you’re locked into their contract for another 4-8 weeks. Can’t move forward. Can’t accept other offers. Just stuck bleeding money on bills.
They “advise” you. Which means pressure you into accepting less.
Here’s why: Their upfront fees are guaranteed regardless. Their commission depends on a sale happening. They want the property to sell because happy sellers bring more properties. So they push for low reserves relentlessly.
“The market’s soft right now.” “Better to be realistic.” “You can always accept higher bids.” All designed to get you to drop your reserve by £20,000-40,000.
You set a reserve of £320,000 on a property worth £340,000. It sells for £325,000. You think you did well. You didn’t. It was worth more. They just convinced you otherwise.
There is no easier way to sell a house today.
Janet inherited her mother’s house in Telford. Worth £380,000 according to three estate agent valuations. She wanted a quick sale to sell inherited house without hassle. Contacted an auction house.
They valued it at £340,000-360,000. “Market’s tough. Be realistic.” She set reserve at £345,000. Paid £750 upfront in legal pack, photos, and entry fee. Signed the contract.
Auction day: Property sold for £348,000. Janet was relieved. Then she did the maths.
Sale price: £348,000. Minus auction commission (2.5%): £8,700. Minus VAT on commission: £1,740. Minus upfront costs already paid: £750. Minus solicitor fees: £1,200. Net received: £335,610.
If she’d called Property Saviour: 70% of realistic £380,000 equals £266,000. Plus our £1,500 legal contribution. Net: £267,500.
Wait. Auction gave her more? Look closer. She could’ve got £380,000 with an estate agent. Minus 2% fees (£7,600). Minus bills for 6 months (£2,000). Net: £370,400.
The auction convinced her to accept £32,000 less than realistic value. Then charged her £11,190 in total fees. She lost £34,790 compared to waiting for an estate agent. Because they set the narrative. They set the reserve. They controlled the outcome.
Rarely. Very specific situations only.
Properties that WON’T sell through estate agents:
Everything else? Auctions are expensive and risky. You’re gambling £1,000-2,000 upfront on a method of sale that might not work whilst being locked into a contract that prevents you exploring other options.
Here’s what auctioneers won’t tell you: we buy those problem properties too – subsidence, structural issues, tenanted, legal disputes, all of it – with zero upfront fees and a guaranteed completion. Request a call back now and discover you never needed to gamble on an auction in the first place.
Estate agents don’t charge upfront. Only if they sell. That’s massively better than auctions immediately.
But here’s what they don’t guarantee:
You pay 1-3% commission only if it sells. On £300,000, that’s £3,000-9,000. Plus you’re paying bills for 4-6 months minimum (£1,200-2,400). Plus risk of buyers pulling out and starting again from scratch.
Estate agents are cheaper than auctions. But slower. And uncertain. No guarantees whatsoever on any outcome. At least you can leave whenever you want without losing £1,500.
We’re completely transparent. Here’s exactly where the 30% goes.
That’s the reality of buying with cash and reselling later. No secrets. Just honest maths.
Countless families have sold to us. Real completions. Real money transferred. Check our genuine success stories.
Compare honestly:
Auction on £300,000 property: Sale at reduced reserve: £280,000 (they pressured you down). Minus commission (2%): £5,600. Minus VAT: £1,120. Minus upfront costs: £900. Minus solicitor: £1,200. Net received: £271,180.
Property Saviour on £300,000 property: Our offer (70%): £210,000. Plus legal contribution: £1,500. No other fees. Net received: £211,500.
Gap is only £59,680. But you waited 12 weeks for auction. Paid £7,820 in total fees. Gambled on whether it would sell. Got locked into a contract. Accepted a reduced reserve because they pressured you constantly.
With us? Certainty in 48 hours. Your choice on completion. Zero fees. Zero gambling. Zero lock-in. Zero regrets.
You listed with an estate agent. Waited 4 months. Three buyers pulled out. Now you’re stuck watching your property sit online with “price reduced” stamped across it.
Here’s where our expertise comes in: We give you a cash advance right now whilst your property is still listed. We then use our skills, expertise and contacts to help you achieve the best price possible with new estate agent.
Our network includes property professionals, builders, investors, and serious buyers. We know how to position properties. We know how to handle negotiations. We step in with real expertise when your estate agent’s weekly “any feedback?” emails aren’t working.
If it sells on the open market for more than our guaranteed offer? Perfect. Keep every penny of the difference. We’re genuinely pleased you got there.
If it still doesn’t sell after 120 days even with our help? We complete at our guaranteed price. You’ve lost nothing. We showed commitment with real cash upfront whilst using our knowledge to give you every chance of a better outcome.
No auction house offers this. No estate agent offers this. We buy any house, but when yours isn’t selling, we’ll use our expertise to help you sell it before you accept our offer. That’s backing up words with actual money and real skills.
Companies House. Free website. Takes 3 minutes of your time.
Liar cash buyers show 10-15 charges registered. They’re borrowing against every property they buy. They need lender approval for every purchase. Offers get reduced after “valuations.” Completions get delayed indefinitely. Excuses multiply weekly.
Look us up on Companies House right now. No string of charges. We use our own funds. We complete when promised. No waiting for anyone’s approval or permission.
Don’t sign anything until you’ve asked these questions directly.
Most sellers never ask these questions. They sign based on promises. They regret it within weeks. You’re smarter than that.
Even if you’ve signed, you have options. Act fast.
Even if you’re committed, knowing your options reduces stress massively. We’ve bought properties that failed at auction. Owners were relieved to finally escape the uncertainty and contract lock-in.
| 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 |
Auction buyers fall into three categories. None pay market value.
Property developers: Want it for 60-65% of value. Need profit margin for renovations and resale. They’re not paying market value. Ever.
Investors: Want rental yields above everything. Calculate based on rental income, not market value. Offer 65-75% maximum.
Cash buyers like us: Want it for 70-75%. Have immediate funds available. Complete quickly without complications.
Nobody at auction pays 90-95% of market value. That’s what estate agents achieve on the open market. Auctions attract buyers who want discounts. By choosing auction, you’ve already accepted 10-25% less than market value.
Then you pay auction fees on top of that reduced price. See the problem now?
Auctioneers advertise “78% success rate” or “82% of properties sold.” Sounds impressive. It’s completely massaged.
Here’s what they actually mean:
78% of properties that MADE IT TO AUCTION sold at some price. Properties withdrawn before auction because there was no interest? Don’t count. Never made it to the catalogue? Not counted. Pulled because the reserve was unrealistic? Not in the figures.
So that “78% success rate” conveniently ignores the 15-20% of properties that got withdrawn before auction day because nobody showed interest. The real success rate? Closer to 60-65% of all properties entered.
Even of that 78% that “sold” – many sold 20-40% below realistic value. Many sold below the original reserve after auctioneers pressured sellers to drop it. Many sold after the auction for reduced amounts. All counted as “successes.”
Properties that actually didn’t sell at auction and weren’t withdrawn beforehand? That’s still 22% who paid upfront fees, got nothing, and everyone knows they failed. That’s 1 in 5 sellers losing £700-1,500 for absolutely nothing.
Would you gamble £1,200 on an outcome where the success rate is massaged by excluding failures before they’re even counted? That’s worse than casino odds. At least casinos don’t manipulate their statistics.
Every month holding a property costs £180-350 in bills alone. Council tax doesn’t wait. Insurance doesn’t wait. Utilities don’t wait.
Auction timeline: 12 weeks minimum. That’s £650-1,300 in bills BEFORE the auction even happens. Then another 4 weeks to completion (£250-450 more). If it doesn’t sell, add 4-8 weeks lock-in (another £250-900). Total: £1,150-2,650 in bills.
Add the auction fees: £700-1,920 upfront plus £5,000-10,000 commission if it sells. Total cost of auctioning successfully: £6,700-14,570 including bills.
Property Saviour timeline: 48 hours for offer. Complete 1-4 weeks later. One month bills maximum: £250. No fees whatsoever. We contribute £1,500 towards your costs.
Speed isn’t about convenience. It’s about not bleeding money whilst you wait and hope.
Sometimes. Not often. Not much.
Auction houses have standard fee structures. They might drop commission from 3% to 2.5% if you push hard. On a £300,000 property, that saves you £1,500. Still leaves you paying £7,500 total.
They won’t negotiate the upfront costs. Legal pack preparation is compulsory. Photos are compulsory. EPC is compulsory. Entry fee is compulsory. Those fees are fixed regardless of negotiation.
Better question: Why negotiate a bad deal when you could get a guaranteed offer with zero fees and zero lock-in? Save your energy for things that actually matter.
They get relisted. Or withdrawn. Or sold privately afterwards at reduced prices. All whilst you’re locked into their contract.
If your property doesn’t sell, the auction house might offer to list it again at the next auction. Sometimes for a reduced fee. Sounds generous until you realise you’ve already paid £700-1,500 and they want another go at earning commission.
Most sellers don’t relist. They’ve lost £1,200. Lost 3 months. Spent 4-8 weeks locked into a useless contract. Lost faith in the process. They go to estate agents or cash buyers like us. They should’ve started there.
We’ve bought dozens of properties that failed at auction. Sellers are exhausted. Financially hurt. Emotionally drained. Ready for certainty. We provide that in 48 hours.
Auctions aren’t just financially risky. They’re emotionally draining, especially when selling inherited home after losing someone.
You’re watching strangers bid on your childhood home. Or your parents’ house. Or the property that holds memories you can’t put a price on. Then watching bidding stop £50,000 below what you need.
Estate agents drag it out for months. Viewings every weekend. Strangers walking through bedrooms criticising wallpaper your mother chose. Offers that fall through after surveys.
Property Saviour removes that emotional torture. One viewing. One offer. You decide. If yes, we complete when you’re ready. If no, you’ve lost nothing and gained clarity.
Sometimes peace of mind is worth more than squeezing every last pound. Nobody tells you that.
Auction houses aren’t evil. They’re businesses. They’ve designed a system that guarantees THEIR profit regardless of YOUR outcome.
You can gamble £1,200+ on an auction outcome you don’t control. Set reserves auctioneers pressure you to lower. Wait 12-16 weeks hoping buyers show up. Get locked into contracts for months even if it fails. Accept that real success rates are massaged by excluding pre-auction withdrawals.
Or you can request a call back from Property Saviour right now.
We’ll give you a guaranteed offer in 48 hours. You choose the completion date after probate. We contribute minimum £1,500 towards your legal fees. You use your own solicitor. Zero upfront costs. Zero auction gambling. Zero contract lock-in. Zero pressure from us.
Several families have chosen certainty over gambling. We complete when promised. With our own money. No lender approval needed. No auction fees. No disappointment.
Request a call back now. Get a guaranteed alternative to auction fees and uncertainty.
Stop gambling. Start planning. Get your guaranteed offer today.
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.
