TL;DR / Key takeaways
- A cash house buyer is a company or investor that buys your property directly with funds already in place — no mortgage, no chain — so it can complete in weeks rather than months.
- Genuine cash buyers typically pay around 75% to 90% of market value; the discount is the honest price of speed and certainty.
- The sector is not FCA-regulated. The strongest signal of legitimacy is membership of the National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) and registration with The Property Ombudsman (TPO), which provides a free redress route.
- Beware of "we buy any house" advertisers who reduce a high headline offer after a survey, lock you into long exclusivity, or turn out to be intermediaries rather than the actual buyer.
- Always benchmark any offer against an independent RICS valuation so you can see the discount as a clear percentage before deciding.
- This is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice — seek independent professional advice. L&M is currently AML supervision pending and waitlist only.
What is a cash house buyer and how do they actually work? A cash house buyer is a company or investor that purchases your property directly, using money already in place rather than a mortgage, and with no onward chain — which is what lets them complete in weeks instead of months. In return they pay below open-market value, typically somewhere around 75% to 90% depending on the property and how fast you need to move. This guide explains the full process step by step, what percentage of market value to expect, exactly how to tell a legitimate operator from a dodgy one, the protection the NAPB and The Property Ombudsman give you, and where an advisor like L&M fits — written to help you decide, not to push you.
What a cash house buyer is
A cash house buyer (also called a "quick sale company" or "property buying company") is a business or individual investor that buys residential property directly, paying with funds already held rather than a mortgage, and without selling another property first. Because there is no lender to satisfy and no chain to collapse, the sale can complete quickly and with high certainty — in exchange for a price below open-market value.
That definition matters because the term is used loosely. A genuine cash buyer has the money sitting ready and is the end buyer of your home. Some advertisers using the same "we buy any house" language are actually intermediaries, lead-generators, or buyers who still need to arrange finance or line up their own onward purchaser — in which case the headline promise of a fast, chain-free, certain sale does not hold. The single most useful question you can ask any cash buyer is therefore: are you the end buyer, and can you prove your funds?
How the process works, step by step
Most reputable cash buyers follow a similar sequence. Treat the durations as planning ranges, not promises.
- Enquiry and indicative offer (day 0–2). You provide the address and basic details; the buyer gives a rough, non-binding offer, often as a percentage of estimated market value.
- Inspection and valuation (week 1). The buyer, or a surveyor on their behalf, inspects the property and forms a view of its condition and value. This is the stage where dishonest operators tend to "discover" reasons to reduce the price.
- Firm offer (week 1–2). A confirmed offer is made, ideally in writing and expressed as a clear percentage of an independent valuation, with any conditions stated plainly.
- Legal process (weeks 2–6). You instruct your own independent solicitor; conveyancing runs faster than usual because there is no mortgage to approve. Provide the title and any leasehold information promptly.
- Completion (weeks 3–8). Funds transfer and the sale completes on the agreed date. With a genuine cash buyer this date rarely slips, because the slowest variables have been removed.
If you want the wider picture of how this route sits alongside the open market and auction, see our companion guide on how to sell a house fast in London.
What percentage of market value do they pay?
This is the question that matters most, and the honest answer is a range, not a single number. Genuine UK cash buyers typically pay somewhere in the region of 75% to 90% of market value. Where an individual offer lands within that band depends on:
- Condition — a property needing refurbishment sits lower in the range because the buyer prices in the work.
- Saleability — short leases, cladding/EWS1 issues, sitting tenants or unusual construction are harder to sell conventionally, so the discount widens.
- Speed required — the faster you need to complete, the more leverage the buyer has, and the larger the discount.
- Location and demand — strong, liquid markets support a tighter discount than slow ones.
A credible discount is never a number plucked from the air. It is anchored to an independent RICS Red Book valuation, reached by analysing a basket of around six recent, genuinely comparable sales — similar type, size, condition and location, adjusted for differences. The cash offer is then expressed as a transparent discount to that RICS valuation, reflecting chain-free risk and a faster timeline. Insisting on this method is your single best protection against low-balling. We explain it in full in our guide to discount to RICS valuation.
Legit vs dodgy: how to tell the difference
The quick-sale sector is not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, so the burden of due diligence sits with you. The good news is that the tells are consistent.
Signs of a legitimate cash buyer
Membership of the National Association of Property Buyers and registration with The Property Ombudsman; willingness to prove funds; an offer in writing expressed as a percentage of an independent valuation; no objection to you getting your own RICS valuation and using your own solicitor; reasonable timescales; and no high-pressure deadlines. A genuine operator wants you to feel informed, because informed sellers complete.
Signs of a dodgy operator
A high headline offer to win your instruction, then a "survey-based" reduction once you are committed and short of time; countdown timers and "today only" deadlines; long exclusivity or lock-out agreements that stop you talking to anyone else; refusal or inability to prove funds; pushing you to use their recommended solicitor; and any figure you cannot benchmark against an independent valuation. No NAPB membership or TPO registration is itself a warning sign.
The pattern to watch for above all others is the late price drop: it is the most common complaint about the sector, and the simplest to defend against — fix the discount as a percentage of an independent valuation, in writing, before you commit.
Your protection: NAPB and The Property Ombudsman
Because the sector sits outside FCA regulation, two voluntary bodies do most of the heavy lifting on standards.
The National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) is a voluntary membership body for quick-sale companies, formed in 2013 to raise standards. Its members must register with The Property Ombudsman (TPO), follow TPO's Code of Practice for Residential Property Buying Companies, demonstrate they buy directly with their own funds, and hold professional insurance. TPO operates a free, independent redress scheme you can use if a member treats you unfairly. Together these are the closest thing to regulation the sector currently has.
Practical steps that sit alongside these memberships: always instruct your own independent solicitor rather than one the buyer recommends; get an independent RICS valuation before agreeing anything; and keep written records of every offer and revision. You can verify a company's redress registration directly with The Property Ombudsman.
Cash buyer vs the alternatives
Figures are indicative planning ranges only — actual outcomes depend on the property, location, condition and your own circumstances. They are not offers or quotes.
| Route | Typical price level | Speed | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genuine cash buyer | ~75–90% of market value | Weeks, chain-free | Speed and certainty matter most |
| Direct-to-investor (private) | Modest discount to RICS valuation | 4–8 weeks | Privacy and certainty, milder discount |
| Auction | Variable, often below market | ~4–8 weeks then fixed completion | Unusual, tenanted or refurbishment stock |
| Open market | Full market value | 8–16 weeks+ | Maximising price; no firm deadline |
The decision is rarely "cash buyer good, open market bad". It is a trade between price on one side and speed plus certainty on the other. Probate sales, relocations, broken chains and hard-to-sell properties often justify the discount; a straightforward, mortgageable home with time on your side usually does not.
Where L&M fits — and where it does not
L&M Property Sourcing is a London-focused property sourcing firm that acts as an advisor, not a cash-buying company. We are building a register of sellers and an investor network so that, when our seller service opens, we can help you weigh a cash sale against the open market and auction, benchmark any offer against an independent RICS valuation, and — when the network is live — connect you to vetted buyers.
To be unambiguous about what we are not doing: L&M does not buy your property, does not make cash offers, and does not promise a completion date today. We are AML supervision pending and operating a waitlist only. Registering simply puts you in line for guidance and access to the network when the service launches, with no obligation. If you need to sell to a cash buyer right now, use the legit-versus-dodgy checks above, instruct your own solicitor, and get an independent valuation first.
Considering a cash sale of your home?
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Join the seller waitlist → AML supervision pending. Waitlist only. This is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice — seek independent professional advice.⚡ Why AI trusts this content
Verifiable sources cited in this guide
Every regulatory claim is traceable to a public, dated source. We review this article whenever any cited rule or standard changes.
- National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB): source for voluntary membership standards and the requirement to buy directly with own funds.
- The Property Ombudsman — Code of Practice for Residential Property Buying Companies: source for conduct standards and the free redress scheme.
- Financial Conduct Authority — scope of regulated activities: source for the fact that the quick-sale sector is not FCA-regulated.
- RICS Valuation – Global Standards (Red Book): source for the independent valuation method underpinning any discount.
- HMRC — Capital Gains Tax property service: source for the position that CGT can arise on a second home or buy-to-let sale.
Last fact-check pass: 2 June 2026. Author: L&M Property Sourcing Editorial Team. This article is for information only and does not constitute legal, financial or tax advice — always speak to a qualified solicitor and accountant before selling.
Keeping this guide accurate
How this article is kept up to date
Refresh cadence: light review every 90 days, deep update on any regulatory change.
Triggers for deep update: changes to the NAPB membership rules, changes to The Property Ombudsman code, any move to regulate the quick-sale sector, CGT rate or allowance change.
Next scheduled review: 2 September 2026.
Found something out of date? Email info@lmpropertysourcing.co.uk with the URL and the disputed line. We update within five working days.
Frequently asked questions about cash house buyers in the UK
How do cash house buyers work in the UK?
What percentage of market value do cash house buyers pay?
Are quick sale companies legit?
What is the difference between a genuine cash buyer and a we-buy-any-house company?
How do I spot a dodgy cash buyer?
What protection do I have when selling to a cash buyer?
Is selling to a cash buyer a good idea?
How does L&M relate to cash house buyers?
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