Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How long does the process take?
A. Very quick - even matter of days. We work to your circumstances and time scales.

In most cases we are able to make a cash offer within 24 hours and contracts can be exchanged within 14 days. But if you want to complete the sale quicker or want to delay it for any reason then we can organise the whole process to your requirements. You can learn all about our process here.

Q. How quickly can I get the money?
Money is released by your solicitor as soon as the transaction is complete.

Q. How confidential is the whole process?
We keep it completely confidential. There is no incentive for us to disclose any of your information to any one else. There will never be a 'For Sale' sign outside your house. No one, not even your neighbours, need to know about the sale.

Q. I need to sell my house but I don't want to move. Is it possible?
Of course it is. You can use our "sell-and-rent-back" option. This simply means that as soon as we complete the purchase of your property, you rent it straight back. Therefore, you don't have to move out at all. (See a seperate section on this below)

Q. How quickly do I need to accept your offer?
We honour the price offered for 1 month. If house prices have been stable then we will continue to offer the original price. 

Q. What types of properties do you buy? 
We buy all sorts of properties. They will generally have some built-in equity. Properties can be in any area and in any condition. If your property is one of the following then we are interested:

• Flats
• Maisonettes
• Terraced houses
• Semi-detached houses
• Detached houses
• Ex-Local Authority properties
• Property in need of refurbishment
• Property that has been on the market for a long time

Q. Where do you buy property?
We buy properties in all parts of UK (except N Ireland).

Q. How much will it really cost me to sell the property to you?
Absolutely nothing. We can even pay your legal and other costs (within reason). Therefore there are no costs to you. By selling to us you even save on Estate Agency fees. Ask us for details.

Q. How much will you offer for my property? Will you pay me the market value?
We will offer competitive trade prices. They are discounted to the true market value.

As you probably know, a number of factors influence how much a property is worth. They are: condition of the property, location, property’s inherent appeal, whether or not a fast purchase is required, market conditions... and so on.

Estate agents have a tendency to suggest the asking price of properties to be far more than what they are really worth. There are 2 reasons for this:

• Some people have an inflated view of the worth of their own home, and estate agents do not want to dispel that at the time of valuation.
• By giving a higher valuation, agents are more likely to get the business (and earn FAT commission). However how much the house will actually sell for is an entirely different story.

At Instant Angels we calculate the true market valuation using actual comparable sales information in your area (i.e. the actual prices paid for similar properties and not the asking prices). We then present this information to you. We shall also explain the basis of our assessment. And then it is for you, and you alone, to decide whether you want to proceed or not. You are under no obligation to accept our offer.

Q. Do I need to appoint my own solicitor?
Yes. If you do not already have a good solicitor then we can recommend one to work for you. We can even pay your solicitor's fee too (ask us for details).

Q. Do you only cater for quick sales?
Absolutely not. We can arrange to buy the property in line with your plans. We are completely flexible on this point.

Q. Do I need to undertake any refurbishment work before you will purchase my home?
This is not necessary. We are able to source appropriate tradesmen to carry out any necessary refurbishment works after we have purchased the property from you.

Q. What will you do with my property if I decide to sell it to you?
After any necessary refurbishments, we will either rent the house or sell it on. This decision is based on demand in the market and is made strictly on commercial basis.

Q. Will my estate agent mind me selling direct to you?
He certainly wouldn't be too happy. His main reason for objection will be the loss of commission (usually 2.5% + VAT which can be as high as £4400 on a £150,000 property). By selling the property to us direct you could keep this money yourself.   

Remeber: It is your property and you have the right to sell it direct.

But please note: If you have already instructed an estate agent to sell the property and signed a contract then it is best to check any terms. Some agents may still try to claim a fee depending on the exact terms. Generally speaking if the agent is not your sole agency then you might be ok. But in any case it is best to clarify.

Q. I have received a valuation from you but I do not want to sell today?
That is OK. Just keep us in mind for the future because we could be your 'stand by' option!  We can offer a variety of purchase options including delaying the exchange and completion dates to suit your circumstances.

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Rent Back Option

Q. How much will it cost me to sell the house to rent back?
Nothing.  We will even pay for your solicitor fees.  There will be no Estate Agent's fees or surveyor's fees. There is more information on this in the section above.

Q. How long can I rent the property back for?
You can rent the property back on a long term basis if you like.

Q. How much rent will I be paying if I rent back?
We usually offer favourable rates. We will make sure that your affordability is taken into consideration. We take the view that there is no point you selling the property if it does not make your life any easier afterwards.

Q. Is there a deposit payable when renting back?
Yes. Normal tenancy arrangements apply. Your deposit is paid into government-authorised tenant deposit protection scheme. You can access your tenancy details online. We take these safeguards to ensure that your deposit money is safe. 

Q. When is the rent payable?
We require the rent to be paid monthly in advance. However if your rent is paid by Housing Benefit then we folllow their rules.

Q. What kind of a tenancy agreement will be used?
We use the same tenancy agreement used by most letting agents. It is called Assured Shorthold Tenancy (AST) agreement. Even though you can rent back for typically long term, the tenancy agreement will be renewed every year (minimum term is 6 months). This allows you maximum flexibility.

Q. Do you rent back to Housing Benefit tenants?
Yes!  We have no problem renting back to you if you are claiming income support as long as the Housing Benefit Department is happy with this arrangement.  Every council is different and we advise you to check with your council directly first.

Q. Would the rent increase over time?
We will fix the rent for the first year of the tenancy (longer if required to accomodate YOU). Eventually rent will increase in line with the market rent inflation.

Q. What are the costs to me for being a tenant?
Apart from the monthly rent, it will not cost you any more - as long as you take good care of the house. However you must pay your own household bills, e.g. gas, electricity, council tax etc, as applicable.

We will take care of Building Insurance (not content insurance). We will also cover the cost of servicing the boiler and heating system in the property. If the property is leasehold (e.g. flat) then we will also take care of service charges and ground rent.

However, as we offer flexible long term rent-back option, we expect our tenants to take care of minor repairs.

Q. How about the furniture?
We only buy the property, not furniture. The furniture in the property remains yours. We do not rent the property back as a furnished property either.

In other words, we are buying the property from you without the movable furniture and renting it back to you unfurnished.

NOTE: Do you still have questions that are not answered above? Call us FREE on 0800 612 9543.  You can also Email us.

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Next: Rent Back or Buy Back