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When you’re selling your property, it’s of vital importance to know who you’re working with.
This is our independent Gaffsy review of gaffsy.com itself.
In here, you’ll find everything you need to know about Gaffsy and whether you should trust them to sell your property quickly and whether they’ll give you an optimal price.
Expert Insight from Kelvin Elliott
Cash House Sale Expert, Property Sale Watchdog
To gain real insight into how these companies operate and the steps you should take for due diligence, we reached out to property expert and commentator Kelvin Elliott, founder of myhomebuyers.co.uk a highly reputable cash buying company with extensive experience in property purchases. Here’s what he had to say:
1. What are the biggest red flags homeowners should watch out for when dealing with cash house buyers?
The biggest red flag when dealing with a cash house buying company is if they make you an offer and then ask you to sign a contract. A genuine company should never require you to sign a contract before the sale is completed.
To put this into perspective, if a buyer made an offer through an estate agent, you wouldn’t sign a contract directly with them. The only contract you should be signing is the one your solicitor provides just before completion.
When selling to a company at a discount, you are paying a significant premium for their service, and it’s their responsibility to deliver on that service. If, at any point, you become dissatisfied, you should be free to walk away.
Many companies claim that if they change their offer, you can cancel without cost. However, they fail to mention that if they delay the process, you might still be bound by their contract and could face penalties for withdrawing. Some companies inflate their initial offer to win your business, only to drag out the sale and later reduce their offer when you’re already committed.
Bottom line: Never sign a contract with a cash house buying company. If you avoid this, you’re already 90% of the way to dealing with a legitimate company.
2. How can sellers verify that a cash house buying company truly has the funds to complete a purchase?
The first step is to check Companies House to review their balance sheet for assets and equity. A reputable company should have a strong financial position.
Secondly, if you find their formal offer acceptable, always request proof of funds before proceeding. A genuine company will have no issues providing this. If they hesitate, make excuses, or refuse to show proof, this is a major red flag, and you should walk away.
For context, when an estate agent receives an offer on a property, they always confirm proof of deposit/cash in the bank and, if needed, an up-to-date mortgage agreement. The same standard should apply to cash house buying companies—always verify their funds.
3. What common tactics do scam cash buyers use to manipulate sellers, and how can people avoid falling victim?
The two most common tactics used by unscrupulous companies are:
- Overinflating the initial offer – They make an offer much higher than they intend to pay, just to win your business. They then ask you to sign a one-sided contract. Later, at the last moment, they find an excuse to significantly reduce the offer, hoping that by this time, you are packed up and committed to moving, so you reluctantly accept the lower amount. Unfortunately, they never intended to pay the original offer from the start.
- Not actually buying the property themselves – Some companies don’t buy your property at all. Instead, they secure your property under contract and then try to sell it to a third party for a profit. If they fail to find a buyer, they lower their offer to you. Even if they do find a buyer, they essentially act as an estate agent, and the sale could still fall through. In many cases, they will simply list your property on Rightmove—something you could do yourself.
The good news: These companies will always ask you to sign a contract, so by refusing to sign one, you’re already protecting yourself from these scams.
4. How reliable are online reviews for assessing cash house buying companies, and what should sellers look for when reviewing them?
Online reviews can be an extremely useful tool when assessing a cash house buying company, but you need to know what to look for:
- Start by reading the 1-star reviews first. These will give you an honest picture of how the company treats its customers.
- Look for reviews from sellers who have actually completed a sale. Some companies push for positive reviews after just the initial phone call, which doesn’t reflect the full experience.
- Be cautious of manipulated reviews. Some companies remove bad reviews or artificially inflate their ratings.
- Check multiple platforms. Compare reviews on Google, Trustpilot, and independent forums to get a more accurate picture.
By focusing on verified customer experiences and completion reviews, you’ll get a much clearer idea of how the company actually operates.
5. What legal protections exist in the UK to safeguard homeowners from fraudulent or unethical cash house buyers?
Unfortunately, there is very little regulation in the cash house buying sector, and more protections are desperately needed.
The Property Ombudsman provides a redress scheme, but its powers are limited. While it can assist with complaints, it does not have the authority or power to prevent bad practices.
Since there are no strong legal protections in place, homeowners must take extra precautions themselves when dealing with cash house buyers.
6. What practical steps can homeowners take to protect themselves from being scammed by a cash house buyer?
To avoid being scammed, homeowners should follow these three key steps:
- Never sign a contract with a company. A legitimate cash house buyer has no reason to tie you into an agreement before the sale.
- Request proof of funds. If the company is genuine, they will provide this without hesitation.
- Ask the company to exchange contracts first and set a completion date that suits you. For example, if you need two months before moving, you can agree to exchange contracts within 2–3 weeks. Once exchanged, the sale becomes legally binding, and the company cannot change their offer. If they delay or make excuses before this stage, you are free to walk away since you never signed a contract.
By following these steps, you stay in control of the process, ensuring you only deal with reputable buyers.
Final Summary
To protect yourself from cash house buying scams:
✔ Never sign a contract with a company upfront.
✔ Always ask for proof of funds.
✔ Insist on an exchange of contracts within 2 – 3 weeks, with completion at a time that suits you.
If you follow these guidelines, your chances of being scammed are extremely low. To see what a genuine cash house-buying company might offer, click the Cash Offer Calculator tab below.
Company
Established in
2020
Members of NAPB
Yes
Members of TPO
Yes
Registered with ICO
Yes
Approved by CTSI
No
Will “Gaffsy” pay all of your legal fees?
Yes, up to £1500
Do they ask you to sign a contract?
No
Government verified transactions
No
Cash offer
- Up to 85%
Average sale time
Not stated
Fastest sale time
Not stated
Availability
Not stated
Complaints procedure
None listed
Customer service
4.6 / 5
Google rating
4.8 / 5
Trustpilot rating
N / A
Reviews.co.uk rating
N / A
Feefo rating
N / A
- PSW Rating
4.7 / 5
1. Gaffsy: Company Overview
- Founded: 14th Jan 2020
- Headquarters location: Unit 617, The Shepherd's Building, Charecroft Way, London, England, W14 0EE
- The current director are: Oren Kander, Michael Levy, Max Royston,
- All the information seems up to date and correct
(source: Companies House)
A quick, chain-free house sale is the dream, and Gaffsy can make it a reality. They can offer you a no obligation cash offer on your property and you won’t pay a penny in costs or fees.
They provide a cash offer in minutes and funds within seven days, with a guaranteed sale on any property.
They are one of the more recent additions to the sector, however this does not necessarily mean they can’t compete with more established names.
Their website states that Gaffsy ‘go above and beyond to ensure that we offer the best price on the best terms for your property and move as fast as necessary to complete the purchase, so that all your needs as a seller are met, whilst ensuring the process is as smooth, easy and fast as possible.’
Whether all of that’s true, will be revealed in this review.
When working with them, they’ll buy the property from you at a price that satisfies both parties involved, and then sell it for a profit.
You’ll get a slightly below-market price but you’ll achieve a prompt and effortless sale with little bureaucracy.
Gaffsy provides free cash offers, doesn’t seem to have estate agent or solicitors fees and guarantees the sale of any property in any condition.
They can give you a no-obligation quote in just 24 hours and confirm this offer after a formal valuation..
This type of sale is perfect for people in a rush, who don’t have time for unnecessary red tape.
It’s important to remember:
You won’t get the full market value of your property but you’ll sell it very fast.
In fact, this is by far the fastest way to sell. A typical estate agent will take 6-9 months whereas a fast home-selling company can do it in mere days.
You’re sacrificing a negotiable percentage of cash for an exponential increase in speed-of-sale and a major reduction of headaches and legal complications.
2. Gaffsy: Strengths & Weaknesses
Gaffsy is run by leading property professionals and claims to be a 100% genuine cash buyer with a transparent valuation process.
Gaffsy do not detail the source of their funds, but they claim to be able to buy properties for cash which allows them to complete property sales at a much faster rate.
Their website explains the process in simple steps, but lacks some details that other sites provide.
Gaffsy appears to have no hidden charges and no legal fees (up to £1500). However, it is worth noting that legal fees are only refunded if you exchange contracts within 30days of accepting their offer.
It’s important to remember:
You won’t get the full market value of your property but you’ll sell it very fast.
In fact, this is by far the fastest way to sell. A typical estate agent will take 6-9 months whereas a fast home-selling company can do it in mere days.
You’re sacrificing a negotiable percentage of cash for an exponential increase in speed-of-sale and a major reduction of headaches and legal complications.
Are they NAPB members?
Yes, Gaffsy is a member of NAPB.
The National Association of Property Buyers (NAPB) was specifically set up to protect homeowners looking to sell their houses for cash to a property buying company.
The NAPB continuously screens its members in order to see whether they’re maintaining the necessary business integrity, legality, professionalism and customer service.
It’s mandatory for all NAPB members to also register with The Property Ombudsman (TPO) and abide by the TPO ‘Code Of Practice For Residential Buying Companies’.
However, being an NAPB member itself, is completely voluntary. Nobody forces these cash home buyers to become members, they do it of their own volition.
Membership of NAPB implies that Gaffsy is proactive and genuinely looking out for the interests of their customers.
Are they TPO members?
Yes, Gaffsy is a member of TPO.
The Property Ombudsman (TPO) defends the interests of the public by investigating and addressing complaints of maladministration or a violation of rights.
It has been providing consumers and property agents with an alternative dispute resolution service since 1990.
TPO has a specific category for fast home sale companies, such as Gaffsy.
These companies have to adhere to a strict ‘Code of Practice for Residential Buying Companies. Gaffsy is regulated by TPO and strictly follows the above mentioned TPO code of conduct.
Top Tip
Choosing the right cash home-buying company can mean the difference between a fast, hassle-free sale and a long, frustrating ordeal. With so many companies competing for your business, how do you separate trustworthy professionals from opportunistic scammers?
To help you make an informed decision, we recommend reading our "How to Avoid Cash House Buyer Scams" guide, where we provide expert tips and advice to help you navigate the cash home-selling market with confidence.
After reading our guide, you'll be fully prepared to choose the right company—ensuring a smooth, secure, and successful sale with a cash house-buying company you can trust.
Are they Registered With The ICO?
Yes, Gaffsy are registered with the ICO.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is the UK’s independent regulatory body set up to uphold information rights.
The ICO also governs all forms of data collection and advertising intelligence.
By being registered with the ICO, Gaffsy has to protect its customers’ data at all times.
The ICO also has a Free Online Checker where you can verify whether a company is registered with them or not.
Are they GDPR Compliant?
Gaffsy has a section on their website detailing their privacy and cookies policy.
However, we did find that Gaffsy installs certain marketing cookies that aren’t necessarily GDPR friendly, and that these cookies may be installed without the consent of the visitor.
Such cookies are used for marketing and re-targeting purposes, such as displaying relevant ads.
Users are urged to err on the side of caution when providing personal information, and always read any cookie agreements before clicking your consent.
Do They Have Cash On Hand To Buy The Property?
It’s not certain whether Gaffsy have cash on hand.
There were no Government registered transactions listed with Companies House.
Our team of investigators found that their accounts included significant sums owed to creditors, although it is not clear whether these creditors are private investors, banks or other financial institutions.
That’s why we cannot state for certain whether or not Gaffsy currently have cash on hand.
This could be simply due to the fact that they are using a different company name to track and register their Companies House transactions.
In general, we’ve discovered that very few fast home-buying companies actually have disposable cash on hand.
Most of them are unregulated small businesses or worse – individual opportunists pretending to be big organisations who deliberately mislead.
These companies don’t have their own cash but attempt to raise funds by low-balling their offer and getting finance off the back of the difference between their offer and the market value.
For this reason, it’s less risky to work with home buying companies that have a large number of government verified transactions, including recent deals
Have They Traded For More Than 5 Years?
No, Gaffsy have not traded for more than 5 years.
They have been in this industry since 2020.
We use the ‘over/under 5 years trading time’ as a metric to gauge whether a company is an established entity with a lot of experience under their belt or just a newly founded business that may have ulterior motives.
Not all newly formed companies are scams but it’s still important to check how long they have traded.
What Is Their Average Cash Offer?
The Gaffsy website claims that they offer up to 85% of the market value for properties, although their ‘ready reckoner’ appears to use a figure of 82.5% for typical properties of £200,000 – £300,000.
In individual cases, the cash offer will vary depending on the type, location and condition of your home, as well as how quickly you need to sell.
It is worth remembering that unlike an estate agent, Gaffsy has no charges or fees, and they will also pay your legal fees up to £1500. This balances some of the cost of the lower price offer.
Below you can see some of the perceived benefits of using Gaffsy instead of a generic high-street or online estate agent.
Getting 70-80% of the market value for your property when working with a fast home selling company is fair.
We’ve discovered that with sub-par home buying companies you’ll often get between 60 – 65% and sometimes even less.
Gaffsy appears to give offers at the higher end of the fast home selling market.
Of course this doesn’t mean that every home achieves that kind of valuation as it depends on a myriad of factors. Sometimes there are justifiable reasons why you may receive a lower offer.
What Is Their Average Sale Time?
According to the latest Statista research, the average number of days taken to sell property in UK from September 2018 to November 2020 is 65 days.
This includes selling properties via estate agents, actions, fast-sale companies and everything else under the sun.
Again, this graph represents every single method of selling a property, combined together.
And because of the vast number of fast home sale companies in the UK, this number is considerably lower than what it would’ve been if it only were estate agents and actions.
Remember when it comes to speed of sale, nothing beats a quick home buying company:
- Estate agents take on average 6 – 9 months to sell your property.
- Auctions take on average 10 weeks to sell your property.
- But fast sale companies can take as little as 7 days.
Gaffsy’s average sale time is not listed on their website, but they say they can sell in any timescale to suit you.
Charitable Initiatives
We didn’t find any charitable initiatives which Gaffsy supports, however some companies prefer to donate privately or anonymously rather than stating it publicly.
Supporting a charity is by no means proof that the home buying company in question is necessarily ‘good’.
In fact, dodgy home buying companies might purposefully support and/or pretend to support a charity just to win brownie points and credibility in the eyes of the customer.
All that being said, it’s still important to acknowledge when a company cash home buyer genuinely supports a charitable cause.
Anything Else Suspicious?
We didn’t find anything that raises suspicion during our thorough research of Gaffsy.
Our investigators sifted through all of the data and legal records of Gaffsy and everything was clean.
However, we’ll redact this at the first glimpse of dodgy practices.
We never stop researching and our unbending commitment to excellence doesn’t waver.
This paragraph is only valid up until the ‘Last Updated’ date of this review, which can be found at the top of this page.
Anything Else You Should Know About?
As far as we are aware, Gaffsy haven’t received any additional awards or prizes.
They haven’t won any competitions either.
There’s nothing more we could add.
Top Tip
Choosing the right cash home-buying company can mean the difference between a fast, hassle-free sale and a long, frustrating ordeal. With so many companies competing for your business, how do you separate trustworthy professionals from opportunistic scammers?
To help you make an informed decision, we recommend reading our "How to Avoid Cash House Buyer Scams" guide, where we provide expert tips and advice to help you navigate the cash home-selling market with confidence.
After reading our guide, you'll be fully prepared to choose the right company—ensuring a smooth, secure, and successful sale with a cash house-buying company you can trust.
3. Gaffsy: Customer Experience
To assess the overall user experience (UX) of gaffsy.com we first analysed their website for ease of use and intuitiveness.
They make it very easy to get a free quote/cash offer for your property within 24 hours or less.
They don’t have a freephone number, just a landline number based in London. Alternatively there is an email address for enquiries: [email protected]
You can also use an online postcode search to request a free offer quote.
We calculated their First Response Time (FTR) by messaging them at approximately 9:30 AM on a non-holiday weekday (on a Monday to be exact) and used a stopwatch to estimate how long it took them to respond.
First Response Time
House Buy Fast responded in 56 seconds.
Which is much faster than the industry average. And a fast FTR is something we consider highly important, especially in this sector.
A faster response time suggests that the home-selling company is better equipped to deal with customer queries.
And if they’re better equipped to deal with customer queries, then it means they’re investing their resources where it matters the most.
It’s rare to see a customer-centric cash home buyer and the more we research Gaffsy, the more they appear to be such.
Client Satisfaction Guarantee
We also asked if they offer some sort of ‘Client Satisfaction Guarantee’, and if yes, what would that guarantee consist of.
They currently don’t offer a Client Satisfaction Guarantee but they’re happy to help resolve any issues and problems, within reason, as soon as possible.
Also, they did go out of their way and offered additional help and advice which warrants acknowledgement.
Client Complaints Procedure
Gaffsy do not have a clear complaints procedure in place, although they do detail how you can contact them about the use of your data.
You can, however, also submit a complaint through The Property Ombudsman because Gaffsy are a TPO member. Every TPO member agrees to The Property Ombudsman Code of Practice which allows customers to file complaints against TPO members, if needed.
Ideally, every fast home buying company should have a formal complaints procedure on their website. By having such a complaints procedure in place, the home buying company shows that they are willing to listen and if possible, rectify any problems that may arise.
Speaking To Past Customers
A legitimate quick home buying company that does what it promises shouldn’t have a problem letting you speak to their past customers.
Of course they need to have the permission of the individual involved and provide some kind of proof that it is a genuine past client of theirs.
We strongly encourage all our readers to ask to speak to a past client.
4. Gaffsy: Online Presence
In this section, we’ll discuss what the public thinks of Gaffsy and what online reviews the company has received.
Keep in mind that online reviews can be easily faked.
It works both ways.
The company in charge might hire fake review writers to write positive reviews.
Or on the other hand, their competitors might hire fake review writers to write negative reviews and tarnish the said company’s reputation.
Also, social media followers can be artificially inflated.
That’s why we deem this section as purely anecdotal.
Nonetheless, we use trained researchers with a sceptical eye to go through Gaffsy’ social media presence and online reviews.
Gaffsy: Customer reviews
- Google Reviews – 4.8 stars (Though this is only from 21 reviews)
- Trustpilot Reviews – N/A
- Reviews.co.uk – N/A
- Feefo Reviews – N/A
Gaffsy: Domain Rating
- Domain Rating (DR) – 72 / 100
- Search Traffic – 14,000 unique visitors per month
Gaffsy: Social Media Presence
- Facebook – 3 Likes; 6 Followers
- Twitter – 1,094 Followers
- LinkedIn – 297 Followers
Gaffsy: Media Mentions
- Estate Agent Today
- London Evening Standard
- Halifax
- Ready To Sell
- Daily Mail
The Final Verdict
Gaffsy is one of the newer home sale companies in the UK, although they say that they have an expert team to guide you through the house selling process.
They say they offer a fast cash offer, a fair deal and a guaranteed quick house sale with no fees.
They appear to make cash offers at the higher end of the range for UK cash house buyers, however, this is based on their website claims and not actual bona fide offers.
Gaffsy are members of the NAPB and TPO, and they are registered with the ICO.
They don’t have a published complaints procedure but they are members of the Property Ombudsman.
We will be continuously updating this review as we do with all of our other content. If Gaffsy decide to alter, amend or modify something, then we’ll make sure to adjust our critique and score accordingly.
Top Tip
Choosing the right cash home-buying company can mean the difference between a fast, hassle-free sale and a long, frustrating ordeal. With so many companies competing for your business, how do you separate trustworthy professionals from opportunistic scammers?
To help you make an informed decision, we recommend reading our "How to Avoid Cash House Buyer Scams" guide, where we provide expert tips and advice to help you navigate the cash home-selling market with confidence.
After reading our guide, you'll be fully prepared to choose the right company—ensuring a smooth, secure, and successful sale with a cash house-buying company you can trust.
We want to help out as many people as possible. That’s why we created this comprehensive, in-depth Gaffsy review.
If you are looking to sell your property extremely fast, use our cash offer calculator or send us an email.
Depending on your preference and circumstances, we’ll connect you for free with one of our strictly vetted, ethical partners.
It might very well be Gaffsy or another more befitting company for your needs.
They will help you sell your property as fast as possible for the best offer you can realistically achieve.
They will take care of all of the legal processes and fees and you’ll get the cash straight into your account in as little as 7 to 28 days, depending on your circumstances and preference.
Compare Companies
Gaffsy is just one of the many fast home-buying companies in the UK.
In order to make sure you choose the right one, it’s best if you compare them all.
Look at their strengths & weaknesses, their pros & cons and make an informed decision.
It’s essential to know you’re in safe hands, that’s why we’re here to help.
Use our company comparison table to find a reliable and trustworthy service, and decide whether expediting the sale of your property is the right thing for you.
Content Updates
This review is being constantly screened by our investigator team and will be corrected in line with the emergence of new evidence.
If a company contacts us with a genuine and verifiable piece of information which supports their cause, then we’ll immediately redact the review and point to that information.
On the other hand, if we discover that a company which we’ve previously praised for a certain industry trait, starts to dabble in dodgy practices, we’ll also redact the review immediately.
We’ll point to our new findings and will adjust the table metrics and scores accordingly.
For this reason, make sure to take notice of the ‘last updated’ date at the top of this page.
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