What "No Fees" really means
Our expertise has been featured in:
Why “no fees” makes sense with genuine cash buyers
With a genuine cash buying company, “no fees” is usually legitimate.
That is because the buyer is using its own capital, taking on the resale risk, and absorbing costs that would normally sit with the seller.
From experience, most genuine cash buyers will:
Cover the seller’s legal fees (often capped at a reasonable level)
Pay for surveys and due diligence
Remove the need for estate agency fees
Eliminate pre-sale repair or presentation costs
Avoid marketing, photography, and listing expenses
These costs are absorbed to speed up the process and increase certainty.
How this differs from a traditional sale
In a traditional open-market sale, sellers usually pay estate agency fees, buyers pay for surveys, and sellers often incur costs for repairs, presentation, and marketing.
Completion timelines are uncertain and deals can fall through.
By contrast, with a genuine cash buyer there is no agent fee, no marketing period, no upfront repair spend, and fewer moving parts.
These are real, tangible benefits — not marketing spin.
| Factor | Cash-buying company | Estate agent | Auction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical proceeds | 75–85% of market value | Close to full market value (minus fees) | Variable — reserve plus hammer price |
| Typical timeline | 7–28 days | about 5–6 months (≈25 weeks) | ~6–10 weeks (incl. 28-day completion) |
| Sale falls through? | Very low | roughly 25–35% (about 1 in 3) | around 15% |
| Fees to you | Usually none — buyer covers legals | Agent commission (~1–2%+VAT), legal, EPC | Auction/entry fees, legal pack |
Sources: Propertymark; TwentyCi; Rightmove; Zoopla; HM Land Registry / ONS UK House Price Index. Verified June 2026.
Where the cost actually sits in a genuine cash sale
This does not mean the transaction is cost-free.
Instead, the buyer covers the costs upfront, prices them into the offer, and accepts the risk that resale may underperform.
If the buyer gets it wrong, the loss sits with them — not the seller.
This is why “no fees” can be entirely fair when the buyer is genuinely completing the purchase themselves.
Who actually pays in option-led models
In option-based arrangements, the operator carries limited risk, costs are covered from an inflated fee, and the seller ultimately pays through a lower net outcome.
Even though the language is “no fees”, the seller is effectively paying far more than they would for a normal estate agent — for a service that could often cost much less on the open market.
The key distinction sellers should understand
A genuine cash buyer:
Covers costs to speed things up
Takes on resale risk
Loses money if the deal underperforms
An option-led operator:
Covers costs using an inflated fee
Minimises its own risk
Passes the downside back to the seller
Both may say “no fees”, but only one is actually absorbing the cost.
How to interpret “no fees” properly
Rather than asking “Are there any fees?”, a better question is “Who is actually paying for the costs — and who carries the risk if things go wrong?”
That answer tells you far more than the headline wording.
Questions to ask when “no fees” is mentioned
When a buyer says “no fees”, it is reasonable to ask:
Who is paying the legal costs, and is there a cap?
Who pays for surveys and due diligence?
Are you buying the property directly, or finding another buyer?
Is there an option agreement involved?
Who loses if the resale price is lower than expected?
Clear answers usually reveal whether “no fees” reflects genuine risk transfer or clever wording.
Rule of thumb
“No fees” is fair when the buyer is genuinely absorbing the cost and the risk.
It is misleading when the cost is simply hidden inside an inflated fee.
The difference lies in who ultimately loses if the deal underperforms.