Sell house at auction, UK-wide
Sell house at auction with someone who knows the room.
Auction can be the fastest, cleanest way to sell a property, if it’s prepared properly. We guide you from valuation and legal pack to the fall of the hammer, in plain English.
- 0% Sales Fee
- 28 or 56 day completion
- Your reserve price
Three-bed terrace, needs modernising
Vacant possession · freehold
- Guide price
- Set with you
- Legal pack
- Ready before catalogue
- Sales fee
- 0%
- Completion
- 28 or 56 days, your choice
A sold lot is a binding contract. Preparation is everything.
Who we help
Selling home at auction suits some properties far better than the open market.
Sellers
Want certainty and a fixed timetable? Auction gives you a 28 or 56 day timetable and a buyer who has already paid non-refundable money, with no chains and no re-negotiation.
Probate & inherited
Dealing with an estate? We help you value, prepare and sell without carrying costs dragging on for months. See our probate auction guide for the full process.
Unusual properties
Short leases, non-standard construction, needs work, or simply hard to price? Auction often finds the right buyer faster.
Zero commission
0% Sales Fee. You keep 100% of the sale price.
No commission, no agency fee and nothing deducted from the sale price. As with any property sale, you still cover your own solicitor’s conveyancing costs.
- Estate agent1 to 3% commission.
- Cash buyerTypically 25% or more below market value.
- Zelto0% Sales Fee.
Your sale, three ways
Cost to you as a share of the sale
- Estate agent
- 1 to 3%
- Cash buyer
- 25%+ below value
- Zelto
- 0% Sales Fee
You still pay your own solicitor, as with any sale.
Modern Method of Auction
What is the Modern Method of Auction?
It is a way of selling where the buyer commits at the fall of the hammer by paying a non-refundable reservation fee, and the sale then runs to a fixed 28 or 56 day timetable.
Unconditional: 28 days
The buyer pays a 10% non-refundable deposit (minimum £3,600) and a £780 admin fee immediately and is legally bound on the spot. Completion follows in 28 days. The government’s guidance on buying and selling your home sets out the wider steps.
Conditional: 56 days
On reservation lots, the buyer pays the non-refundable reservation fee immediately at the fall of the hammer. They then have 28 days to exchange contracts and pay the deposit, and a further 28 days to complete, 56 days in total.
Timings are typical and can vary by auction partner. The legal steps described follow England and Wales; the process in Scotland differs.
Auction with Zelto, compared with a traditional sale
See the full auction vs estate agent comparison for the detail behind the numbers below.
| Traditional estate agent | Auction with Zelto | |
|---|---|---|
| What it costs you | 1 to 3% commission | 0% Sales Fee |
| How the price is set | Negotiated, often reduced after an offer | Competitive bidding, with your reserve price as the floor |
| Timetable | Varies with the buyer and the chain | 28 or 56 days, your choice |
| If the buyer pulls out | They can walk away and lose nothing | They lose the non-refundable money paid on the day |
A cash buyer is another route: typically 25% or more below market value. Commission and discount figures are typical, not guaranteed, and vary by agent and buyer.
Common worries
Myth or truth?
The objections we hear most, answered plainly.
- Myth
There are large fees to pay.
Truth0% Sales Fee. On reservation lots, the buyer pays the reservation fee, not you, so you keep 100% of the sale price. You only pay your own solicitor, as with any sale.
- Myth
Auction is only for distressed sellers or run-down properties.
TruthAny type of property is suitable.
- Myth
It is too fast to make a good decision.
TruthYou choose 28 or 56 days, and you set a reserve price so it never sells for less than you are willing to accept.
- Myth
The buyer can still pull out.
TruthThe moment their bid is accepted they have paid non-refundable money. If they walk away, they lose it, not you.
How it works
Sell House at Auction - From Valuation to Sold in Four Steps
Get your free valuation
Tell us about the property. We come back with an honest view of auction value and whether auction is right for you.
Prepare
We agree your reserve price and help get the legal pack ready with your solicitor, so buyers can bid with confidence.
Go to auction
Your property is marketed to buyers through our network of auction partners, leading up to the fall of the hammer.
Complete
You choose a 28 or 56 day route. The buyer has already paid non-refundable money before you do anything else.
Security for you
Why auction is harder to walk away from than the open market
With a traditional sale, a buyer can pull out at almost any point and lose nothing. At auction, the moment a bid is accepted the buyer has put down real money that they cannot get back.
Unconditional
Money and contract locked in on day one. The buyer pays a 10% non-refundable deposit (minimum £3,600) and a £780 admin fee, and is legally bound immediately.
Conditional
Money locked in on day one, contract 28 days later. On reservation lots, the buyer pays the non-refundable reservation fee at the fall of the hammer, then has 28 days to exchange.
On reservation lots, the reservation fee is paid by the buyer, not you, and does not count toward the purchase price.
Guides
Straight answers on selling at auction
Selling the Family Home During a Divorce - What You Need to Know
Selling the family home during a divorce is rarely just a property transaction. It’s usually happening alongside negotiations neither of you wanted to be…
Capital Gains Tax on an Inherited Property - Full Guide
If you’ve inherited a property and you’re thinking about selling it, Capital Gains Tax is usually the first worry that surfaces, often before the…
Mortgage Rate Rise - What to Do When Your Payments Go Up
Facing a mortgage rate rise? What lenders must offer, your real options, and when selling beats remortgaging.
Where we work
Sell house at auction, wherever your property is
We work UK-wide through our network of auction partners. Start with your city for local context.
FAQs
Questions we hear most
Does it cost anything to sell with Zelto?
There is a 0% Sales Fee: no commission, no agency fee and nothing deducted from the sale price, so you keep 100% of it. As with any property sale, you still pay your own solicitor’s conveyancing costs.
How does that compare with an estate agent or a cash buyer?
Estate agents typically charge 1 to 3% commission. Cash buyers typically offer 25% or more below market value. With Zelto you pay a 0% Sales Fee and the price is set by competitive bidding, with your reserve price as the floor. See the full comparison guide for the detail.
How long does a sale take?
You choose. On the unconditional track the buyer is bound on the day and completes in 28 days. On the conditional track they have 28 days to exchange contracts and a further 28 days to complete, 56 days in total. Timings are typical and can vary by auction partner.
What is a reserve price?
The lowest price you are willing to accept. You set it with our advice, and the property is only sold once bidding reaches it, so it never sells for less than you want.
Do you cover the whole UK?
Yes. We work across the UK through our network of auction partners.
Free valuation
Tell us about the property. We’ll tell you the truth.
A short, honest conversation about whether auction is the right route, and what a sensible next step looks like.
- A personal replyFrom a person, usually within one working day.
- No obligationNo pressure and no hard sell.
- Your details stay privateUsed only to respond to your enquiry.
Get your free valuation
Tell us about the property and we'll come back with an honest view of auction value.
