“Myself and my team here at Springbok Properties have helped homeowners all across the UK sell their homes quickly. Find out why we are your number one choice.”
“Myself and my team here at Springbok Properties have helped homeowners all across the UK sell their homes quickly. Find out why we are your number one choice.”
As a reputable and dependable 'we buy any house' service, we at Springbok Properties remain steadfast in our commitment to helping our customers sell their house fast and having a hassle-free property sale.
As such, the mention of scams within the industry is something we shun completely by not only offering a legitimate service, but also sharing valuable information with you on how to avoid scams by house buying companies.
Our property industry experts have carefully put together this guide highlighting tips to help you identify potential 'we buy any house' firms, and spot fake we buy any house reviews that may be out to scam you in your quest to sell your house fast.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
Springbok Properties is a property buying company and we maintain the highest professional standards by using our industry expertise.
We buy houses within 30 days or fewer, no matter its condition. You can trust us to deliver a quick and hassle-free house sale.
You don't need to worry about an estate agent or paying solicitor fees. Because unlike a traditional estate agency company, we offer a direct sale route.
We will take care of it all for you.
A free cash offer for your house
Or call us now on freephone 0800 046 1964
Selling your house is not only time consuming, it can also be frustrating.
And that is enough reason to turn to property buyers like a 'we buy any house' company. The thought of completing a sale in just 7 days for a guaranteed purchase price is often irresistible.
Unfortunately, this industry struggles to shake off a bad image from companies that are fraudsters.
For this reason alone, it's important to know what to look out for in a legitimate fast house sale company so that you don't fall into the hands of scammers claiming to purchase properties.
The 'we buy any house' industry unfortunately has scammers and fake cash buyers.
That's why we're taking the step to guide you, so you know how to identify trustworthy buyers and avoid scammers.
There are hundreds of fast house sale property buyers in the UK, with most of them offering to buy your property for cash along with the promise of completing the sale process fast and giving you the best price.
These companies will usually make an offer of no more than 85% of the actual market value of your home. Some companies may even go lower.
The 'we buy any house' industry is legitimate, even though a government body does not regulate it, thus exposing consumers.
As a consumer, you can draw confidence from the fact that quick sale companies that are serious about offering trusted service will register with the Property Ombudsman (TPOS). As such, they must comply with their code of practice.
Moreover, you'll have a platform for seeking redress in case there's a dispute.
Unfortunately, the industry has scammers too.
We have put together a list to help you spot the scammers because you must do due diligence when choosing a 'we buy any house' company for a speedy sale.
Although they lack proper regulation, genuine 'we buy any house' companies will buy your house with this 5-step process:
As mentioned above, when selling to a cash buying company, the final step — receiving the money into your bank — should be straightforward and transparent. A legitimate company will clearly outline the payment timeline and method before you agree to anything.
Be cautious of any buyer who insists on unusual payment methods or delays the transfer after completion.
Your solicitor should handle the transaction and confirm the funds have cleared before you hand over the keys.
If a company tries to pressure you into providing personal bank details too early in the process, or suggests sending payment in instalments without explanation, it’s best to walk away and find another company.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
Fraudulent 'we buy any house' companies will often employ various techniques to get the best of you and rip you off. In this section, we look at:
Fake quick house sale companies will often disguise their motive so it's difficult to tell if they are genuine.
That's why we're revealing four of the common scams you must look out for:
It'll surprise you to know that many companies, while purporting to buy your house, are just interested in making money from the sale of your data.
They use their sites to generate leads by getting you to sign up for more details on their site only for them to sell your data to third parties.
This is the most common trick illegitimate companies will use to get you to sell your house to them. Questionable companies will often give you an unrealistic offer and even promise to complete the transaction in just a couple of days pending a valuation.
However, they'll renegotiate once the valuation is complete with an unrealistic drop in the offer, usually at the 11th hour, when the only option you have is to accept the new offer.
A legitimate company will establish the house price.
Bogus 'we buy any house' companies will want to make money through hidden fees relating to the sale of your property.
They will not tell you about these fees and only mention on the completion day when you can't realistically back out from the sale.
Genuine companies will cover the legal costs and won't charge you any fees.
Fraudulent fast house sale companies will tactically lock you into an agreement so that you can't sell your property to another party if you change your mind.
As for the 'option' trick, they will give you a contract with clauses that gives them the liberty to sell through a third party.
The 'option' clause may also give room for assisted sales or the option to lease, which doesn't guarantee a sale.
If anything, it may only result in additional fees.
In the worst-case scenario, 'we buy any house' companies will not have the cash to buy your home, even though they'll claim otherwise.
The assisted sale option, which some companies present as a way to help you sell without an outright purchase, may sound appealing but usually means the company doesn’t have the funds to buy your house directly.
Instead, they’ll attempt to sell it on your behalf — after locking you into a contract — leaving you exposed to delays, uncertainty, and fees.
A genuine cash house buying company will always be transparent about whether they intend to buy your property outright or use an assisted sale model.
Furthermore, genuine companies will have cash at hand to buy your home fast so that you can solve any issue you're facing.
So, next time a quick sale company promises the world, think twice before signing the contract.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
If you're like most people, the question will often be, 'how do I prevent myself from falling for a scam?'
We've made it easy for you. Stay away from a lender who:
When dealing with any property sale, it’s important to ensure transparency and legal clarity. One way to protect yourself is by checking the property's title and any restrictions with HM Land Registry. This official government body holds records of property ownership across England and Wales.
Before proceeding with a sale, a legitimate company should be open about whether they intend to register any restrictions or charges against your title.
If a buyer attempts to do this without your full consent or before completion, it’s a red flag that should not be ignored. Always insist on seeing evidence and seek legal advice if anything seems unclear.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
It's possible to sell your home fast without getting ripped off.
We share industry insider knowledge to help you protect yourself and navigate this industry safely by highlighting:
A genuine 'we buy any house' company will be members of the Property Ombudsman (TPO). They will readily display this information on their website.
Other important membership that credible quick sale companies will subscribe to are:
Don't just commit to selling your house to the first company you find. Instead, spend time looking up some information about them.
More specifically, you should look at the company's trading history. They should also display their registration number on their website.
And carefully read their online form to confirm you're happy with the information they're requesting. These checks will help you to have a hassle-free sale.
It's common for any company to have customer testimonials from past clients on their site. Sometimes these are curated so that they may not be an accurate representation of what clients say.
Check out for recent independent reviews of the company on sites like Google, TrustPilot and allAgents. These will give you an accurate picture of what you can expect if you choose to sell your house to them.
If you find a company with little to no reviews or reviews that are not up to date, then this may just be a red flag. Also, having too many reviews within a brief period may also point to falsified content.
The idea behind quick sale companies is that they buy property for cash. But it is risky to work with an assumption that the company has cash ready to buy your house. Go further and request that they prove their availability of funds soon after they give you an offer. Most serious companies will not have a problem sharing their financial statements.
Equally important is the issue of fees. Ask the 'we buy any house' company to come clean on any charges they're proposing. Most legit companies will not charge you any fees. Instead, they will cover all the legal costs; hence the reason for making an offer of 85% of the market value of your property.
Sometimes you have to trust your gut instinct in identifying scams. When a company gives you an offer that is too good to be true, take a step back and evaluate the possibility of it being a scam. For instance, where a company promise to complete the sale in 2 days, start questioning their legitimacy. Can they really sell a house fast?
Sometimes it is the company's solicitor that will help you steer clear from trouble. Therefore, request their details so that you can contact them to verify that the company is genuine. If the company refuses to divulge this information or can't provide details of the conveyancer, just walk away before it's too late. Alternatively, have an independent legal advisor to guide you through the entire process.
Selling with an estate agent is the best move you can make to avoid being conned by 'we buy any house' companies. A traditional estate agency is perceived as being a safer route for many sellers. However, you must remember the reason you opted for the quick sale company in the first place.
While it's true that you're less likely to be scammed by a high street estate agent, and you will likely sell your property for close to its true market value, it could take a long time to find a suitable buyer and close a sale.
So, ask the estate agent about the possibility of selling your house at an auction, as this may be the quickest way. Most importantly, make sure you're working with a proactive estate agent with a reputation for selling properties fast.
Certain 'we buy any house' companies will undervalue your property so that in the end you're getting far less than the 85% of the market value of your property. As such, you'll do well to request to see the valuation report just to be certain. You can even have estate agents offering you three different valuations for comparison. Quick sale companies that purposely undervalue your property will not want you to see the report.
The devil is in the detail. Bogus 'we buy any house' companies will want you to sign the agreement quickly so that you don't get to read the details. Our advice is not to sign until you have read and understood the agreement and have done all the legal checks. Where possible, ask your solicitor to explain anything you may not be clear about. You must be sure about what you're signing up for.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
A legitimate and professional house buying company will be able to buy houses within 7- 28 days; meaning your property will be sold much more quickly than it would with a high street estate agent. Many bogus companies claim to complete the purchase in 24 hours. Such claims should serve as a red flag. If anything, the shady companies posing as legitimate 'we buy any house' companies will drag the sale for months as they try to find a buyer or secure funds. And that's not what you want when you need to sell quickly and have a guaranteed sale.
Genuine house buying companies will pay a fair price; usually up to 85% of the market value of your property. Any company claiming to offer more than the full market value is going to be suspicious. Don't fall for their property sale tricks and promises to sell your house quickly.
Reputable home buying companies will not charge you any fees to buy your property. They will even pay your solicitor fees and valuation fees. The reasoning here is that they cover these costs before extending to you an offer, which explains why you'll not get an offer that is 100% of the market value. Avoid companies that want you to make any upfront payments before they purchase properties. And remember that while selling through an estate agency might bring in a higher sale price, you’ll also need to budget for valuation fees, legal bills, and agency commissions; none of which apply when using a genuine cash buyer.
The quick house sale process is a free service because it is mutually beneficial to both parties. At Springbok Properties, we stay true to this and will do what it takes to ensure this service remains free for you.
No, unfortunately this industry is not regulated so you should be suspicious if you come across someone or a company that claims otherwise. However, this is not a reason to scare you off. If you follow the 10 tips to avoid scams, you can be sure to protect yourself from shady companies.
A free and no-obligation cash offer for your house
At Springbok Properties, we're committed to helping you to sell your house quickly.
We are proud members of The Property Ombudsman and the Federation of Small Businesses.
These memberships ensure we deliver the highest level of customer service when you sell a house with us.
Moreover, by selling with us, you enjoy protection thanks to The Property Ombudsman code of conduct.
And we've been buying properties for over 12 years, so you can be sure you're in safe hands with us when you want to sell your house quickly fast and have a hassle-free, secure sale because we have cash funds and we don't need to rely on mortgage lenders.
Springbok Properties is an established, leading name in the UK property market, known for delivering fast, reliable, and hassle-free property sales to clients all over the country.
With over a decade of experience, we've helped thousands of homeowners sell quickly, often completing within just 28 days. Our reputation is built on transparency, professionalism, and genuine customer care.
Our excellent service is reflected in hundreds of independent customer reviews on respected platforms such as Trustpilot, Google, and allAgents, where clients frequently praise our speed, communication, and supportive team.
So whether you're selling due to time constraints, financial pressure, you've inherited a property that you don't want to keep, or you're seeking a fresh start, you can trust Springbok Properties to deliver a stress-free solution for you.
To secure your no-obligation offer, call us on 0800 046 1964 or complete our online form.
