How to Check If a Cash House Buyer Is Genuine

Red flags to watch for

Beyond the four core checks, the following should make you pause before proceeding:

Upfront fees. A legitimate cash buyer does not charge you to receive an offer, carry out a valuation, or begin the legal process. Any request for an upfront fee – regardless of how it is framed – is a warning sign. Walk away.

Long exclusivity agreements. Some companies ask sellers to sign an agreement that prevents them from accepting other offers for a period of several months. The TPO Code of Practice considers anything over four weeks questionable. A company that needs six months of exclusivity to complete a cash purchase is not operating as a genuine buyer.

Offers that seem too high. If a cash buyer offers you 95% or 100% of market value with a seven-day completion, the most likely explanation is that the company is a lead generator – they will pass your details to a third party who will then make a lower offer once you are engaged in the process. Genuine direct buyers typically offer between 75% and 85% of market value. A higher figure deserves scrutiny.

Pressure to decide quickly. Any company that tells you the offer is only available for 24 or 48 hours, or that you need to sign today, is using a sales tactic rather than a genuine time constraint. A reputable buyer will give you time to take independent legal advice.

No verifiable address or Companies House registration. Look up the company on Companies House (find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk). You want to see how long the company has been registered, who the directors are, and whether there is any history of dissolved companies connected to the same individuals. A newly formed company with no trading history is not automatically a red flag – but it should prompt more questions, not fewer.

Expert opinion: Rob Harrison, Director, SmoothSale

“Most sellers who come to us have already spoken to two or three other companies. The most common thing I hear is that they were given a verbal offer, told it was good for 24 hours, and then found the price had dropped by the time solicitors got involved. The four checks in this guide are the same checks I would tell a family member to carry out. They take five minutes. NAPB and TPO registration are on public registers. Proof of funds should come before you commit to anything. And if a company will not confirm their offer in writing before you proceed, that is your answer right there.

SmoothSale is NAPB registered and a TPO member. We provide written proof of funds on request. Our offer is confirmed in writing before you make any decision, and the only condition under which it changes is a significant structural or legal issue discovered by survey that was not previously disclosed. We put that in the offer letter.”

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if a cash house buyer is NAPB registered?

Go to napb.co.uk and use the member search. All current NAPB members are listed. If the company you are speaking to does not appear, ask them directly for their membership number and verify it yourself.

What is The Property Ombudsman and why does it matter?

The Property Ombudsman is an independent dispute resolution service. If something goes wrong with a cash house sale and you cannot resolve it directly with the company, TPO membership gives you access to a free, impartial complaints process. Awards of up to £25,000 are available. Without TPO membership, your only route is civil litigation.

What is gazundering and can I protect myself from it?

Gazundering is when a buyer reduces their offer at the last minute, usually after you have committed to the process. You can protect yourself by asking any cash buyer to confirm in writing, before you proceed, that their offer will not be reduced without a specific documented reason. 

Should I ask for proof of funds before accepting an offer?

Yes. Ask for written confirmation that the company holds the funds to purchase your property directly, before you agree to anything. A legitimate cash buyer will provide this without hesitation.

What is the difference between a cash buyer and a property broker?

A cash buyer purchases your property directly using their own funds. A broker collects your details and passes them to a third-party investor who then makes the actual offer. The distinction matters for timescales, fall-through risk, and who you are actually dealing with.

How long should a cash house sale take?

A genuine direct cash buyer can typically complete in 7–28 days, depending on the legal process and the specifics of your property. If a company quotes significantly longer, it may indicate they are not a direct buyer.

The bottom line

Verifying a cash house buyer takes five minutes and costs nothing. The four checks – NAPB registration, TPO membership, written proof of funds, and a written no-gazundering commitment – are the minimum standard before you share your address or agree to a valuation.Any company that resists these checks is telling you something important.

SmoothSale is NAPB registered, a TPO member, and buys directly using our own funds. We provide a written offer within 24 hours with a full breakdown of how we calculated it. 

Get your offer here.