Quick answer
Before you make an offer on a house, ask the agent why the seller is moving, how long it has been on the market, whether there is a chain, what offers have been made, what is included in the sale, what works have been done and whether they have planning and building regulations sign-off, whether it has ever flooded, and the tenure, council tax band and running costs. Then check the answers against free records. In England and Wales an offer is not legally binding until contracts are exchanged.1
Key takeaways
- An offer is not legally binding in England and Wales until exchange of contracts.1
- The agent must pass every offer to the seller.1
- Ask about the seller's position, the chain, and time on the market: they set your negotiating room.
- Ask about works, flooding, tenure and running costs: they set what the house will cost you.
- Check what you can: sold prices, flood risk, the EPC and planning history are free online.
The agent works for the seller, but must pass on all offers1 and must not mislead you. Good questions get you facts the brochure leaves out, and the answers set both your price and your terms.
Ask in writing, or follow up a phone call with an email, so you have a record. The seller answers many of the same questions formally on the property information form after an offer is accepted; asking earlier saves you paying for a survey and searches on the wrong house.
What should you ask about the seller and the sale?
| Question | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Why is the seller moving? | A clear reason and timescale (job, family, already found a home) |
| How long has it been on the market? Has the price been reduced? | Long listings and reductions suggest room to negotiate |
| Is there a chain? Has the seller found a home? | No onward chain, or a buyer below and a home above already agreed |
| Have there been other offers? Did a sale fall through, and why? | A fall-through after a survey is a warning to ask what it found |
| What is included: carpets, curtains, appliances, the shed? | A written list, so nothing goes missing at completion |
| When does the seller want to complete? | Dates that fit your mortgage offer and any sale of your own |
What should you ask about the house itself?
For work done by registered installers, such as windows, boilers and electrics, ask for the competent person scheme certificate.2 For other building work, ask for the council's building control completion certificate.
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When were the boiler, roof, windows and wiring last replaced? | Each can cost thousands if due soon |
| What works have been done? Is there planning permission and building regulations sign-off? | Unapproved work can affect the mortgage, insurance and resale |
| Has the property ever flooded, or had subsidence, damp or Japanese knotweed? | These affect insurance and value; knotweed is on the seller's form |
| Is it freehold or leasehold? If leasehold, how many years are left, and what are the service charge and ground rent? | A short lease or high charges change what the flat is worth |
| What council tax band is it, and what are the energy bills? | Running costs are part of what you can afford |
| Are there any disputes with neighbours or shared access arrangements? | Disputes must be disclosed later, and are hard to undo |
How do you check the answers before you offer?
Check what the seller paid and what similar homes nearby sold for on HM Land Registry's free price data.3 Check the flood risk on GOV.UK,4 the EPC on the energy certificate register,5 and past planning applications on the council's planning search. If an answer does not match the record, ask again before you offer, not after you have paid for a survey.
For Japanese knotweed, you are not legally required to remove it from your own land unless it is causing a nuisance, but you can be prosecuted for causing it to spread into the wild,6 and lenders often ask about it. Treat a yes as a question for a specialist and the survey.
How do you make the offer itself?
Put the offer in writing to the agent with the price, your position (first-time buyer, nothing to sell, mortgage agreed in principle), and any conditions, such as the house being taken off the market or what is included. Agents pass offers to the seller, who can accept, reject or counter.1
Before you offer, know your ceiling in total cash, not just the price. Stamp duty changes with the price: a home mover pays £7,500 at £350,000 and £10,000 at £400,000, and a first-time buyer pays £2,500 and £5,000. Run your figures through the calculator first so the extra £10,000 you might offer is affordable once the tax and fees are included.
What happens after the offer is accepted?
Nothing is binding until exchange of contracts.1 Either side can still pull out, and the seller can accept a higher offer. Instruct a conveyancer and book a survey quickly. The seller then completes the formal property information forms, and your conveyancer raises questions on anything that does not match what you were told.
Keep your notes of the agent's answers. If the formal replies differ, that is the moment to renegotiate or walk away, before exchange.
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Frequently asked questions
Is an offer on a house legally binding?+
Not in England and Wales. It only becomes binding when contracts are exchanged, so either side can pull out before then.
Should I ask the agent what other offers have been made?+
Yes. They may not tell you the amounts, but they can tell you whether there are other offers and whether the seller has a deadline.
Does the estate agent have to tell me about problems?+
Agents must not mislead buyers or leave out information a buyer would need to make a decision. Ask directly and in writing.
Should I offer under the asking price?+
If the sold prices for similar homes nearby support a lower figure, yes. Use the Land Registry data as your evidence.
What should I have ready before I make an offer?+
A mortgage agreement in principle, proof of your deposit, a conveyancer you can instruct, and your total budget including stamp duty and fees.
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OfficialThe figures and rules on this page are drawn from the official UK government sources below. Rates are the confirmed 2026/27 amounts. Each link opens the relevant official page in a new tab.
- GOV.UK: Buying a home, making an offer www.gov.uk/buying-a-home/making-an-offer An offer is not legally binding in England and Wales until contracts are exchanged.
- GOV.UK: Use a competent person scheme www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval/use-a-competent-person-scheme Certificates for work such as windows, boilers and electrics.
- GOV.UK: Search house price data (HM Land Registry) www.gov.uk/search-house-prices Free sold prices for England and Wales from January 1995.
- GOV.UK: Check your long term flood risk check-long-term-flood-risk.service.gov.uk Rivers and sea, surface water and reservoirs; high, medium, low and very low.
- GOV.UK: Find an energy certificate www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate Free search of the EPC register by postcode.
- GOV.UK: Prevent Japanese knotweed from spreading www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-japanese-knotweed-from-spreading No duty to remove it, but causing it to spread into the wild is an offence.
- GOV.UK: How to buy a home www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-buy-a-home/how-to-buy The government's step-by-step buying guide.
Verified against published UK government guidance. See also Methodology and Editorial standards.