This guide provides a roadmap to selling property in the UK, covering legal requirements, market insights, step-by-step processes, cost breakdowns, tax implications, and smart financial management of sale proceeds. Plus, in case you need to repatriate funds after selling your UK property, we’ll also cover international money transfer considerations, demonstrating how providers like Wise can compare with banks when transferring large sums internationally.

Key takeaways

• Before you can sell your property in the UK it’s important to understand the practical and legal framework used 
• Getting professional help from a local real estate agent, as well as your solicitor and a tax professional can help the process go smoothly
• When selling a property in the UK you’ll usually have to pay for property surveys and estate agent fees. Capital Gains Tax (CGT) may also apply
• Selling any property can take a significant time, depending on market conditions, the property type, and the time taken to manage the legal handover
• Once you’ve sold your property in the UK you must settle your financial obligations, and can then transfer your funds – if you’re sending your payment overseas, a provider like Wise can help you cut the overall costs of your transfer

Legal requirements for selling property in the UK

Selling a property can be a complex process – but before you even start it’s important that you understand all your local and cross border legal obligations. This guide covers key points – but it’s also good practice to get local advice from professionals who can address your specific situation and ensure you’re prepared properly to sell your property in the UK.

Some legal requirements it helps to know about:

• You are not legally required to have a solicitor to sell a UK property, but managing the legal aspects without one can be difficult and risky
• You will be asked to provide your identity and address at various points in the transaction, to comply with UK law.
• You have to complete a Property Information Form, also known as a TA6 form which covers information about the property including access, known issues and more. This must be completed truthfully, or the buyer could later raise a claim against you.
• You must prepare various surveys and reports about the condition of the property prior to the sale. An Energy Performance Certificate, which is valid for 10 years, is always needed. Additional reports may be needed depending on property type and location.
• Sellers should declare property defects or issues to the buyer, even if these do not arise in the Property Information Form. Aside from defects other items such as restrictions or outstanding planning applications are covered.

What are the documents needed to sell a property in the UK?

The full range of legal documents required for a property sale in the UK can vary a  little depending on the type of property, the location and your status as owner or co-owner. 

Your solicitor will manage most of the process, letting you know what paperwork you need to prepare – usually including:

• Your own photo ID and proof of address, and that of any co-owners
• Property title deeds
• Information on whether the property is freehold or leasehold
• Valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

Other documents sometimes needed include:

• Planning permission and building regulation certificates if changes have been made to the property
• FENSA or CERTASS certificates confirming window safety
• Guarantees, warranties and surveys for recent work or alterations
• Electrical checks and party wall agreements

How to sell your house in the UK: Step-by-step guide

While every journey is a little different, the process to sell property in the UK will look quite similar in most cases. Here’s an outline of the usual steps involved with selling a property in the UK.

Step 1 – Get professional help and start the market analysis

Before you can put your UK property on the market, you’ll need to get a valuation and prepare your local support team.

Although it’s not mandatory to use an agent, a licensed local real estate agent can help you assess your property’s market value. You may also want to consider whether undertaking any repairs or renovations would increase the property value. If this is something you consider, you’ll need to weigh the improvement costs against potential gains in asking price to decide if it’s worthwhile. Ultimately, a broad range of factors influence property value including location, property type, age, size, and condition – getting professional help to make a realistic price assessment can be a huge help.

At this early stage you can also start to pick out other professionals who may help you such as a solicitor to handle the legal aspects, and surveyors if you need to prepare a new EPC for the property.

Step 2 – Preparing documentation and advertising your property

Your next steps will be supported by your local advisors and must include preparing the legal paperwork – including the EPC if needed – and advertising your property.

Your agent or legal advisor may recommend professionals to complete the necessary EPC checks and surveys. They’ll also take a lead on preparing property descriptions and area information. Together you can create your preferred marketing strategy to help your property sell as quickly as possible.

Step 3 – Managing viewings, receiving and evaluating offers

Once your property is advertised, it’s time to start conducting property viewings to find a buyer. Your agent can support this – particularly handy if you’re non-resident.

Once you have received an offer – or even multiple offers – your agent and legal advisor can help you understand the offer format and structure, which you may not be familiar with.

Step 4 – Contract exchange and legal completion

After agreeing a sale, you will need to have your solicitor draw up a contract covering the transfer of ownership – this is known as the conveyancing process. There may be questions arising from the buyer – these will be handled by your solicitor, until you’re all agreed on the details of the transfer.

Once the contract is accepted by all parties, the process called ‘exchange’ happens. Both the buyer and seller sign the contract and the arrangement is binding. At this point the buyer will pay the deposit to the solicitor, and all due diligence checks will need to be completed.

Step 5 – Settlement and fund transfer

The final step is called completion – where the ownership passes to the buyer, on an agreed date. 

The property ownership passes over to the buyer once the outstanding purchase cost has been sent to the solicitor, and the sale is completed.

You’ll then receive the net sale proceeds by bank transfer. We’ll look at the likely tax obligations you’ll need to think about – and also how best to send your money to your home country once you’ve received it – in a moment.

Tax implications and responsibilities for property sellers

So – what tax do you pay if you sell a property in the UK?

Ultimately the tax implications of selling a UK property vary depending on factors including whether it’s your primary residence, and the value of the sale.

There is also different tax treatment if you’re a resident versus non-resident of the UK.

Property sale taxes: UK residents

As a UK resident you may need to pay capital gains tax (CGT) if the property you sell is a second home or investment property. You may also need to pay CGT if the property has a lot of land. If it is your main residence, you do not usually have to pay tax after the sale.

Capital gains tax is paid on the increase in value of an asset. Rates depend on your UK tax bracket. Usually you pay:

• 18% if you are a basic rate tax payer
• 24% if you are a higher rate tax payer

Property sale taxes: Non-residents

As a non-resident you’re likely to have to pay CGT on the sale of your UK property, in the same way a UK resident would for a second property or investment. Non residents must always report the sale of UK properties, which can be done online.

The tax you pay on the sale of your UK property depends on your circumstances, so you’ll need to get professional support or ask your solicitor to help you calculate what you owe.

As tax is complex – and even more complicated if you’re navigating an unfamiliar system – you’ll need to get professional advice to ensure you comply with all your legal obligations.

Income tax declaration requirements

You must submit your declaration of the sale of a UK property within 60 days, using the appropriate HMRC forms depending on your residency.

Is it necessary to declare a property sale on income tax as a non-resident in the UK?

Non-residents are obliged to report the sale of a UK property to HMRC even if no tax is owed.

Non-residents should seek professional tax advice to ensure they are declaring all relevant details after selling a property. Non-residents can appoint a local agent to complete their tax filing – this can make the process far easier to manage.

You may also need to take tax advice in your country of tax residence, as many countries tax worldwide income including foreign property sales.

International considerations for cross-border property sales

If you’re a foreigner selling a UK property it’s important to know the regulatory requirements and your tax reporting obligations in both the UK and your own home country. Depending on your home country and where you’re a tax resident you may have obligations to the authorities in more than one location.

Once you’re confident that you’ve settled all your tax obligations you may want to move your funds from the UK to your home country. In this case, bear in mind that source of funds documentation is typically needed when transferring large amounts internationally. In this case, that may be proof of your property sale and a bank statement showing the money reaching your UK bank for example.

It’s also crucial to find providers for cost-effective international transfers and currency exchange management. When you’re sending a high value payment, small percentage changes in the exchange rate used can mean a large fee to pay in the end. Finding a provider which uses the mid-market rate, or as close as possible to it, can often be the best way to ensure you’re getting a good deal on your transfer. Providers like Wise can help.

Bank vs. Wise: International transfers of large sums

To give you an idea of how this works, here’s a comparison of the price of a bank and Wise for sending money to an account in your own name based overseas. For this example we imagine we are sending 50,000 GBP to USD to be received in a bank in the US directly.

Sending 50,000 GBP to USD	Sending money with Wise	Sending money with Lloyds
Send money fees	148.96 GBP	9.5 GBP
Exchange rate	1.36305 – Mid-market rate	1.33381
Total received in USD	67,949.46 USD	66,677.97 USD

*Discount on sending money fees for sending more than 20k USD abroad. Data taken from Wise comparison site, on 18th September 2025.

In this example, you can see that you get more in USD in the end with Wise. This is despite the fact that Wise’s transfer fees look to be higher compared to the fee used by Lloyds.

The key difference here is that Wise uses the mid-market rate, while the bank adds a percentage fee to the rate used. This is a common practice, but it can mean you’re paying more in fees than you expect. On high value payments in particular, this cost can add up significantly until the conversion cost is far higher than the upfront fee you’re paying for the transfer. 

Wise offers a solution for international property sellers, with international transfers that use  mid-market rates and transparent fees, which include a discount for sending large amounts abroad. You can also use Wise rate lock features to protect against currency fluctuations, and if you’d prefer you can receive your payment in GBP to a Wise account to convert it at a later stage.

How much does it cost to sell a house in the UK? Cost breakdown

The costs of selling a property in the UK can go beyond CGT. Here are some common fees to consider:

• Real estate agent commissions: UK real estate agents can have very variable fees ranging from 0.9% – 3.6% of the property value.
• Legal and professional fees: You’ll usually need to have a solicitor to cover the legal aspects of the sale which may cost 600 GBP – 950 GBP for an average home
• Mandatory certificates and inspections: As the seller you must prepare the EPC report for your property which is about 60 GBP. You may also need several different surveys and checks depending on property type and location.
• Pre-sale preparation costs: Don’t forget to factor in any specific costs for things like repairs to your property before you put it on the market.

How long does it take to sell a house in the UK?

The UK government states it takes around 5 months on average to sell a UK property.

In general, the timeline for selling a property in the UK can vary enormously based on  factors like market conditions and seasonal variations, property type, location, and pricing, marketing effectiveness and presentation quality. Finding a buyer could take anything from a few days to a few months – generally properties in cities move quicker as they may be in more demand.

Tips and best practices for successful property sales

Here are a few final thoughts to make sure your property sale in the UK is a success:

• Get professional legal advice: Selling a property in another country is tricky – you’ll need local legal advisors on hand to help you avoid costly mistakes and ensure compliance with all legal requirements.

• Bear in mind currency conversion costs: If you need to repatriate the funds from your sale you’ll need to find a provider which offers low overall costs, including a good exchange rate. Tools like forward contracts or limit orders which are available from currency specialists can also help.

• Price your property carefully: Use recent sales data from your local area, and get a professional valuation to make sure you’re pricing your property appropriately.

• Have a diverse marketing strategy: Advertise your property on multiple channels and use work of mouth if possible to build interest.

Conclusion

While selling property in the UK can be complex, it’s achievable – and you can make the process far less stressful by engaging the right local support teams early on.

When selling a property in a foreign country you will need to take time to get to know local laws, market conditions, and financial obligations such as taxes on your property value. Bear in mind you may also have reporting or other duties in your home country.

Once you’ve successfully sold your property and it’s time to repatriate your funds, check out providers like Wise to make sure you get a great deal on your transfer. Wise uses the mid-market rate on currency conversion and has automatic discounts on fees when sending higher value amounts which may mean you spend less on fees and keep more for yourself in the end.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What’s the best way to transfer my property sale proceeds internationally? 

To transfer property sale proceeds internationally you’ll need to find a good value, secure service which offers low fees and a fair exchange rate. Providers like Wise which offer the mid-market rate on currency conversion and automatic discounts on fees for higher value amounts can be a good pick.

Do I need to pay tax on my property sale if I’m a non-resident?

You must report the sale of any UK property, and you may need to pay tax on a property sale as a non-resident, including capital gains tax. Tax can be complex, so getting professional advice is essential to make sure you comply with all your obligations.

Do I pay tax in the country I live in if I sell a property in the UK? 

This can vary depending on your country of residence, your tax residence and your personal situation. Get professional advice if you are not sure of your tax obligations in the UK or in your home country.

What happens when I sell a property in the UK?

When you sell a UK property you’ll need to settle any outstanding taxes payable to the UK government, and your legal fees. You can then repatriate your funds if you choose to.

Is it necessary to use a real estate agent to sell my property? 

It is not a legal requirement to use a real estate agent to sell a property in the UK – but doing so can mean you have a smoother sale experience, and get a higher price for the property in the end.

What to consider when selling a property in the UK?

Remember to check out the legal and practical requirements for selling a property in the UK, which may be different to your home country. You’ll need a good local team to advise you on legal and tax matters, the local real estate market and how best to proceed with your sale.

Useful Resources

UK government – selling a house

UK government – how to sell a house

Citizens Advice Bureau – selling a house

Home Owners Alliance – selling a house

UK government – property price register, for research on valuation

UK government – Energy Performance Certificates

Home Owners Alliance – costs of selling a UK property

UK government – CGT application and rate

UK government – tax when selling a house

UK government – non resident tax when selling a house 

Wise – for currency exchange and international transfer services

OFX – for currency exchange and international transfer services