Questions, answered straight
Everything people ask us, answered the way we’d want it answered.
No “it depends, call us”. Where a number exists, it’s here; where the honest answer is “that costs you money”, that’s here too. If your question isn’t covered, Sophie will answer it on 0191 249 3969 — 8am–8pm, seven days.
Get your date & priceThe questions
How fast can you actually buy my house?
Our typical purchase completes in around 24 days from the first call, and you choose the completion date — we work backwards from it. If your date isn’t achievable we’ll say so on the first call, not three weeks in.
How much will you pay?
It depends on the speed you need. Typically: about a week ≈ 65% of market value, two to four weeks ≈ 73%, three to six months ≈ 73–82%, and around 82% when you’re flexible. Those bands are published on the pricing page — the exact figure comes as a written offer after we’ve assessed your property.
Why would anyone accept less than market value?
Because of what they’re buying with the discount: a certain sale, on a date they chose, with no chain, no viewings, no fees and no months of uncertainty. For some situations that trade is clearly worth it; for others it isn’t — and when it isn’t, we’ll tell you an estate agent or auction may serve you better.
What is the £500-a-day guarantee?
If we complete later than the date in the contract, we pay you £500 for every day we’re over. It’s capped, and the exact terms are set out in the contract you sign — so the promise is enforceable, not a slogan.
Does the price change after the survey?
The price we agree in writing is the price — that’s our price-lock promise. The well-known trick in this industry is dropping the offer a week before completion, when you’re too committed to walk away. Our answer to that is on the price promise page, in writing.
Are there any fees?
No. No valuation fee, no legal fees for our standard process, no commission. If we ever introduced you to a third party who pays us a fee — like an auction house — we disclose it on the page where it happens.
Am I committed once I fill in the form?
No. Nothing you enter on this site commits you to anything. You get a call, then a written offer, and you can walk away at any point before exchange of contracts — we say this everywhere because it’s true.
Who is actually buying my house?
Us — Portfolio Lab Property Limited — or one of our funding partners. Either way you get one written offer, one named contact (Sophie, on 0191 249 3969), and the same contract terms including the completion-date guarantee.
Do you buy houses with problems — tenants, knotweed, subsidence, short leases?
Yes — that’s a lot of what we do. There are dedicated pages for sitting tenants, Japanese knotweed, subsidence, spray foam, short leases, non-standard construction and more, each with honest detail on how the problem affects the price.
Where do you buy?
We’re focused on the North East of England — Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, Darlington and Teesside — and consider property elsewhere in England and Wales case by case. If you’re overseas, we have a page for selling UK property from abroad.
Is this whole industry a scam?
Some of it behaves like one, which is why we keep a page explaining exactly how to check any quick-sale company — Companies House, redress scheme membership, published pricing — and invite you to run those checks on us first.
Will you tell me whether selling is the right decision?
No — and be wary of anyone in our position who will. We’re a property buying company, not financial or legal advisers. We’ll give you accurate numbers and a written offer; the decision, and any advice about it, belongs with you and your own solicitor or adviser.
Still unsure? The “Is this a scam?” page shows you how to verify everything above independently.