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Inherited Property
Inherited a property? Take it one step at a time.
An inherited home arrives in the middle of everything else. Here is what usually has to happen before a sale, the costs to keep an eye on and the routes open to you once the estate allows it.
First Steps
What usually happens before a sale.
Selling a property that belongs to an estate in England or Wales normally waits for the legal right to deal with the estate.
- A grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will, is usually needed before the property can be sold
- Gov.uk advises against putting a property on the market until you have the grant
- A home owned as joint tenants usually passes straight to the surviving owner, without probate
- You can plan, gather documents and talk through the routes before the grant arrives
Your Routes
The routes, compared.
Families often take different views. Setting the routes side by side helps everyone see the same picture.
| Route | What happens | Price and speed | Where we fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep it, we manage it | The home is run as serviced accommodation and the family keeps it | You keep the value; income depends on bookings | Full management from 20% of booking revenue |
| Let it to us | A company let agreement with us as lessee | A fixed monthly sum, occupied or not | Once the estate can grant one |
| Quiet sale | Introductions to investors on our list | Below open market value, in exchange for speed and certainty | No fee to the estate; the buyer pays our fee |
| Open-market sale | An estate agent markets the home | Usually the best price, over a longer timescale | An agent handles this |
| Auction | A fixed date and a binding sale on the day | Speed and certainty, with fees and a reserve-price risk | An auction house handles this |
Where the highest price matters most, an estate agent is usually right. Where the home needs work, the family is spread out or certainty matters more, the first three rows are worth a conversation.
Costs To Know
Council tax, insurance and tax.
Three things catch families out while an estate is being dealt with. In England:
- No council tax is due on an empty home while you wait for probate
- After the grant, an exemption can last up to 6 more months if the home stays empty and in the name of the person who died
- Tell the insurer the home is unoccupied: many policies change their cover once a home is empty
- If the home sells for more than it was worth when the person died, Capital Gains Tax may be due, reported and paid within 60 days of completion
Read This First
What we are and what we are not.
We do not buy your house. Maine Property Solutions is not the buyer and makes no offers of its own. We introduce properties to investors on our list and any offer comes from them.
You pay us nothing. Not now, not on completion. We are paid by the buyer we introduce you to. That amount is agreed in writing and we tell you what it is before you commit to anything.
Investors buy below open market value. They trade a lower price for speed and certainty, so an offer will be lower than a full open-market sale through an estate agent would be expected to achieve.
If price matters most, use an estate agent. An open-market sale is expected to achieve more. Take independent legal advice before agreeing to anything: a solicitor acting for you, not for a buyer.
Tell Us About It
Tell us about the property.
Where it is, what it is like and where the estate has got to. We come back to you about next steps and nothing moves before you are able to sell.
- No fee to the estate
- Talk now, act when the grant allows
- A call at the time you choose
Prefer to talk? 02477 450677 or WhatsApp us — Mon–Fri 9–6, Sat 10–2.
Free Guide
Selling an inherited house
Probate, the costs that keep running and the routes open to the family, step by step.
Other Situations
Not quite your situation?
Each page sets out the routes for one situation. The guides go into more depth.
Your Questions
Inherited property, answered.
Can I sell an inherited house before probate?
Usually not. A grant of probate, or letters of administration where there is no will, is normally needed first and gov.uk advises against putting a property on the market until you have it. You can still plan and talk through the routes.
Do we pay council tax on an empty inherited house?
In England no council tax is due on an empty home while you wait for probate. After the grant an exemption can last up to 6 more months if the home stays empty and in the name of the person who died.
Is there tax to pay when we sell?
If the home sells for more than its value when the person died, Capital Gains Tax may be due. On UK residential property it is usually reported and paid within 60 days of completion. Take advice from an accountant or the estate's solicitor.
Do you buy inherited houses?
No. We introduce the property to investors on our list and any offer comes from them. The estate pays us nothing.