Property guides
Plain-English guides to buying, selling and renting in the UK. Each one lists the official sources we checked and the date we last reviewed it.
- How to buy a home: the process step by stepFrom saving a deposit to collecting the keys — what happens at each stage of buying a home in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and what it costs.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- First-time buyers: tax relief, savings and schemesThe tax reliefs, savings accounts and schemes that can help first-time buyers across the UK — with the current thresholds and rules.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- How to sell your homePreparing to sell, choosing how to market your home, the paperwork you'll need, and what happens between accepting an offer and completion.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- Renting a home in 2026: your rights under the Renters' Rights ActWhat changed for private renters in England on 1 May 2026, plus deposits, fees and energy ratings — and how renting works in Wales and Scotland.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- Stamp duty explained: SDLT, LBTT and LTTHow property tax works in England and Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales — the current bands, first-time buyer relief, extra rates on second homes and worked examples.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- Leasehold explained: leases, ground rent and the reformsWhat leasehold, freehold, share of freehold and commonhold mean, the charges to check before you buy, and where leasehold reform stands in 2026.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- EPC ratings explainedWhat an Energy Performance Certificate tells you, what the A to G bands mean, when you need one, and the minimum rating for rented homes.Reviewed 27 September 2026
- Material information in property listingsWhat 'material information' means, why listings must include it, the Part A, B and C framework, and how the rules changed under the DMCC Act.Reviewed 27 September 2026