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How to buy a home: preparing to buy, deciding on a home, making offers, conveyancing, paying Stamp Duty Land Tax and making complaints.

• Overview

  Buying a home takes about 5 months on average. The process can take longer…

• Preparing to buy

  When you decide you want to buy a home, you may need to get a mortgage to…

• Deciding on a home

  There are different ways to own a property. Leasehold and freehold…

• Making an offer

  Before you make an offer, check: what the property is worth the number of…

• Transferring ownership (conveyancing)

  Once the offer is accepted, the seller is responsible for drawing up a…

• Tax

  You may need to pay: Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) when you buy a home in…

• Making a complaint

  You can make a complaint to a company involved in the sale if you’re…

Practical advice to consider when purchasing a property in India.

• Updated: 17 January 2014

• Updated: 2 July 2025

Buy or get someone's permission to use a patent, trade mark, design or work under copyright

How to find digital outcome, specialist and user research services on the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework.

• Updated: 4 June 2021

How to sell a home: Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), using estate agents, finding a legal professional, getting offers, transferring ownership and making complaints.

When to exclude and include the buying commission in the customs value and account for import VAT if you’re an importer paying fees to your buying agent.

• Updated: 28 October 2024

Advice for British people buying property in Morocco, including information on legal advice, fraud, residence requirements, complaints and more.

• Updated: 11 February 2014

How the First Homes scheme works, who is eligible, how to apply and the rules for managing a First Homes property after you buy one.

Buy your rented home through the Right to Shared Ownership scheme: who can apply, how to apply, costs, paying rent, buying more shares, repairing and selling your home.