Frequently Asked Questions

Sales only. Arden does not run a lettings department, so your property is not competing for attention with a rental portfolio. If you need a letting agent, we can point you towards our recommended agent: Harmony Lettings.

On average our properties get a sale agreed within 53 days. Price, condition and viewing availability move that number most. Correctly priced homes see their strongest interest in the first two to three weeks. Allow 8 to 12 weeks more for the legal process.

Our fee averages 1% plus VAT of the sale price, payable only on completion. On a £300,000 sale that is £3,600 including VAT. Nothing upfront.

We work on a monthly rolling agreement with 28 days’ notice, rather than the 12 to 16 week sole agency tie-ins common across the industry. If you are not happy with the service, you are not stuck with it.

No. There are no upfront costs for marketing, photography or valuation. Our fee is due only on completion, and we work on a monthly rolling contract rather than a fixed tie-in.

Every property goes on Rightmove, Zoopla and OnTheMarket plus our own site, and is alerted to our buyer database before launch. Photography, floorplan, description, video, virtual tour, social advertising and a For Sale board are all included in the fee.

Yes, we are fully accredited by The Property Ombudsman, ensuring we follow the highest industry standards for fairness and professionalism.

You must have commissioned an EPC before the property is advertised, and it must be available to buyers. If yours has expired we can arrange one through a qualified assessor, usually on the same day as your photographs, at £100 plus VAT. EPCs last 10 years.

Yes, and usually you should. Sellers already under offer are taken far more seriously by other agents and vendors. The risk is being pushed to complete before you have found somewhere, which is normally managed by agreeing a longer completion date at the point of offer.

We cover the Midlands from seven branches: Barnt Green, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Rubery, Stourbridge, Solihull and Worcester, plus the villages and suburbs each office serves.

A valuer from the branch, not a central team. The same office then handles viewings, offers and sales progression through to completion.

Yes. The branch conducts viewings on weekends and evenings. Every viewing is accompanied by a member of the branch team rather than left to the seller. Evening and weekend slots are deliberately held open, because that is when most working buyers can view.

Many newer developments are freehold but carry an estate management charge for shared roads and landscaping. It is separate from ground rent and is rarely obvious from a listing. Check the annual amount and how increases are set. Sellers should request the management pack early because it can delay conveyancing.

Most lenders want at least 5% of the purchase price, though 10% or more usually unlocks better rates. On exchange, you typically pay 5% to 10% to your solicitor. Budget separately for stamp duty, legal fees, searches, survey and moving costs.

A lender’s indication of what it would be willing to lend, based on an initial check. Most agents, including us, ask to see one before putting an offer to a seller. It typically lasts 30 to 90 days and can usually be renewed. It is not a formal offer.

Call the branch handling the property, use the enquiry form on the listing, or register with us and we will alert you to matching properties as they come to market. Viewings are accompanied, including evenings and weekends.

Yes, and we are obliged to put every offer to the seller in writing whatever the amount. Your position matters as much as the figure: an agreement in principle, no chain, and a quick timescale often beat a higher offer from someone still to sell.

Yes. A solicitor or licensed conveyancer handles the contract, searches, enquiries and transfer of funds. You can use anyone you choose, or we can recommend one.

Mortgage lenders require a valuation survey, but for more detailed assessments, you can opt for a HomeBuyers Report or a full structural survey.

Usually delays are caused by one of the following: a break in the chain, local authority search backlogs, waiting on a leasehold or management pack, or an outstanding mortgage condition. Our progression team identifies where the hold-up sits, chases the party responsible, and keeps you updated.

Around 8 to 12 weeks for a straightforward freehold purchase. Leasehold properties and longer chains take 12 to 16 weeks or more. The clock effectively starts when both solicitors are instructed, so appointing yours quickly is the most useful thing a buyer can do.

It depends on the price, whether you are a first-time buyer, and whether you will own another property on completion. Rates are set by HMRC and change periodically, so use the HMRC calculator or ask your conveyancer. It is payable within 14 days of completion.

There are three costs: the agent’s fee, conveyancing, and an EPC if you do not have a valid one. Our fee averages 1% plus VAT, payable on completion. On a £300,000 sale that is £3,600 including VAT. Allow around £1,000 for conveyancing and £100 plus VAT for an EPC.

There are no upfront fees to list your property. The only exception is a small AML verification charge of Identity checks £3 + VAT  & Proof of Ownership Checks £7+ VAT, which we’re legally required to carry out under Money Laundering Regulations before instructing a sale.

Typically 8 to 12 weeks from sale agreed to completion on a straightforward freehold sale, longer for leasehold or a long chain. The main variables are local authority search times, how quickly both parties instruct solicitors, and the number of parties in the chain.

No. We work on a monthly rolling agreement with 28 days’ notice, rather than the 12 to 16 week sole agency tie-ins common across the industry. If you are not happy with the service, you can leave (an exit fee applies).

Parts of the village sit within a conservation area, restricting window and roof materials, boundary walls, and tree removal. If work has been done, find the consents before marketing. Buyers’ solicitors ask for them, and missing paperwork causes delays. Bromsgrove District Council confirms whether an address falls inside.

Much of the district is Green Belt, which limits new building and tightens conditions on extensions, outbuildings and conversions. For buyers, that is what protects the semi-rural setting. For sellers, any extension will need its planning permission and building regulations sign-off ready for the buyer’s solicitor.

Redditch was designated a new town in 1964, and much of the housing dates from that period. Parking is often in shared garage courts, some estates carry rentcharges (like Webheath, Oakenshaw, Ipsley, Greenlands & Batchley), and certain construction types are treated differently by lenders. We can tell you which applies before you view.

Much of the housing near the town centre is Victorian, so a RICS Level 2 or Level 3 survey is worth the extra cost. Sellers can save time by having certificates ready for rewiring, damp treatment, roofing and structural alterations, which buyers’ solicitors routinely request.

Heavily. Catchment is one of the strongest drivers of buyer behaviour here, as shown by how quickly family homes attract interest. Catchments are set by Solihull Council and reviewed annually, so anyone buying with a particular school in mind should confirm the current position directly with them.

Some parts of the city, particularly nearer the Severn, fall within an Environment Agency flood zone. It does not prevent a sale, but it affects insurance. Check the Environment Agency flood map by postcode before viewing. Your conveyancer will also run a formal environmental search.

We listed our first property in January 2010. It was founded by Jon Whitehead, with James Cope joining as business partner that August. Both still own the business.

We are independently owned. We are not a franchise and have no external shareholders or corporate parent, so decisions on fees, marketing and staffing are made locally rather than by a head office.

Seven: Barnt Green, Bromsgrove, Redditch, Rubery, Stourbridge, Solihull and Worcester.

From Henley-in-Arden, where the founder was living when the business started in 2010. The later move into Solihull was partly a return to that area.

Compiled annually by Property Academy, an organisation that works with estate agents to raise service standards in the property sector. It assesses agents on Market Share & Growth, Conversions & Reliability, Time to Sale, Pricing Accuracy & Results, and Customer Service, rather than on agents’ submitted entries. Arden was named Best Medium-Sized Estate Agent in the UK in 2024 without entering.

They come from Rightmove data and measure the number of properties sold by each agent in that branch’s local market over a calendar year. They measure volume, not value or market share.

Arden sold more properties than any other agent in that local area over the year in question, based on Rightmove’s figures. It measures completed volume, not instructions taken, listings advertised or total value sold.

Arden is a member of The Property Ombudsman redress scheme and holds NAEA Propertymark membership.

With an independent like us, the person valuing your home works in the office selling it, and often offers better local knowledge and a personalised approach. Online agents can be cheaper but usually charge an upfront fee, whether or not you sell, and you handle your own viewings. Chains bring scale and a wider network but can also be less personal in their approach.

No. You can use any mortgage adviser or conveyancer you choose, and your offer will not be treated differently.

Often yes, but check your current contract first. Most sole agency agreements have a minimum term and notice period, and instructing a second agent too early can leave you liable for two fees. We will read your agreement with you, free and without obligation.