Selling · 2 min read
How to run safe viewings when you sell privately
Practical steps to check buyers, prepare your home and host viewings safely, plus the warning signs of property scams.
Most buyers are exactly who they say they are. A few simple habits keep you safe and help you spend time only on serious buyers.
Before anyone visits
- Talk first. Call the buyer before booking. Ask their full name, whether they have a home to sell, and whether they have a mortgage agreement in principle or cash.
- Book daytime slots, and back-to-back viewings where you can. An “open house” hour is efficient and safer.
- Don’t be alone. Ask a friend or neighbour to be there, and tell someone who is visiting and when.
- Put away valuables, keys, post, paperwork, medication and anything with personal details.
- Secure pets and make sure the home is safe to walk round.
On OpenSell, every enquiry comes from someone who has verified a UK mobile number. That’s a useful filter, but it doesn’t prove who someone is, so still have the conversation.
During the viewing
- Lead the way and stay together. Don’t let visitors wander alone.
- Point out features, but let them look. Silence is fine.
- Answer questions honestly. If you don’t know, say you’ll find out.
- Don’t share why you’re moving or how urgently. It weakens your position.
- Don’t discuss price at the door. Ask for offers in writing afterwards.
Warning signs
- someone who won’t give a name or number, or who pushes to visit at night
- an offer before viewing, especially from overseas, with pressure to act fast
- requests for you to pay a fee, deposit or “verification” cost
- an overpayment followed by a request to send money back
- emails asking you to change bank details for the sale
Video and second viewings
A short video walk-through can help distant buyers decide if a visit is worth it. Serious buyers usually come back for a second viewing; that’s a good sign. Arrange it the same way.
Sources
Last reviewed . This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. Rules differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland and can change; check with a solicitor or conveyancer about your own sale.