Any Condition. No Renovation Required.
Buyers love the idea of a renovation project, until they see the quotes. We buy unmodernised flats as they are, factor in refurbishment costs from the outset, and do not use condition as a reason to chip the price later.
Open market buyers viewing an unmodernised flat face an uncomfortable calculation. They see a property they like in a location they want, but they also see a kitchen from the 1970s, a bathroom suite in avocado green, and wiring that a surveyor is likely to flag. They offer low to compensate, or they get excited, offer the asking price, and then reduce after the survey.
Sellers are often caught in a difficult position. Spending money on renovation before selling carries risk: you may not recoup the cost, you may choose finishes the buyer dislikes, and the work itself takes time. But selling without updating the flat means accepting a lower price and navigating buyers who lose confidence once they see a structural or condition issue in writing.
We remove that problem entirely. Buying unmodernised properties is what we do every day. We know how to price refurbishment costs accurately, and we factor them into our offer from the start rather than using them as leverage later.
Unmodernised covers a wide range. Here is what we see most often.
Dated decor, original carpets, older kitchen and bathroom fittings: the flat is habitable but shows its age. Most buyers price in the refurbishment and then either offer low or negotiate aggressively after surveys. We do not. A cosmetically dated flat is straightforward to value and price accurately.
Old wiring, failing plumbing, outdated heating systems, or a layout that needs reconfiguring. Buyers with mortgages often struggle, lenders may retain funds until work is completed, which creates its own complications. We buy outright with no retention and no conditions attached to completion.
A surveyor's report that mentions damp, movement, or structural concerns stops many sales in their tracks. We assess these issues before making our offer, factor in remediation costs, and do not walk away because of a negative survey report. We buy the flat, not the surveyor's verdict on it.
We start with the end value: what would the flat be worth once modernised, in the current market, in that location? We then work backwards, deducting the cost of the refurbishment and our margin. This is the ARV (After Repair Value) approach, and it gives both us and the seller a transparent basis for understanding the offer.
We do not guess at refurbishment costs. We have been buying and refurbishing leasehold flats for over 20 years, and we have a clear understanding of what it costs to update a kitchen, a bathroom, the wiring, and the plumbing in flats of any size, anywhere in the country.
We are honest that our offer will be below what the flat would achieve fully modernised. That gap is the cost of the refurbishment plus our margin for doing the work. For sellers who do not want to project manage a renovation or fund it out of their own pocket, that trade-off often makes straightforward financial sense.
Sellers of unmodernised flats typically have three routes: the open market with an estate agent (private treaty), auction, or direct sale to a cash buyer like us. Each has trade-offs, and the right one depends on whether headline price, speed, or certainty matters most.
The open market usually achieves the highest price but takes longest and carries the greatest risk that condition issues derail the sale at survey stage. Auction offers strong certainty, with completion typically 28 days from the fall of the hammer, and unmodernised flats sell well at auction because bidders expect dated condition; the trade-off is a price below open-market value and a binding commitment on the day. Selling direct to us is the fastest and most certain route, with the lowest headline price; we factor refurbishment costs in from the start and absorb the condition risk.
If you have time and want the highest price, the open market is the usual answer. If certainty matters and an auction price works for you, the saleroom suits an unmodernised flat well. If you'd rather skip the renovation, viewings, surveys, and post-survey negotiation, sell direct: a known price, a known timeframe, and no condition-related surprises.
No. We buy the flat as it stands. We do not ask for decorating, repairs, or any work to be carried out before completion. We factor the cost of any required work into our offer at the outset.
We aim to make an accurate offer after our initial assessment. We do not make speculative high offers and reduce them later. If we identify something during the legal process that we were not aware of when making the offer, we will discuss it openly rather than simply cutting the price.
Not at all. Buying unmodernised flats is what we do every day. Older decor, dated kitchens and bathrooms, and original fixtures are not problems for us, they are factored into our valuation. Where the fit-out is dated throughout, we usually price for a full refurbishment, which keeps the costing straightforward.
A short lease alongside an unmodernised flat is a combination we buy regularly. We assess both factors together and make a single offer that reflects the full picture, with no need to extend the lease or renovate before selling.
