Watchdog says such firms provide useful service for homeowners but are often used by consumers in vulnerable situations

Companies who offer desperate homeowners a quick sale are to be investigated by the Office of Fair Trading, following concerns that their customers may be receiving tens of thousands of pounds less than their property is worth.

Quick house sale providers offer to buy a house or find a third party buyer very quickly, usually at a discount from the full market value. The sale is a cash sale, and the emphasis is on speed, with promises of completion in as little as five days in some cases. While most firms claim to offer fair or “realistic” prices and “no hidden fees”, consumers have reported cases where a price has been agreed, only to be dropped at the last minute, and being hit with high charges after a valuation has been accepted.

The OFT has launched a market study into the industry, writing to more than 50 quick house sale firms asking for information on their business models and calling for consumers who have used these services to tell it about their experiences.Cavendish Elithorn, the OFT’s senior director for goods and consumer, said: “Businesses offering quick house sales may provide a useful service for homeowners who need to unlock cash in a hurry.

“However, they are often used by consumers in vulnerable situations and therefore we are concerned about the risk of consumers being misled and losing out on large sums of money.”

Activity by these firms has increased in recent years, against a backdrop of falling property sales and a growing numbers of people struggling to repay their mortgages – by the end of 2012, more than 150,000 households had fallen behind on mortgage repayments.

In their website marketing some companies appear to be targeting people in danger of repossession, offering a quick sale before the lender can act. Many seem to be focussing on areas where the housing market is very slow or repossession rates are high.

Consumers who have used these schemes can contact the OFT at quickhousesales@oft.gsi.gov.uk by 16 May 2013.