Frequently Asked Questions

Customers are saving an average of £4,500. However, it could be a lot more depending on the price of your property and the commission your local estate agent would charge you. To find out exactly how much you could save, click here to try HouseWeb's Savings Calculator.

How much does it cost to advertise my property?

Please click here to view the price list.

Is HouseWeb an Estate Agent?

No. HouseWeb is a publisher, which means you can advertise your property with an estate agent and HouseWeb at the same time without conflicting your agent's contract. Why is this?

Can I use HouseWeb and an Estate Agent?

Yes. If you sell through HouseWeb you won't have to pay your estate agent their commission. For more information please click here.

How does the property system work?

By clicking on "search property" in the navigation, you will see a number of options, such as "For Sale" and "To Rent". If you click on one of these links, you will then be taken to the front page of that section, where you can search for properties within that section. If you would like to submit, modify or delete a property you will need to log on. If you are a new user, please click "sell your home" in the navigation and then "submit property" in the sub-menu. Once registered, you can then submit your property. Please make a note of your password, to ensure you can log on and modify or delete your property in the future.

How does the sign-in process work?

If you want to post, modify, or delete a property, you will need to sign in to the system. If you have never signed in before, please read "How does the property system work?" above.

Then you simply go to "My HouseWeb" and enter your email address and password.

In the future, if at anytime that you want to modify, edit or delete your advert, go to "My HouseWeb" and sign in.

My e-mail address has changed. Can I still sign in?

Yes. Simply sign in with your old e-mail address. This is your username. You can alter your e-mail address in your advert to ensure you receive enquiries. If you do this, it will not change your sign-in e-mail address - so still sign-in with your original e-mail address (the one you registered with).

I forgot my password. Can I still sign in?

If you ever forget your password, at the sign-in screen, you can click on the "Forgot Your Password?" button. When the next screen comes up, enter your user name on the form and click on the "Submit Search" button. The script will e-mail your password to the e-mail address that you used when registering your account.

Are my sign in details case-sensitive?

No. Your sign in details are not case-sensitive.

How do I submit a property?

Click on "sell your home" in the navigation bar and then "submit property" in the sub-menu. Register or sign in if you are already registered. Next, select where you property is based on the map. You will then be taken to the "Submit a Property" page. Complete the advertising form, filling in the required fields as a minimum. You can add or edit any details after submitting. When you have filled out the form click on the "Post my Property" button. Your property will only be submitted to HouseWeb at this point. You should then see an acknowledgement page if your property was successfully posted. Your advert will be vetted by us prior to appearing live on the site. We also require payment before publishing the advert.

Do I have to use my real name when posting a message?

No. Even if you use your real name when you register (which we recommend), you do not have to use your real name when you submit a property. The advert will simply publish whatever you put in the field. If you feel more comfortable, you can use a nickname or pseudo name.

Can I put HTML tags anywhere in my posts?

No. You can not use HTML tags in the body of the message. If you put HTML tags in your message, the script will just throw out everything in between the <>'s. You do have the option, however, of putting a link to a picture of something if you have posted it somewhere else on the Web.

What should I put in the "Property Description" box?

Please describe the property as much detail as you can, remember that you have a maximum of 6000 characters available. For readability, ensure you use headings, line and paragraph breaks. Try to mention the different rooms and features in and around your property. You may want to mention about the locality. Also, take a look at some other adverts if you need ideas of what else to add. More help on property descriptions is available on the form when submitting your property.

Why didn't my advert show up?

If you have just posted your advert, it will not be live on the site until we have vetted it and we have received payment. You can still modify it however.

If your advert has already been turned live, you may find that either you were in the wrong section or you specified search criteria that don't appear in your advert. If so, please verify that you are in the correct section and then broaden your search by leaving more of the search field's blank.

I can't find my advert on external sites

(Please note: We find that 99% of all these queries are due to a customer using the search facility incorrectly on the external site! If you are having trouble finding your property, please ensure you are searching correctly.)

Firstly, check to make sure that the package you have purchased includes the marketing of your property on external sites. If it does not, you can upgrade your package here. Secondly, please check your advert details are correct. Your property will be rejected on external sites if you have done any of the following in your advert:

Included any text (other than a currency symbol) in the price field
Put your contact details in the Property Description box
Provided a partial or incorrect post code

If you have only recently submitted or modified your advert, please allow up to 72 hours for your advert to reach external sites (usually quicker, but please allow this amount of time). If you wish to check, please only check sites such as Fish4 and Propertyfinder first. Some of the sites we send your property details to then have to add it to additional sites they work with. As a result this can take up to an additional 72 hours for this to happen. Please be patient before contacting Customer Services. If you really do feel there is an issue, please use the contact form in My HouseWeb giving as much details as possible.

Taking great photos that sell your property

Photos are the most important part of your advert. It's the first thing people look at and makes or breaks whether they read on. Bad photos are worse than no photos, so make sure your pictures really do your property justice or they won't sell your home.

Here are some simple tips for taking the best photos:

Exterior:

This should be the main photo of your advert. If you use an interior photo, people will assume that the front of the property doesn't look good.
Take photos on a sunny day. If the sun has gone on holiday, put up the best photo you can now and replace it with a brighter one on a clear day.
Don't forget the garden! If you have a photo with everything in bloom, even better.

Interior:

Make sure the rooms are free of clutter. The room should look ready for a viewing.
Ensure curtains are open.
Turn on any lights to add brightness to the room.
Use the flash to add light, but avoid pointing your camera directly at a window as your image will turn out darker.
Take photos during the daytime

It is also good to ask a friend which photos they like the best - an independent eye can help. How many?
We recommend at least 6, but the more the better. As a bare minimum you should have:

Front
Kitchen
Main Bathroom
Main Bedroom
Living Room
Dining Room (if applicable)
Garden (if you have one) For larger houses, you should also take photos of additional bedrooms, offices, summer house and any other selling features such as gym, swimming pool, sauna etc.
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Once you have submitted your property, you are given the option of adding photos to your advert. You have two options:
1) If you have the photos electronically (e.g. scanned photo or digital camera picture), you can add them to your advert. You will find a link directing you to your "My HouseWeb" page,
- Sign in with your email and password
- Click on Add Photos
- Add each photo individually (they will appear on the bottom waiting to be approved)
2) If you only have traditional (non-digital) photos of your property and do not have access to a scanner, you can post them to us and we will add them to your property. If you wish your photos to be returned please enclosed a stamp-addressed envelope (SAE).
You can add or change photos at any time using "My HouseWeb".
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How many photos can I display?
Different advertising packages allows you to add a different number of photos. To find out which package is most suitable for you, please view the Advert Features and Pricing chart. You can also purchase additional photos or a set of 10 photo with our photo pack.
We recommend displaying as many photos as possible as 98% of buyers have stated that they are the most important aspect of the advert when looking at a property. For this reason, we recommend displaying as many photos as you can. Each additional photo over your package allowance costs £10, or you can purchase the 10 Photo Pack for £59.
Your main photo will be displayed at the top of your advert. Additional photos are displayed in their own window when a buyer clicks on the "More Photos" link.
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How do I change the photo(s) displayed in my advert?
Simply go to "My HouseWeb",
- Sign in with your email and password
- Click on Add Photos
- Add each one in turn (They will appear at the bottom of the screen under "Photos Awaiting Approval")
- If you wish to change the order of the photos you can sort them by using the Up and Down arrow once they have been approved.
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I don't have a scanner or digital camera
No problem! You can send your photos to us and we will scan and add them to your advert at no extra cost.
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Where do I send my photos?
If you have your photo(s) digitally, e-mail them to info@houseweb.co.uk, quoting your property reference in the subject line.
If you would like us to scan them for you, please write your advert number on the back of each photo and send them (with an stamp-addressed envelope if you want them returned) to:
HouseWeb Customer Services
PO Box 122
ROYSTON
SG8 8YD
UK
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HELP! I am having problems adding a photo to my advert.
Your photo is probably too large in file size. If your photo is bigger than 60k (60,000 bytes) in size it will be rejected. This restriction exists because if your photo is too large, it will take too long to display and would reduce the number of people who see your property. To reduce your image size, please read What do I do if my photo image is too big?
Most art packages can compress and reduce the file size of photos. Examples include Photoshop and Paint Shop Pro. If your photo is scanned or from a digital camera, you may be able to change the dimension with the accompanying software.
The Image Requirements
The image type must be in the .JPG or .GIF format (JPG (or JPEG) is the norm for photos) and have a file size no larger than 60k (60,000 bytes). If your photo dimensions (pixels) are very large, they will be automatically scaled down to fit your advert when you add them. Depending on the size of your photo and the speed of your Internet connection, it may take a minute or two to add your image.
If you are using a PC, you can find out the file size of your image is by locating it on your computer, right-clicking on the image and selecting "Properties".

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What do I do if my photo image is too big?
Method 1 (recommended)
Reduce your image quickly by using Image Optimizer. Once you image is optimised, save it to your computer and add it in My HouseWeb.
"My photo is still over 60k"
Simply smaller choose a smaller file size from the "Optimize for:" option. Once you have resized your image go to instruction 6 in Method 2, below.
Method 2
1. Within your imaging software such as Paint, Photoshop, PaintShop etc, open up your saved image file.
2. Go to the help option on the tool bar.
3. Within the help option you should be able to search for "pixels".
4. The results of the search should list how to resize in pixels. If your photo is larger than 800*600 pixels, try resizing it to 800 pixels on the longest length, remembering to keep the proportions (there should be a checkbox option to keep proportions). Also, you can try cropping your photo to remove any unnecessary borders - this will also reduce the file size.
5. Save your new image into a folder/memorable location on disc or your pc.
6. Go to the My HouseWeb page
- Sign in with your email and password.
- Click on 'Add Photos'.
- Add each one in turn (They will appear at the bottom of the screen under "Photos Awaiting Approval")
- If the order of the photos is not as you would like to see them you can sort them by using the Up and Down arrow once they have been approved.
A message will say whether your image has been added successfully.
If you receive an error message, this means that your add has been unsuccessful. Please refer to the notes above.
Should you still have problems, please contact us at info@houseweb.co.uk or call (0845) 123 5181 during office hours.
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I've added my photos - Why are they not showing with my advert?
There are two reasons for this:
1) We manually check every photo that is added before turning it live. Please allow one working day for photos to appear with your advert.
2) Your photo did not add correctly.
When adding your photo, if you received a message confirming they have successfully been added, they will be in the queue to be checked and turned live by Customer Services. You can view all photos to be approved on My HouseWeb page. Sign in and click on "View Photos".
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How do I pay for my advert?
You can pay online by credit card, fax or by sending a cheque to:
HouseWeb Customer Services
PO Box 122
ROYSTON
SG8 8YD
UK
If you choose you can also select to contact Customer Services direct on 0845 123 5181 during office hours (9am to 5.30pm, Monday to Friday) and pay over the phone.
For more information on how to pay and to pay by phone please click here.
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Where do I send my cheque?
Please send your cheque, (made payable to "HouseWeb" and with your advert number written on the back) to:
HouseWeb Customer Services
PO Box 122
ROYSTON
SG8 8YD
UK
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How do I renew my ad?
Simply go to your "My HouseWeb" page,
- Sign in with your email and password
- Click on Renew Now.
- Press Renew
- Your property will now be renewed on HouseWeb for another 30 days
Your property can only ever be renewed for 30 days from the date of renewal. For example, imagine your property was due to expire on 31st January. You decide to renew your property on the 21st January when there are 10 days remaining. Your property will only be renewed for 30 days form the 21st January (and will now expire on 20th February)

Why do I have to renew my property every 30 days?
Your property can remain on the site until sold, but we require all properties to be renewed every 30 days in order to keep our database up-to-date. This ensures you do not receive enquiries when your property is no longer available and none of us are wasting potential buyer's time. We all know how much effort and energy goes in to looking for property and our service to buyers needs to be of the highest standard.
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How do I edit my advert?
Simply go to your "My HouseWeb" page,
- Sign in with your email and password
- Click on Edit Advert.
- Do all the changes you need and submit.
- Any amendments to your advert will take effect immedimmediatelyouseWeb. (Please allow up to two working days for changes to be reflected on external sites).
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How do I remove my ad?
Simply go to your "My HouseWeb" page,
- Sign in with your email and password
- Click on Delete Advert.
- Confirm that you want to delete your property and submit.
- Your advert will be deleted immediately from HouseWeb
You cannot delete a property that you did not submit.
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Why didn't my search turn up any matches?
Your search criteria may have been too narrow. Go back to the search form and leave more of the search fields blank, or click on the "New Search" button and do a general search. For the broadest possible search, simply click on the "See All Ads" button.
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How do I navigate the search results page?
You can quickly re-sort your results in different ways by clicking on the category headers at the top of the results (for example, to sort by Date Posted, simply click on the Town/City header; all of your search criteria will be maintained). To see more of your search results, you can click on the "View the Next 10 Properties" button beneath the table or use the navigation bar beneath this button.
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How do I see the full details for a particular ad?
Simply click on the "Full Details" link or the photo.
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What is that bar for at the bottom of the search results page?
It's a navigation bar that lets you quickly jump to other groups of your search results. That way, you don't have to keep clicking on the "View the Next..." button. Each button represents a group of search results, with the number beneath the button representing the number of the last hit within that group. If your search results in more than 15 groups, only the first fifteen groups are accessible through the buttons. To get to groups beyond the twentieth group, you would need to click on the last button, and once that group is displayed, keep clicking on the right arrow or the "View the Next..." button to see groups beyond that. The green button indicates the group of search results that is currently being displayed. All of the groups that you have not seen yet have a blue button, while the groups that you have already seen have red buttons. The arrow at the right operates in the same manner that the "View the Next...." button does, in that it takes you to the next group. The arrow to the left takes you back to the group prior to the current one.
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How do I contact someone who has posted an advert?
At the bottom of the advert you will see the "Contact Information" section. If the Vendor has chosen to display their telephone number(s) it will be listed here. Alternatively, click on the "Send an Enquiry" link and you will be presented with an enquiry form. Fill this out and your message will be e-mailed to the vendor. Should you wish to be contacted by phone, please put your telephone number with your message.
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I have feedback or another question not covered here.
Please e-mail us at this address - property@houseweb.co.uk or call Customer Services on 0845 123 5181 (during office hours). We'd love to hear from you!
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Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Overview

Logging on

Advertising a Property

Submitting a Property

Adding Photos

Paying for your Advert

Renewing your Advert

Modifying/Removing your Advert

Picking up Messages

Finding a Property

Searching for Property

Contacting the Vendor

More Questions?