You have agreed a sale. Now you want to know that your Buyer is committed before taking your home off the market. A Gazeal Deposit Agreement puts that commitment into an agreed holding deposit, with clear terms for both sides.
What is a Deposit Agreement?
The Buyer places an agreed holding deposit and the Seller reserves the property for them. The agreement sets out the commitment, the reservation period and the conditions for releasing or returning the money.
Over 300,000 property sales collapse every year, that’s 1 in 3 transactions falling through.
With a 95% sale completion rate, we give you the certainty, protection, and peace of mind you deserve when selling your home.
Buyer’s Commitment Secured
No Gazundering & Price negotiations.
The holding deposit option
This option gives you immediate peace of mind by requiring the Buyer to place a holding deposit, which takes your property off the market. The deposit amount is agreed between both parties and held safely through Gazeal’s payment partner, Shieldpay. If the Buyer pulls out without good reason, you keep the deposit. If you decide to pull out, the Buyer gets their deposit refunded in full.
Buyer’s Commitment Secured
Deposit held securely through Gazeal’s payment partner, Shieldpay.
If the Buyer pulls out unfairly, the Seller keeps the deposit.
This is just like lettings, but for sales: a holding deposit shows commitment and reserves the property. Your sale or purchase has its own agreed terms.
Held securely, released on agreed terms
Your deposit is held through Shieldpay, rather than paid straight to the Seller. Shieldpay Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority to provide payment services and safeguards customer funds separately from its own money.
The 3-Step Process to Secure Your Sale
Step 1: Choose Your Buyer Commitment Option
By simply telling your Agent you want commitment upfront, you can take control of your sale and secure a committed Buyer from the start. There are two powerful options for your Buyer to show commitment.
Step 2: Lock In the Buyer with Terms and Exclusivity
Once the parties have agreed on the commitment path:
You grant an exclusivity period (up to 6 months) where you agree not to market the property to others.
Both parties agree to a clear timeline and terms for reaching exchange.
The Buyer places the agreed Holding Deposit, held securely through Gazeal’s payment partner, Shieldpay.
Step 3: Gazeal Protects Your Sale to Exchange
With the Deposit Agreement in place:
Both parties work towards exchange on the terms agreed.
If the Buyer pulls out without a valid reason under the agreement, the deposit is paid to the Seller.
If the Seller pulls out for any reason, the Buyer gets their deposit refunded in full.
At exchange, the deposit is returned to the Buyer or their nominated Conveyancer, as agreed.
Fair terms, agreed before you sign
The Buyer and Seller agree the deposit amount, exclusivity period and exchange timetable together. Before signing, either party can propose changes. The final wording is the terms you have both reviewed and agreed to.
The agreement recognises valid reasons for withdrawing. Where there is a disagreement, Gazeal’s dispute-resolution process considers it under those terms before the deposit is released.
Questions sellers often ask
Who chooses the deposit amount?
The Buyer and Seller agree it together before signing.
What happens to the deposit at exchange?
It is returned to the Buyer as agreed. It is not an extra payment retained by the Seller when the sale proceeds normally.
What if the Buyer has a valid reason to withdraw?
The agreement sets out the valid reasons. If the Buyer’s reason is confirmed under those terms, their deposit is returned.
Does the Seller pay matching compensation?
This is a holding-deposit arrangement, not the matching financial commitment used by the Reservation Guarantee. If the Seller withdraws, the Buyer’s deposit is returned in full.
Are there fees as well as the deposit?
A reservation fee applies to setting up and managing the arrangement. Your agent can explain who will pay it and the amount before you agree to proceed. The deposit and the reservation fee are separate.
Choose the commitment that suits your sale
If you prefer a guaranteed financial commitment instead of placing a holding deposit, read our Reservation Agreement guide for sellers.
To discuss a holding deposit for your sale, talk to Gazeal. You can also read the Deposit Agreement guide from the other party’s perspective.
This guide is a general introduction. Your signed agreement sets out the terms for your transaction.
