MPs have launched an inquiry on improving the home buying and selling process in England. The Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC)...
Archive
![New lawyers action group queries material information rules](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Legal_Action-400x310.png)
A new action group has been formed that is expressing concern about ineffective legal regulation as well as extra responsibilities being...
20 November 2023
From: Breaking News
![Fall-throughs almost eliminated by upfront searches - claim](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/Homeowners%20driving%20Google%20search%20Weekend%20Estate%20agent%20AgentOnline-400x310.png)
A conveyancing services proptech firm claims to have sped up transactions and reduced fall-throughs in just its first 18 months of...
26 September 2023
From: Breaking News
![Agencies favouring lower offers to get referral fees - claim](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/HousePrices_balancing-400x310.png)
Referral fees for estate agents could be back in the sights of industry regulators. It was reported last week that the National...
25 September 2023
From: Breaking News
![Show me the money! OnTheMarket launches financial services arm](/upload/images/Rental%20Market/UK-Cash-NEW-400x310.jpg)
OnTheMarket has launched a new financial services arm. The portal has unveiled OnTheMarket Money, an umbrella brand providing consumers with access to...
20 June 2023
From: Breaking News
![Government ‘working with’ Trading Standards on conditional selling](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/HouseForSale_400x310.png)
The issue of conditional selling in estate agency has hit Westminster. There have been several reports in recent months about agents requiring...
11 April 2023
From: Breaking News
![Revealed! What conveyancers want from estate agents](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Rental%20Market/Happy_EstateAgent-400x310.png)
Conveyancers have outlined ways they believe the property transaction process could be improved including shutting down or improving “dabblers” and getting...
24 January 2023
From: Breaking News
![When the going gets tough, focus on your leaky bucket](/upload/images/Shutterstock-only%20images/Property%20Market/NewBuild-2-400x310.png)
As economic signs increasingly point to a contraction in the property market, competition for new business will inevitably heat up. But...
03 December 2022
From: Features
![Estate agents and conveyancers - Same frustrations. Different jobs.](/upload/images/Tables%2C%20Graphs%2C%20Infographics/blogbanner400x310.jpg)
One of the particular characteristics of the property market is how it brings contrasting professions together. From estate agents to conveyancers,...
24 September 2022
From: Features
![Revealed – UK-first PropTech launches agents need to know about](/upload/images/PropTech%20%26%20Online/PropertyDevelopmentImage-1-400x310.jpg)
Automation is the direction the industry is moving in and it’s gathering pace every day. Forward-thinking agents are using automation and...
20 July 2022
From: Features
![Property Natter - why conveyancers should charge more for a better service](/upload/images/Site%20logos/PropertyNatter-2019-400x310.png)
The ongoing debate about how to boost agent and conveyancer relations, and improve the homebuying system for all, continues to rage,...
02 July 2022
From: Features
![Would fewer emails and more lunches boost agent and conveyancer relations?](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/Millennials-Handshake-400x310.jpg)
Referral fees, lack of trust and too much email have been identified as barriers to greater collaboration between conveyancers and estate...
18 May 2022
From: Breaking News
![Challenger portal offers new referral fees thanks to partnership](/upload/images/PropTech%20%26%20Online/AdobeStock_325600646.jpeg)
Challenger portal group OneDome has linked with a chain repair service to provide what it calls an end-to-end property offering. The OneDome...
29 March 2022
From: Breaking News
![Another online agency aims to take 10% market share](/upload/images/Logos/Strike-Logo-400x310.jpg)
Strike, formerly known as Housesimple, is the latest online agency to claim it’s going to secure a 10 per cent market...
14 February 2022
From: Breaking News
![Trading Standards want public to quiz agents on referral fees](/upload/images/library/Referrals-400x310.png)
The most senior Trading Standards officer policing the agency industry says he hopes the public will ask about referral fees in...
31 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Referral fee offer for OnTheMarket agents via development deals](/upload/images/Logos/OnTheMarketLogo-New-2022-400x310.jpg)
OnTheMarket has signed a deal with Brickflow, a new comparison site for development finance. The portal says the partnership will provide member...
28 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Agents Do Charity - and we’re fund-raising like mad already…](/upload/images/Site%20logos/AgentsDoCharity-18-400x310.png)
Barely three weeks into the new year and we’re already talking about plans to raise tens, perhaps hundreds, of thousands of...
21 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Exclusive: Setback for house buying reform as top expert moves job](/upload/images/Politics%20(MPs%2C%20party%20logos%2C%20etc)/HousesofParliament-3-400x310.jpg)
Estate Agent Today understands that the civil servant who has been at the heart of plans to reform the house buying...
13 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Hybrid agency rolls out nationwide - but with only 70 agents](/upload/images/Logos/Strike-Logo-400x310.jpg)
A hybrid agency that charges no fees to vendors but instead relies on referral fees for income has officially rolled out...
07 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Goodbye referral fees? Conveyancing expert’s anger over IT crisis](/upload/images/PropTech%20%26%20Online/Digital-Online-400x310.jpg)
A conveyancer has contacted Estate Agent Today suggesting that the Simplify Group IT data crisis could be the death knell for the company...
04 January 2022
From: Breaking News
![Agency selling homes for free rolls out nationwide](/upload/images/Logos/Strike-Logo-400x310.jpg)
The online agency Strike - which has a business model selling homes for free and relying on referral fees for revenue...
29 December 2021
From: Breaking News
![Ban Referral Fees For Agents - petition demands government action](/upload/images/library/Referrals-400x310.png)
A petition is being started, urging the government to ban the payment of referral fees to estate agents. It’s reported to have...
06 December 2021
From: Breaking News
![Referral fees and sales and finance back-up offered to agents](/upload/images/Housing%20Market%20%26%20Property%20Images/MillennialAgents-2020-400x310.jpg)
A new service has been launched claiming to offer ‘a new supportive partnership opportunity’ for agents to earn referral fees. Cox &...
22 October 2021
From: Breaking News
![Referral revenue between agents hits £1.3m says network](/upload/images/library/Referrals-400x310.png)
Referral revenues shared between agents in a major industry trade group has hit over £1.35m. Daniel Pepperell, regional director at The Guild...
12 August 2021
From: Breaking News
![Estate Agency Regulation - House of Commons publishes update](/upload/images/library/GovernmentImage-400x310.jpg)
The House of Commons Library has published what may be the definitive record of estate agency regulations issued in recent years...
09 August 2021
From: Breaking News
![Agency to give some referral fees to eco-charity](/img/default/eat.png)
An estate agency is to link with a home set-up service and says it will give its referral fees to an...
26 April 2021
From: Breaking News
![Why automation could improve enforcement of PRS regulation](/img/default/eat.png)
It’s now more than a year since the government offered an additional £4 million to councils to combat rogue landlords. At the...
13 February 2021
From: Features
![Why don’t agencies list on the stock market anymore?](/img/default/eat.png)
There’s been a flurry of recent activity involving agencies quoted on the London Stock Exchange: Hunters, The Property Franchise Group and...
23 January 2021
From: Features
07 January 2021
From: Breaking News
![Many buyers feel ‘pressured by agent to use in-house mortgage firm’](/img/default/eat.png)
A study of 2,000 home owners shows that over a third have felt pressured by an agent into use its in-house mortgage...
11 December 2020
From: Breaking News
![Referral Fees - agents should disclose them up-front insists Ombudsman](/img/default/eat.png)
The Property Ombudsman has joined calls for greater disclosure of referral fees by agents. The issue has become a hot topic in...
30 November 2020
From: Breaking News
![Trading Standards to advise Boomin on referral fees disclosure](/img/default/eat.png)
The Boomin portal, which incentivises agents to cross-sell and benefit from referral fees, is to receive advice on fee disclosure from...
19 November 2020
From: Breaking News
![Slowdown ‘is right time to invest in PropTech to optimise revenue’](/img/default/eat.png)
The founder of OneDome says a likely housing market slowdown is the perfect time for agents to optimise revenue by investing in PropTech. Babek Ismayil believes...
19 November 2020
From: Breaking News
![Boomin signs up hundreds of new franchise branches](/img/default/eat.png)
The six brands that make up The Property Franchise Group are the latest signings for yet-to-launch portal Boomin. TPFG’s brands are national...
10 November 2020
From: Breaking News
![Boomin signs online agency amongst 10 new founding members](/img/default/eat.png)
Fledgling portal Boomin - launching later this month - has announced another 10 independent regional agencies as founder members. This includes its...
05 November 2020
From: Breaking News
![Renters' Reform Bill delay - what does it mean for the lettings market?](/img/default/eat.png)
Housing Minister Christopher Pincher announced that the introduction of the Renters' Reform Bill will be delayed for an indefinite period due...
31 October 2020
From: Features
![He’s back: ARLA’s David Cox joins Rightmove as compliance chief](/img/default/eat.png)
David Cox is joining Rightmove next week in a dramatic return to the industry. Cox left the ARLA Propertymark in late July after...
28 October 2020
From: Breaking News
![Referral fee transparency shows why panel management is outdated](/img/default/eat.png)
The latest review by the National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team into referral fees places the outdated practice of...
10 October 2020
From: Features
![Reveal referral fees now and don’t wait for law change, says NAEA](/img/default/eat.png)
The National Association of Estate Agents has thrown its weight behind the recommendation of Trading Standards that agents must by law be...
05 October 2020
From: Breaking News
![Agents MUST disclose referral fees, Trading Standards tells government](/img/default/eat.png)
Customers must be told about third party referral fees when buying or selling a home says the National Trading Standards Estate...
02 October 2020
From: Breaking News
![Speed up sales! Online platform claims to cut agents’ admin in 2021](/img/default/eat.png)
A new online platform claims to be the first of its kind to speed up the private treaty sales process for...
01 October 2020
From: Breaking News
![Portal promotes “free money” referral fees despite industry probe](/img/default/eat.png)
One of the many new portals recently launched has made a pitch for agents to join because of its referral fees...
24 September 2020
From: Breaking News
![Property Natter - perception vs reality - why do agents have a bad rep?](/img/default/eat.png)
It’s fair to say that UK estate agents don’t have the best of reputations, often featuring in the lists of the...
29 August 2020
From: Features
![Digital hub claims to shorten transaction times and offer referral fees](/img/default/eat.png)
A digital resource hub for estate agents claims to shorten transaction times. Sort Move, which has been operating since late 2019,...
17 August 2020
From: Breaking News
![Jenrick - Why his scandals matter to agents](/img/default/eat.png)
It may be that by the time you read this it’s all over for Robert Jenrick, the Secretary of State for...
27 June 2020
From: Features
![PropTech Today: On the offensive - why aren't you giving it all away for free?](/img/default/eat.png)
I was asked a question by a German journalist yesterday. What is the biggest lesson German and European PropTech founders can...
03 June 2020
From: Breaking News
![New sales and rental franchise seeks agents to set up national operation](/img/default/eat.png)
A senior property lawyer is to set up a franchise agency which he describes as embracing the best of the High...
02 June 2020
From: Breaking News
![Tenant Engagement](/img/default/eat.png)
There is no doubt that the BBC News article in early February caused something of a stir within the Deposit Free...
12 March 2020
From: Sponsored Content
![Referral Fees: No change “for a while” but reform coming](/img/default/eat.png)
The Trading Standards report on the future of referral fees is almost completed and will be sent to government next week. However, James...
28 February 2020
From: Breaking News
![Seven days left for agents to defend referral fees to Trading Standards](/img/default/eat.png)
Agents now have only seven days to complete a referral fees survey, announced late on Friday by Trading Standards and The...
10 February 2020
From: Breaking News
![Urgent Referral Fees survey of agents launched by Trading Standards](/img/default/eat.png)
The National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team and The Property Ombudsman have launched an urgent survey to assess awareness...
07 February 2020
From: Breaking News
![Agents Beware: Mandatory disclosure of referral fees still a possibility](/img/default/eat.png)
It is possible that agents and their business partners in the conveyancing, mortgage and survey industries could be obliged to have...
29 January 2020
From: Breaking News
![Future of referral fees may be revealed at upcoming conference](/img/default/eat.png)
The annual conference of the National Association of Estate Agents takes place on February 27 - the date when the future...
21 January 2020
From: Breaking News
![Agent confidence hits three year high says Zoopla](/img/default/eat.png)
In its latest State of the Property Nation report, which questions over 650 agents and 6,000 consumers, Zoopla says 55 per...
20 January 2020
From: Breaking News
![Property Natter: let’s talk about conveyancing](/img/default/eat.png)
It’s one of the most crucial aspects of the homebuying and selling process but is too often bogged down by frustrating...
21 December 2019
From: Features
![Online firm Housesimple claims it’s second largest agency in part of UK](/img/default/eat.png)
Online estate agency Housesimple is extending its offer to sell homes for free to some postcodes in the Midlands. The offer is...
11 December 2019
From: Breaking News
![New online agency says it will be the first to make a profit](/img/default/eat.png)
A small online agency which in six months of trading has secured around 140 sales says it’s on course to be...
29 October 2019
From: Breaking News
![Why regulation is good for the deposit replacement sector](/img/default/eat.png)
Since I started working with Zero Deposit for me the market leader in deposit replacement alternatives, the most common question I am...
19 October 2019
From: Features
![Industry bodies back Modern Method of Auction best practice guide](/img/default/eat.png)
Three key industry organisations have endorsed a best practice guide for the controversial Modern Method of Auction. The iamsold guide is aimed at...
03 October 2019
From: Breaking News
![House buying reform is centre stage at special ESTAS conference](/img/default/eat.png)
The reform of the buying process is to take centre stage at a special conference called Bold Legal LIVE! taking place...
30 September 2019
From: Breaking News
![Should agents associate themselves with the conveyancing process?](/img/default/eat.png)
Picture this: You have finally pushed that sale or purchase through, which means your client is over the moon and happy...
25 September 2019
From: Features
![Party Conferences: what agents should look out for](/img/default/eat.png)
If you thought - perhaps hoped - that five weeks of prorogued Parliament meant a break from politics, think again: the...
14 September 2019
From: Features
![Referral Fees: Guild backs tighter rules and is checking members for compliance](/img/default/eat.png)
The Guild of Property Professionals has welcomed government steps to provide buyers and sellers with greater transparency in transactions - and...
11 September 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral Fees: government amends guide for buyers and sellers](/img/default/eat.png)
The government has issued a revised version of its official How To Buy and How To Sell documents, aimed at consumers...
09 September 2019
From: Breaking News
![PropTech firm wants to clean up image of Modern Method of Auction](/img/default/eat.png)
A company operating the controversial Modern Method of Auction says it is trying to improve the sector’s image after a series...
30 August 2019
From: Breaking News
![Housesimple boss renews his attacks on High Street agents](/img/default/eat.png)
The head of online agency Housesimple has made another strident attack on the integrity of High Street agents by saying some...
28 August 2019
From: Breaking News
![Online fightback: Housesimple plans media blitz as Yopa reveals new funding](/img/default/eat.png)
Online estate agency Housesimple has appointed a company to handle its public relations and social media as it rolls it its...
21 August 2019
From: Breaking News
05 July 2019
From: 60 Second Interview
![Online agency to sell all homes for free: is this the future or a stunt?](/img/default/eat.png)
Online agency Housesimple has become the first in the UK to sell houses for free. It says that based on the average...
27 June 2019
From: Breaking News
![Housing minister in racism row apologises for “inappropriate” words](/img/default/eat.png)
The minister at the centre of reforms to the estate and lettings industry sector has apologised for what she calls “inappropriate...
24 June 2019
From: Breaking News
![Incoming – a summer of change for estate and letting agents](/img/default/eat.png)
You may be right in thinking that Brexit has dominated the thinking of the government in the last three years. However,...
22 June 2019
From: Features
![Up-front referral fee services promoted by new PropTech partnership](/img/default/eat.png)
Conveyancing platform The Moving Hub and Acquaint CRM have announced a strategic partnership. New and existing users of Acquaint CRM will have...
18 June 2019
From: Breaking News
![ValPal Network’s new conveyancing deal ‘can help offset fees ban impact’](/img/default/eat.png)
Instant online valuation service The ValPal Network has revealed a conveyancing partner which it says will help agents boost referral fees. The...
12 June 2019
From: Breaking News
![The evolution of conveyancing referrals – how can agents replace lost revenue?](/img/default/eat.png)
In recent years, estate and letting agents have been faced with a series of tough challenges to absorb and react to. There...
01 June 2019
From: Features
![Compliance clampdown on Referral Fees and Modern Method of Auction](/img/default/eat.png)
The Property Ombudsman says its members must in future disclose referral fees in a bid to make previously-hidden costs open and...
24 May 2019
From: Breaking News
![Regressor or impresser - what kind of estate agency are you?](/img/default/eat.png)
As we move closer to the halfway point of 2019, property market conditions for agents and their clients remain challenging. Brexit may...
22 May 2019
From: Features
![Conveyancing disruptor paying upfront referral fees launches](/img/default/eat.png)
Conveyancing platform The Moving Hub has this week launched its proposition into the estate agency and mortgage intermediary sectors. The firm is...
14 May 2019
From: Breaking News
![Government launches ‘How to sell’ and ‘How to buy’ booklets](/img/default/eat.png)
The Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) has launched its long-awaited ‘How to sell a home’ and ‘How to...
08 May 2019
From: Breaking News
![Impact of the Tenant Fees Act - how can agents cover their costs?](/img/default/eat.png)
It has been a long time coming, but the tenant fees ban, which forbids landlords and letting agents in England from...
13 April 2019
From: Features
![Agents warned over referral fees: You're in the last-chance saloon](/img/default/eat.png)
Estate agents have been warned that if new guidance over referral fees is not taken seriously, they could be faced with...
20 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Countrywide chiefs tell EAT: Sales hit by Brexit but we're ready for Fees Ban](/img/default/eat.png)
Countrywide’s executive chairman and group managing director have spoken to Estate Agent Today about the impact of Brexit on the company,...
07 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral fees backfire on agents and encourage poor conveyancing - claim](/img/default/eat.png)
The head of residential property at a law firm is warning that referral fees can backfire on estate agents who may...
07 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral Fees: Onus is very much on agents insists conveyancing chief](/img/default/eat.png)
The director of strategy at the Council for Licensed Conveyancers says “the onus is very much on estate agents” to respond...
05 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral Fees clampdown welcomed as “a triumph for consumers”](/img/default/eat.png)
The National Association of Estate Agents has led the support for stricter new guidelines on transparency for referral fees. The clampdown means agents...
01 March 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral fees: new guidance to agents revealed by NTSEAT](/img/default/eat.png)
The National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team has this afternoon revealed new industry guidance to make referral fees more transparent to...
28 February 2019
From: Breaking News
![Property Natter: referral fees, HIPs & Bee Gees tributes - Rob Hailstone Q & A](/img/default/eat.png)
With the home buying and selling process firmly on the news agenda of late – everything from a possible ban on...
16 February 2019
From: Features
![Purplebricks' biggest critic ditches High Street and takes his estate agency online](/img/default/eat.png)
Purplebricks might have the last laugh - its biggest critic is ditching his High Street office and making his own agency online. Controversial...
04 February 2019
From: Breaking News
![Property Natter: will the real Housing Minister please stand up?](/img/default/eat.png)
Kit Malthouse has been making headlines this week, but – in keeping with his tenure as Housing Minister so far -...
02 February 2019
From: Features
![Reservation Agreements set to become part of the buying process](/img/default/eat.png)
Politicians and officials are studying a ‘model’ two page reservation agreement drawn up by a law firm as a possible way...
24 January 2019
From: Breaking News
![Clampdown on referral fees: new Trading Standards guidance to be issued](/img/default/eat.png)
It’s been revealed that the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team is to deliver new guidelines to agents for referral fees...
23 January 2019
From: Breaking News
![Online agents charge too little and risk looking 'cheap' - Russell Quirk](/img/default/eat.png)
The former chief executive of Emoov says online estate agencies charge too little, so risk appearing cheap and ineffective to potential...
23 January 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral fees: agency reveals £5m income from conveyancing firm](/img/default/eat.png)
One of the largest estate agencies in the Midlands, Newton Fallowell, says it’s made a remarkable £5m in referral fees from...
23 January 2019
From: Breaking News
![Referral fee ban considered as part of house buying reform](/img/default/eat.png)
The civil servant leading work to reform the house buying has revealed key areas of government thinking - with a ban on...
18 January 2019
From: Breaking News
![Knock, Knock - new website says sellers can avoid agents’ fees](/img/default/eat.png)
A new website is offering to contact owners of homes that are not for sale, on behalf of people who would...
19 December 2018
From: Breaking News
![Inside the new Regulation of Property Agents working party](/img/default/eat.png)
The title may be unfamiliar but most agents know by now that in the corridors of Whitehall a working party exists...
24 November 2018
From: Features
![Agents missing vast referral fees for conveyancing, says PropTech firm](/img/default/eat.png)
Estate agents are missing around half of the conveyancing referral opportunities they could take, according to a new report. PropTech firm OneDome...
16 November 2018
From: Breaking News
![Referral fees: agents must be more transparent, government says](/img/default/eat.png)
A government minister has told the estate agency industry that it must be more transparent over the issue of referral fees. In...
09 October 2018
From: Breaking News
![Crackdown on agents likely as government doubles funding for regulator](/img/default/eat.png)
In a surprise weekend announcement the government has almost doubled funding for the National Trading Standards Estate Agency Team - the...
01 September 2018
From: Breaking News
![More trouble for Countrywide as bank slashes key 'target price'](/img/default/eat.png)
The Swiss investment bank Credit Suisse has slashed its target share price for the company from 77p to only 17.2p. The reason...