Guide · Estate agents

Sold your house, then
the invoice grew.

Estate agents live under a statute most sellers have never heard of. Charges they didn't spell out in advance, money they handled carelessly, interests they didn't declare: each has a specific legal duty attached, and a regulator with the power to ban them from the industry.

1.Every charge, disclosed in advance

A fee that wasn't properly disclosed before you committed is a fee you can contest, and in some cases the agreement itself becomes unenforceable without a court's say-so.

Estate Agents Act 1979 · s.18 · Information to clients of prospective liabilities.
"below, before any person (in this section referred to as “the client”) enters into a contract with another (in this section referred to as “the agent”) under which the agent will engage in estate agency work on behalf of the client, the agent shall give the client— (a)the information specified in s"…
In plain English: Before you sign a contract, an estate agent must clearly explain exactly how much you will be charged and when those fees become due. If they fail to provide this information in writing, they may be unable to legally enforce the contract or collect their fees from you.
§ Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk →

2.Your money is held on trust

Estate Agents Act 1979 · s.13 · Clients’ money held on trust or as agent.
"is held by him on trust for the person who is entitled to call for it to be paid over to him or to be paid on his direction or to have it otherwise credited to him, or (b)if it is received by him as stakeholder,"…
In plain English: When an estate agent holds your money, they must treat it as belonging to you, not to them. They are legally required to hold these funds securely on your behalf until they are due to be paid out or returned to you.
§ Read the full text on legislation.gov.uk →

3.What to do

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This guide covers England and Wales; Scottish and Northern Irish rules can differ. This is guidance to help you understand your rights, not formal legal advice, and we're entirely independent: no affiliation with Citizens Advice, GOV.UK or any law firm. Every quotation above links to the official text so you can check us. Law verified current at July 2026.