This Act matters for estate agents, property sales businesses and proptech products that may be doing estate agency work. The practical issue is to be clear about fees, conflicts, client money, referral arrangements and what service is actually being provided.
Main laws
United Kingdom Act
Estate Agents Act 1979
The Estate Agents Act 1979 regulates estate agency work, including information, conflicts and conduct duties.
In forceUnited KingdomPlain-English guide4 practical checks
Plain-English explainers, not legal advice. Use the linked official source for section-level detail, and get advice for your situation.
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Quick read
- This Act matters for estate agents, property sales businesses and proptech products that may be doing estate agency work.
- The practical issue is to be clear about fees, conflicts, client money, referral arrangements and what service is actually being provided.
Likely relevant if
- Estate agencies
- Property sales platforms
- Proptech businesses
Check first
- Check whether the business is carrying out estate agency work
- Give clear fee and service information
- Manage conflicts and referral arrangements transparently
What this means in practice
Key points
- Calling a product a platform does not automatically avoid estate agency risk.
- Referral fees and connected services need clear disclosure.
- Offer handling should be disciplined and recorded.
When this law usually matters
Most businesses do not need to memorise the whole law. The useful starting point is to know when it is likely to affect a contract, customer journey, employee process, data flow or company decision.
Key points
- Estate agencies
- Property sales platforms
- Proptech businesses
- Businesses receiving property referral fees
What to check first
Sense check
- Check whether the business is carrying out estate agency work
- Give clear fee and service information
- Manage conflicts and referral arrangements transparently
- Keep records of instructions, offers and client communications
Documents and workflows to review
Key points
- Agency terms
- Fee disclosure wording
- Referral arrangements
- Client money process
- Offer and instruction records