Guide for new UK agencies
How to start an estate agency in the UK
You can trade as a UK sales estate agent without a national licence, but you must join an approved redress scheme and register with HMRC for anti-money-laundering supervision before you take your first instruction. A lean, home-based agency typically launches for around £1,500–£4,000 in year one; premises and staff change that picture completely.
Redress scheme
Required before trading
HMRC AML registration
Allow several weeks
Portal advertising
From £99/month
The short answer
To launch a UK estate agency you need a registered company, membership of a government-approved redress scheme, client money protection if you hold client funds, AML registration with HMRC, professional indemnity insurance, and portal advertising. MoveLane gives new agencies published pricing £99/month with no minimum term.
The launch sequence, in order
Work through these in sequence. The registrations in steps 2–4 are the ones that carry penalties if you trade without them, so start them before you begin taking instructions.
- 1
Set up the business
Register a limited company or set up as a sole trader, open a business bank account and register for tax. Most new agencies incorporate so client-facing contracts and any client money sit inside the company.
Set up a business — GOV.UK - 2
Join a government-approved redress scheme
Every estate agency and letting agency in England and Wales must belong to an approved redress scheme before it starts trading. The two approved schemes are The Property Ombudsman and the Property Redress Scheme. Trading without membership can lead to a penalty and a ban from agency work.
Redress scheme requirement — GOV.UK - 3
Register for anti-money-laundering supervision
Estate agency businesses that carry out sales work must register with HMRC for money laundering supervision before trading, appoint a nominated officer, and run customer due diligence on both sellers and buyers. Lettings-only agencies register when they handle qualifying long lets.
Money laundering supervision for estate agents — HMRC - 4
Arrange Client Money Protection if you hold client money
Letting agents in England that hold client money must belong to an approved Client Money Protection scheme and hold client money in a separate client account. Sales agencies that take deposits or rent should assume the same discipline.
Client Money Protection schemes — GOV.UK - 5
Get insured
Professional indemnity insurance is the core cover, alongside public liability and employers' liability once you have staff. Redress schemes and some CMP schemes ask to see professional indemnity cover at sign-up.
- 6
Write your terms of business and consumer notices
Your agency agreement must set out fees, tie-in period, notice period and whether instructions are sole or multi-agency, in line with consumer protection rules. Material information about each property has to be disclosed in listings from the start.
Consumer protection guidance for property professionals — NTSELAT - 7
Decide on qualifications and professional membership
There is no mandatory national licence to trade as an estate agent in England, but Propertymark membership and Level 3 qualifications are common ways to show competence to clients. Wales and Scotland run their own licensing and registration regimes for letting agents.
Propertymark qualifications - 8
Get your stock visible and take enquiries
The last step is where instructions turn into fees: a website, a portal presence so buyers and tenants can actually find your listings, and one inbox where enquiries and viewing requests land. MoveLane covers listings, enquiries and an agent dashboard £99 per month with a 14-day free trial and no minimum term.
What it costs to start an estate agency
Indicative UK market ranges, except MoveLane’s own price, which is published on our pricing page. Scheme and insurance fees vary by provider, branch count and turnover — always confirm with the provider.
| Cost | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Company formation | £12 – £100 | Companies House fee, or more through a formation agent. |
| Redress scheme membership | £200 – £400 / year | Per branch, varies by scheme and agency size. |
| HMRC anti-money-laundering registration | £300 – £500 / year | Registration and annual fees per premises. |
| Professional indemnity insurance | £300 – £1,000 / year | Depends on cover level, turnover and services offered. |
| Client Money Protection (lettings) | £200 – £400 / year | Only if you hold client money. |
| Portal advertising on MoveLane | £99 / monthpublished price | Published founding rate £99/month (normal £199), no commission, no minimum term, 14-day free trial. |
| Website, branding and photography kit | £0 – £3,000 | Wide range: DIY through to a designed brand and professional kit. |
| CRM / software | £50 – £300 / month | Optional at launch; many new agencies start lean. |
| Premises | £0 – £2,000 / month | Home-based and hybrid agencies avoid this entirely. |
Shape your launch
Indicative first-year totals built from the ranges above, including 12 months of MoveLane at the £99/month founding rate.
Indicative first-year budget
£2,000 – £6,188
Portal advertising is the line you can fix immediately: £99/month on MoveLane, no commission, no minimum term, 14-day free trial.
Estimates only, for planning. Already paying another portal? Compare your portal spend.
Join MoveLane for £99/monthStarting a letting agency instead?
The launch sequence is the same, with four differences that matter.
Client money is the big difference
Holding rent or deposits pulls you into Client Money Protection, a separate client account and tighter accounting than a sales-only agency needs.
Deposits must be protected
Tenancy deposits for assured shorthold tenancies must be placed in a government-approved deposit protection scheme within 30 days, with prescribed information served on the tenant.
Compliance paperwork per tenancy
Right to Rent checks in England, gas safety records, EPCs, electrical installation reports and the How to Rent guide all sit with the agent in practice.
Wales and Scotland license agents
Letting agents in Wales need a Rent Smart Wales licence, and letting agents in Scotland must be on the Scottish Letting Agent Register, with qualification requirements attached.
Official sources: Rent Smart Wales and the Scottish Letting Agent Register.
Pre-launch compliance checklist
- Business registered and business bank account open
- Redress scheme membership active (before you take an instruction)
- HMRC anti-money-laundering registration approved, nominated officer named
- Customer due diligence process written down and in use
- Client Money Protection scheme joined and client account opened (if holding client money)
- Professional indemnity, public liability and employers' liability cover in place
- Terms of business, fee disclosure and cancellation rights drafted
- Material information process agreed so listings are complete on day one
- Complaints procedure published, with redress scheme details
- Data protection: ICO registration and a privacy notice
- Listings live on a portal, with one inbox for enquiries and viewings
General guidance, not legal advice. Requirements differ across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland — check the linked official sources for your nation.
Get your first listings in front of buyers
MoveLane gives a new agency listings, buyer and tenant enquiries and an agent dashboard £99 per month. 14-day free trial, no commission, no minimum term.
Launching soon? Talk it through
Tell us where you are in the process and our UK team will help you get listings live for launch day.
Starting an agency: common questions
Costs, licensing and getting seen.
Do I need a licence to become an estate agent in the UK?
There is no single national licence to be a sales estate agent in England. You must, however, join a government-approved redress scheme and register with HMRC for anti-money-laundering supervision before you trade. Letting agents in Wales need a Rent Smart Wales licence, and letting agents in Scotland must join the Scottish Letting Agent Register.
How much does it cost to start an estate agency?
A lean, home-based agency can typically launch for roughly £1,500 to £4,000 in the first year once redress membership, HMRC registration, insurance and portal advertising are covered. High-street premises, staff and a full software stack push that far higher. The cost table on this page breaks the individual lines down.
Can I run an estate agency from home?
Yes. Many independents and self-employed agents operate without premises. The compliance requirements are identical whether you work from home or a high street office, so redress membership, AML registration, insurance and a portal presence still apply.
How long does it take to get set up?
Company formation and redress membership can be done in days. HMRC anti-money-laundering registration is usually the slowest step and can take several weeks, so start it early and factor it into your launch date.
How do new agencies get their listings seen?
Buyers and tenants search portals, so new agencies need a portal presence alongside their own website. MoveLane lists £99 per month with a 14-day free trial, no sales commission and no minimum term, which keeps the fixed cost predictable while you build your stock.
What does MoveLane cost for a brand new agency?
MoveLane is £99 per month for the first 100 founding agencies, locked while the subscription stays active, and £199 per month after that. It covers listings, buyer and tenant enquiries and the agent dashboard, with no VAT added at checkout, no commission and no minimum term, and every account starts with a 14-day free trial.