AML and Referral fee information
Referral fees
We believe you should know exactly how we're paid, so here it is in plain English.
Solicitors and conveyancers
When you're buying or selling, we may recommend a conveyancer. If you instruct one we've recommended, we receive a referral fee from them, typically between £150 and £300 per case. It comes out of their fee to us, not on top of yours, so it doesn't add to what you pay.
Mortgage advice
If you'd like mortgage advice, we can introduce you to an independent mortgage adviser. If your case completes successfully, we receive a commission of £295 from the adviser.
You are under no obligation
You're free to use any solicitor or mortgage adviser you like. Using our recommendations is never a condition of us working with you, and it won't affect how we treat your sale or purchase.
How we choose who to recommend
We only recommend firms we trust to do the job properly: they communicate well, keep cases moving and get deals over the line. If a firm stops meeting that standard, we stop recommending them, whatever the referral arrangement. A deal that falls through helps nobody, us included.
If you'd like to know more about any of this, just ask. We'll always give you a straight answer.
Why we carry out AML checks
Why we ID-check every buyer (and why it protects you)
Buying or selling a home is probably the biggest financial move you'll make. It's also a favourite route for criminals trying to clean dirty money, and for fraudsters posing as people they're not.
That's why UK law requires every estate agent to verify the identity of each buyer and check where their money is coming from before a sale goes ahead. We take that seriously, because the risks are real:
- Fraud: someone claiming to own a property that isn't theirs.
- Late collapses: sales falling through weeks in because an ID or funds issue only surfaces at the last minute.
- Delays: chains stalling while documents are chased.
How we do it
We use a compliance partner to run digital ID, address and anti-money laundering checks in minutes. No photocopied passports or utility bills sitting in filing cabinets, and your details are encrypted and stored securely.
What it costs
We charge a compliance fee of £50 including VAT per buyer. It covers the provider's checks plus our time reviewing the results, following up any queries and keeping the records HMRC requires us to hold. Fees vary between agents, and we'd rather tell you exactly what ours covers than leave you guessing.
We tell you about it up front, before you commit to anything.
What it means for you
It means the buyer on the other side of your sale is who they say they are, with the funds to proceed. It means your own purchase is on a solid footing. And it means fewer nasty surprises between offer and completion.
Doing it properly costs a little more, and it's one of the reasons our deals get over the line.