What does an estate agent do, and do you need qualifications?

What does an estate agent do day to day?

The job runs from first contact to the keys changing hands. You value a seller's home against recent local sales and pitch for the instruction against rival agents. Once instructed, you arrange photos, floorplans and the listing, then book and conduct viewings. The National Careers Service lists valuing property, showing clients round, negotiating between buyers and sellers and working with surveyors and conveyancers as core tasks.

After an offer is accepted, sales progression takes over. You chase solicitors, surveys and mortgage offers up and down the chain, and keep both sides calm when things stall. Many agencies split the roles: negotiators handle valuations, viewings and offers, while a progressor manages the chain. Expect weekend work on a rota, a lot of time in the car, and a full driving licence is usually required.

Do you need a qualification or licence?

No. Propertymark, the main professional body for agents, states plainly that estate agents currently do not need to be licensed or qualified. Anyone can start as a trainee negotiator and learn on the job. A Regulation of Property Agents working group, which Propertymark sat on, looked at licensing and qualifications, but no qualification requirement is in force today.

Employers still value training. Routes include the Junior Estate Agent Level 2 apprenticeship, which takes 12 to 18 months, and Propertymark Qualifications courses. A degree in surveying, estate management or business can help but is not needed. Separately, Rent Smart Wales training and licensing applies to lettings and management work in Wales, not to sales.

Which laws govern the work?

The Estate Agents Act 1979 is the core statute. National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team (NTSELAT) is the lead enforcement authority. Section 21 means you must disclose any personal interest in a property before negotiating, and that includes an interest held by your employer, a colleague or an associate. The Act also says clients' money is held on trust. Under the Estate Agents (Redress Scheme) Order 2008, anyone doing residential estate agency work must belong to an approved redress scheme.

Consumer protection law changed on 6 April 2025. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 replaced the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, and the Competition and Markets Authority can now fine firms without going to court. That raises the stakes for misleading listings and missing material information. Estate agency businesses must also register with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision, so you will run ID and source-of-funds checks on clients.

How does commission work?

Most sales staff earn a basic salary plus commission. The National Careers Service puts it this way: you earn a percentage of the price of the properties you sell, and some firms add bonuses for hitting individual or branch targets. The agency's own income often comes from a commission charged to the seller as a percentage of the final sale price. Your share is a slice of that fee, and it is usually paid only once the sale completes.

Commission schemes vary a lot between firms, so ask how they work before you accept a job. Check the rate, any threshold you must reach before commission starts, whether it is paid on exchange or completion, and what happens to deals still in the pipeline if you leave. A high basic with low commission suits someone new. Experienced negotiators in busy markets often prefer a lower basic with a richer scheme.

Pay

United Kingdom

£27,500–42,700

London

£32,700–50,700

South East

£27,600–42,800

East

£27,300–42,400

Scotland

£27,200–42,200

North West

£25,800–39,900

Wales

£24,600–38,100

North East

£24,200–37,500

GBP a year, before tax. Ranges run from the 25th to the 75th percentile, based on ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, April 2026 (provisional), uprated with a wage index. Regional figures are modelled. Commission and bonuses, area, firm and sales volume all move actual earnings. Refer to the Estate Agency salary guide for figures from live adverts.

What you need

QualificationNone is legally required. Apprenticeships and Propertymark Qualifications courses are optional but help with hiring and promotion.
Driving licenceThe National Careers Service lists a full driving licence as a requirement for the role, because you travel to valuations and viewings.
Redress schemeAnyone doing residential estate agency work in the UK must belong to an approved redress scheme. The firm normally arranges this.
AML registrationEstate agency businesses must register with HMRC for money laundering supervision unless another supervisor covers them, and staff carry out client due diligence.
Disclosure of interestUnder section 21 of the Estate Agents Act 1979 you must disclose any personal interest in a property before you negotiate on it.
SkillsSelling, negotiating, persistence, attention to detail, and coping with pressure and criticism.

Across the UK

England, Wales and Northern Ireland	The agent handles marketing and negotiation and passes the legal work to the conveyancers. No licence or qualification is needed for sales work.
Scotland	Solicitors handle much of the property sale. The Estate Agents Act and redress requirements still apply to estate agency work, and no sales qualification is required.

How to get there

Year 0-1Join as trainee negotiator or administratorLearn viewings, applicant registration and the sales process in a branch. A Level 2 apprenticeship is another entry point.
Year 1-3Sales negotiatorRun your own viewings, take offers and start earning regular commission.
Year 3-5Senior negotiator or valuerWin instructions through market appraisals and take on bigger deals.
Year 5+Branch managerLead a team, own the branch figures and its compliance, and earn override commission.
Year 7+Specialise or set up your own agencyMove into new homes, land, lettings or commercial work, or become a partner or set up your own agency.

Open now on PropertyRoles.uk

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Questions people ask

Can I become an estate agent with no qualifications?

Yes. There is no legal requirement for any qualification or licence to work as an estate agent in the UK. Most people start as trainee negotiators or administrators and learn on the job.

Who regulates estate agents?

National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team is the lead enforcement authority for the Estate Agents Act 1979. Since 6 April 2025 the Competition and Markets Authority has had direct powers to enforce consumer protection law. HMRC supervises estate agency businesses for money laundering.

How much does an estate agent earn?

The modelled UK median for estate agency is about £32,500 a year, with the middle half earning roughly £27,500 to £42,700. London is higher at around £38,600. Commission on top of the basic can add a lot in an active market.

Is commission guaranteed?

No. Commission depends on sales actually completing, and each firm sets its own scheme. Check the rate, any target threshold and when it is paid before you accept an offer.

Do estate agents have to work weekends?

Usually, yes. The National Careers Service gives typical hours of 35 to 40 a week, with weekend work on a rota, because buyers often view on Saturdays.