Can I change estate agents and how much notice do I give?

You’ll be glad to know that you can change estate agents, and it can be the best way to get a house sale moving again. If you’re feeling underwhelmed, disappointed or frustrated with your current agent, rest assured that switching estate agents is often easier than you think.

Any progress you’ve made with your current estate agent won’t be lost. Your previous estate agent is required to keep a record of all potential buyers they introduced to your home. So, if any of these buyers come back with an offer after you’ve switched estate agents, the sale can proceed as usual without complication.

In this article we will cover how you can change estate agents, what notice periods are and what the easiest way to sell your house is – spoiler, it's selling with The Property Buying Company!

Can you change estate agents?

It’s totally normal to want to change estate agents, especially if they aren’t performing. But, before you go any further, you will need to check your contract with your current estate agent. This is because the small print may mean you have to pay a penalty for cancelling before the estate agent can meet their obligations that they initially set out to do.

Some of the things you need to look out for include:

What to do when you’re not happy with your estate agent

If you are unhappy with your estate agent, the first thing you will need to do is to assess your situation. Whether it’s poor advertising, communication, issues with professionalism, or your home isn’t selling as quickly as they said it would, then there are a few things you can do. 

You should speak to your estate agent, and communicate your concerns with them, and see if they have any feedback for you. If they provide genuine feedback, with actionable points, then you may be able to improve your home’s aesthetic and hopefully it’s listing success.

If your estate agent doesn’t give you any feedback, and continues to raise red flags, then changing to an estate agent may be the best course of action. 

How often should I chase estate agents?

When you first onboarded with your estate agent, you should have agreed on a communication schedule. If no specific frequency was set, it’s generally advisable to follow up with your estate agent at least once a week. If they don’t respond within one to two days, consider sending a follow up message.

Like any business, there may be times when your estate agent is on holiday or is unwell, but if communication remains poor for three to four weeks, it might be time to consider switching to a more responsive estate agent.

How do you change estate agents?

If you’ve decided to make a change and change estate agents, first check your contract to make sure you won’t face any penalties for leaving. If you’re clear of charges or ready to proceed, follow these steps:

Do they charge cancellation fees?

Yes, some estate agents may charge cancellation fees if you decide to end your contract with them. These fees can vary and may include withdrawal fees, early termination fees, or even marketing costs — depending on what’s outlined in your contract:

• Withdrawal fees: These apply when you end your agreement with the estate agent entirely. Ideally, these fees should be disclosed when you first sign the contract.

• Early termination fees: Charged if you take your home off the market before your contract term ends.

• Marketing costs: Some estate agents may require you to cover marketing costs, especially if they’ve invested in advertising that won’t be recouped through the house sale.

It’s always important to review your contract carefully to understand any potential fees before making a switch.

When should I leave my estate agent?

Changing estate agents is a massive decision, but if you feel like your current estate agent isn’t meeting your expectations or needs, a chance could help revive your house sale, or even help you get a higher price. According to Spectre, house sellers who change estate agents are 34% more likely to get a house sale, and 12% more likely to get a higher selling price.

This is only exacerbated when you sell with a cash buyer like The Property Buying Company, as we can guarantee 99% of our house sales go through to completion.

Some common reasons why people change estate agents include:

What is the notice period for estate agents?

Estate agency agreements often include a notice period, which can extend beyond the initial contract term. For example, if you signed a 12 week contract, you may still need to provide notice, which can range from 3 to 4 weeks, even after those 12 weeks have ended. 

To avoid delays, consider serving this notice on the day of instruction if you’re planning ahead to switch estate agents after the initial term.

If you need to serve notice and wait for the period to expire, make sure that your current estate agent doesn’t reduce the house’s asking price without your approval. Some estate agents may attempt a last-ditch price reduction to stimulate interest, but lowering the price could interfere with the fresh approach you plan to implement with your new estate agent. 

Maintaining your asking price allows the incoming estate agent to relaunch your home with their own strategy, potentially at the same price or with slight adjustments based on a new marketing assessment.

Once the notice period ends, your new estate agent can take over with a refreshed marketing strategy to re-engage potential buyers. This may include updated photography, a revised listing description and a renewed focus on your home’s selling points, as well as wider exposure on Rightmove or Zoopla. Often, a new approach can bring in different buyers and increase interest in your home.

Changing estate agents allows you to reset the sales process with updated tactics and renewed focus, often helping homes that may have stalled with previous estate agents gain traction and attract serious offers.

How easy is it to switch from an estate agent to cash buyer?

If you are tired of the long waiting times for your home to sell on the open market, and want to take the leap and sell your house fast, all while saving on additional legal and selling costs, then using a cash buyer is the best option.

It’s actually quite easy to switch from an estate agent, you just need to make sure you don’t breach the terms of the contract you signed with your original estate agent. And, once you have given the proper notice, you will be free to sign up to a cash house buyer.

Did you know, The Property Buying Company is one of the UK’s leading quick house sale companies? We can help you sell your home in as little as 7 days, all while covering both your legal and selling fees, making sure you won’t need to pay a penny while selling with us.

What happens if you use two estate agents?

Before 2000, it was completely normal to have multiple estate agents working for you to increase your exposure and potentially get higher offers. But today, most buyers search online through Rightmove and Zoopla, causing the value of using multiple estate agents to shift. 

Using multiple estate agents comes at a price, as multiple agency agreements usually carry higher fees. While you’re increasing the potential pool of buyers, you’re also committing to a more substantial estate agency fee structure.

If you decide to use two estate agents, you’re likely to enter into a joint sole agency agreement. This can allow you to cover different buyer markets — for instance, by partnering with both a local estate agent and a specialist. This approach is often more effective than hiring two similar local estate agents, who would likely reach the same buyers without competing to complete the sale.

However, joint sole agency agreements usually come with a higher fee, usually around 2.4% including VAT.

Won’t using two estate agents guarantee my sale?

Not necessarily. Even with two estate agents, you’re not guaranteed a house sale. Market conditions, the quality of the estate agents, or even just bad luck, can all affect the outcome. A multi agent approach isn’t always a solution and may just increase costs without ensuing a faster sale.

If you want to switch estate agents, you’ll still have a 14 day cooling off period to cancel your joint sole agency agreement without penalty. After that, you may face a significant cancellation fee, so it’s important to consider whether using multiple estate agents is worth the potential cost.

Does it matter which estate agent you choose?

It does matter what estate agent you choose, and as a general rule of thumb, you should always choose an estate agent with a Trustpilot score above at least 4 stars. If the estate agent doesn’t have Trustpilot, then you can look at their Google reviews instead, just be cautious as Google reviewers don’t have to be verified so they could be fake reviews.

Here is a checklist of things that you should look for when you check their reviews:

• They have lots of experience with your type of property.

• They provide a good level of customer service and rapport with customers.

• Their house valuation matches up with the selling price of properties.

• They handle cases with professionalism.

• There aren’t any shady sales tactics, like forcing the seller to reduce their asking price.

• They have a good sense of communication skills, and get tasks done on time.

Something to note is that a good estate agent isn’t necessarily the most expensive. Many cheap estate agents offer an exceptional service that often rivals, or even surpasses, what’d you find with pricier, high street agencies. 

Other ways to sell your house

The best alternative to selling your house via an estate agent, is to sell to a cash house buyer. This is simply because we can get your house sale moving again, even if it’s been stagnant for months.

We have over 12 years of experience in the residential housing market, and are confident that we can either buy your house directly, or find a buyer for your home in as little as 7 days. 

We are one of the nation's leading cash house buyers, with over 200 years of combined experience, and we are members of both the National Association of Property Buyers, as well as The Property Ombudsman. 

If you want to get your house sold by the end of next month, then sell with The Property Buying Company.