Let me just say up front — I’m not an estate agent. I’m a letting agent. Slightly different world. But I watched the latest BBC Panorama episode, Undercover Estate Agent, and honestly… it didn’t surprise me. Not because I’m desensitised to it or anything, but because I’ve seen similar tactics in lettings too. Not always as blatant — but the underlying behaviour? Yeah. It’s there.
The programme exposed some pretty grim stuff — misleading buyers, inventing interest, pushing their own mortgage advisers in a way that felt less like guidance and more like pressure. And the public reaction has been outrage, which is fair. But if you work in property? You’re probably not shocked.
The thing is, I don’t think this is just about a few dodgy agents trying their luck. It’s bigger than that. It’s cultural. We’ve created a system — or maybe inherited one — that expects everything to be cheap, or ideally free. It’s how we’re wired now. We love a bargain. Free delivery. Free returns. “No win, no fee.” And of course, the NHS — free at the point of use and something we all rightly admire. But I think we’ve started expecting every service to work like that.
We want the full works, just not the full cost. And that mindset’s bled into the private sector, property included.
Agents — both estate and letting — are under constant pressure to cut fees. “Can you beat this quote?” “They said they’ll do it for £99.” So you match it, or you lose the client. But the work doesn’t disappear. The hours, the overheads, the responsibility — still there. Which means the money’s got to come from somewhere else.
So instead of charging a clear, honest fee… agents find other ways. Add-on services. Partner referrals. Inflated contractor quotes with a bit on top. It’s not always illegal, but it’s murky. And more common than you’d think.
I see it on the lettings side all the time. Landlords pushing the management fee down to the bone — 5%, 6%, whatever the going rate is that week — then wondering why the service isn’t there when something goes wrong. But the truth is, the agency still needs to earn. So they tack on “arrangement fees” to maintenance jobs. Maybe £30 or £40+VAT just for booking a gas cert. Or they tell the contractor to add 10% to the invoice so the agent can quietly skim it off.
Worse still, you’re told you have to use a certain compliance package, or insurer, or utility provider… when really, it’s just the one the agent gets commission from. And sometimes it’s framed as a favour — “We’ve got a deal for you” — but it’s not always about what’s best for you.
I’ll be honest — I get these offers constantly. Probably weekly. Companies wanting us to “partner” with them. Broadband, removals, insurance, appliance cover — you name it. Sign up your tenants or landlords, and we’ll pay you a little something back. And look, I get why people take them. If you’re chasing targets, struggling to hit your margins, or just looking to make ends meet, it can be tempting. But that’s not what I got into this for.
I’m not a salesman. So I just tell people straight — go with whoever works for you. If you want a recommendation, I’ll give you one that’s based on who’s actually good. Not who pays me. No markups. No hidden fees. Just a straightforward service. And weirdly, that kind of honesty feels rare now. Maybe that’s why Panorama had such an easy time finding what they did.
The point is, when you drive fees down to unsustainable levels, people get creative. Corners get cut. Side hustles creep in. The client still ends up paying — it’s just disguised. Harder to spot. And harder to challenge.
So yeah, Panorama was shocking to many. But the real question we should be asking isn’t just “How do we stop agents from doing this?” It’s also: “What kind of service do we actually value — and what are we really willing to pay for it?”