Estate Agent Pushing You to Their In-House Broker? Your Rights
You've had an offer accepted. The next day the estate agent calls and says you need to speak to their mortgage advisor before they'll proceed. You don't. Here's what the law actually says and what to do next. Last reviewed July 2026.
Quick answer
Under the Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No. 2) Order 1991, an estate agent cannot make accepting your offer conditional on using their in-house broker — this is prohibited "conditional selling". They can ask for proof of funds or a financial qualification, but not require their own adviser. Cite the rules, provide your own DIP, and ask for written confirmation your offer was submitted.
The Law: Estate Agents Act 1979
The Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No. 2) Order 1991, made under the Estate Agents Act 1979, prohibits what's called conditional selling: making the acceptance or progression of your offer conditional on you using the agent's own financial services, conveyancer, or any other tied product. Unfair practices are also enforceable under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024, which replaced the CPUT Regulations in April 2025.
In July 2025, following a BBC Panorama investigation, the National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team (NTSEAT) issued a statement restating that conditional selling is an undesirable practice. Agents can face sanctions, lose their redress-scheme membership, or in serious cases be banned from trading.
What They Can and Can't Do
✅ They Can Ask You To:
- Provide proof of funds (cash or DIP)
- Confirm your broker's name and FCA number
- Share a redacted DIP letter
- Complete a short financial qualification with any adviser
- Provide ID for anti-money-laundering checks
❌ They Can't:
- Require you to use their broker or conveyancer
- Refuse to put your offer to the vendor
- Delay acceptance until you meet their broker
- Tell the vendor your offer is "weaker" for using an external broker
- Charge a fee for buyers not using their in-house services
A Script That Works
Direct language usually ends it in one call. Say this:
"Thanks — I'm happy to provide financial qualification, but I'll be doing that through my own broker. Under the Estate Agents Act 1979 and the National Trading Standards guidance on conditional selling, you can't require me to use your in-house broker as a condition of my offer. I'll send you a copy of my DIP and my broker's contact details today. Can you confirm in writing that my offer has been submitted to the vendor?"
Ask for written confirmation. A written thread creates a record and is usually enough to make the agent drop it entirely. If they don't, you have the evidence for a formal complaint.
If They Don't Back Down
- 1Put the complaint in writing to the branch manager. Cite the Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No. 2) Order 1991 and NTSEAT's July 2025 statement on conditional selling. Give 14 days to respond.
- 2If the response is unsatisfactory, escalate to the agent's redress scheme — The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the Property Redress Scheme (PRS). Every registered estate agent must belong to one of these two. Decision is binding on the agent.
- 3Report to the National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team (NTSEAT) via your local Trading Standards. NTSEAT investigates patterns of behaviour and can issue enforcement notices, including banning orders.
- 4If the vendor has been misled about your offer, raise it with them directly — they have a legal right to hear every offer received, regardless of which broker the buyer uses.
Why They Do It
Estate agents earn commission on the sale, but they earn additionalcommission — often £300 to £500 — each time their in-house broker closes a mortgage with a buyer they introduced. Some chains set internal targets and pressure negotiators to hit them. Understanding the incentive helps you push back calmly: they aren't being obstructive for no reason, they're being rewarded for a specific behaviour.
The good news: if you say no clearly and in writing, the commission incentive vanishes and most agents move on immediately.
Get a DIP Before the Agent Asks
The easiest way to short-circuit in-house broker pressure: turn up to every offer with a DIP already in hand. Our tool shows you what all 60+ UK lenders would offer — no credit search.
Run My Affordability CheckFrequently Asked Questions
Can an estate agent refuse my offer if I won't use their broker?
No. Conditional selling — making acceptance of an offer conditional on using the agent's own broker or conveyancer — is a prohibited 'undesirable practice' under the Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No. 2) Order 1991, made under the Estate Agents Act 1979, and NTSEAT has restated this. You can offer on any property you like, with any broker you like.
Are they allowed to ask me to speak to their broker?
Yes. They're allowed to ask you to complete a financial qualification — a confirmation that you can afford the property you're offering on. They can suggest their broker does this. They cannot require that their broker (rather than yours, or you yourself) does it.
What counts as 'financial qualification'?
Proof that you can fund the purchase: a mortgage agreement in principle (DIP), a broker's letter confirming your borrowing capacity, or evidence of cash funds. Any of these satisfies the agent — they don't need to see your full financial picture.
What do I say if they keep pushing?
Be direct and cite the law: 'Conditional selling is an undesirable practice under the Estate Agents (Undesirable Practices) (No. 2) Order 1991 — you can't make my offer conditional on using your in-house broker. I have my own broker / DIP and I'm happy to share proof of funds. Please put my offer to the vendor.' Most agents back off immediately once you show you know the rules.
How do I report an estate agent for conditional selling?
National Trading Standards Estate & Letting Agency Team is the enforcement body. Reports go via your local Trading Standards office or via the redress scheme the agent is a member of — every estate agent must belong to one of the two approved schemes, The Property Ombudsman (TPO) or the Property Redress Scheme (PRS). Start by sending the agent a written complaint — most agents resolve it at that stage once they know you understand your rights.
Related guides
Making an Offer
Negotiation tactics and what happens after acceptance.
Decision in Principle
What a DIP is, how to get one and how long it lasts.
How Affordability Is Calculated
Income multiples, stress tests and committed expenditure explained.
First-Time Buyer Affordability
What lenders check, schemes that help, and how to borrow more.
