Spending on compliance set to rise, agents say
Estate and lettings agency compliance teams are under growing pressure, says Thirdfort’s Olly Thornton-Berry.
The majority of senior compliance professionals in property companies and estate agents are expecting to grow their budgets, an industry survey suggests.
It comes as compliance demands on agents – such as anti-money laundering (AML) requirements – continue to rise, says client due diligence platform Thirdfort.
Thirdfort’s latest survey of 200 compliance leaders found that 61% of respondents are planning for their company’s AML budget to increase in the next year. Only 6% expect a cut, down from 31% in 2025.
Teams are also expected to grow, with more than half, at 51%, expecting the size of their compliance team to increase, compared with 26% last year.
Compliance teams in estate agencies and property firms face growing pressure.”
The expectations around investment come as pressure on compliance functions continues to build, the report found.
The research claimed that 85% of respondents reported demands on the compliance function in their firm have increased in the past 12 months.
Almost two thirds – at 63% – said that they have worked overtime at least once per week to handle AML-related issues, up from 42% in 2025.
Mixed compliance confidence
Confidence in current processes is mixed. Just over half, at 52%, believe their current processes are extremely or very effective in ensuring compliance.
Larger groups are less confident with 46% of respondents at companies with more than 150 employees saying their processes are effective compared with 59% at firms with 25 people or fewer.
Olly Thornton-Berry (pictured), Chief Executive of Thirdfort, says: “Compliance teams in estate agencies and property firms face growing pressure, with a clear trend toward stricter regulation and higher compliance standards.
“As a result, senior compliance professionals expect to expand both their budgets and teams.
“Investment can bolster the expertise needed for complex decision-making and address the fragmented systems that create administrative burdens and potentially hide risks. This is crucial for embedding client due diligence processes and, ultimately, putting compliance professionals in control.”
