A quarter of home sellers said estate agent fees were unfair after being charged for premium listings or upgrades.

The number rose sharply to 50% in London, according to a survey of vendors who sold a property in the past five years.

And six out of 10 home sellers feel restricted by estate agent’s contracts, the research commissioned by Emoov revealed.

Restrictive agreements

There was frustration with restrictive agreements, unexpected costs and pressure during the sales process.

More than 60% of sellers said they felt restricted by being tied to one agent, while almost half – at 47% – said they were required to sign a sole agency or sole selling rights agreement.

Too many sellers are still being tied into contracts they do not fully understand.”

Nick Neale, Director at Emoov, says: “Too many sellers are still being tied into contracts they do not fully understand, facing extra costs they did not expect, and feeling pressured during key decisions.

“The industry has improved in some areas, but these findings show there is still a clear gap when it comes to transparency, flexibility and control.

“Our findings suggest that sellers are increasingly questioning the traditional model and looking for more transparent, flexible ways to sell – without long tie-ins or hidden fees.”

Despite these concerns, the majority of sellers acknowledged that estate agents perform well, with 88% saying their home was accurately valued and 73% satisfied with communication during the sale.

Hidden fees

Meanwhile, younger sellers reported the greatest frustration, with more than half – at 51% – of Gen Z respondents and 39% of Millennials saying they felt pressured by their estate agent when discussing changes to their asking price.

They were also the most likely to report encountering hidden fees, with more than one in five Gen Z and Millennials saying they had encountered them.

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