Estate agent fee calculator

An estate agent's fee is usually a percentage of the price your home sells for, with VAT at 20% added on top. Enter your expected sale price and the rate the agent has quoted, and say whether that rate includes VAT. The calculator shows the fee before VAT, the VAT and the total you'll pay, plus what 1%, 1.5%, 2% and 3% plus VAT would cost at your price, so you can compare quotes. Everything runs in your browser, and nothing you type is sent or saved.

How estate agent fees are quoted

Agents quote fees in two main ways:

• A percentage of the sale price. This is the usual model for high-street agents. The fee rises with the price, which gives the agent a reason to push for a higher figure.
• A fixed fee. MoneyHelper notes that online estate agents often charge a flat fee. Check when it's payable, and whether you still pay it if the house doesn't sell.

Then there's VAT. A quote of "1.2%" might mean 1.2% plus VAT or 1.2% including VAT, and on a £250,000 sale that's a difference of £600. Always ask for the fee including VAT.

Fee quoted plus VAT	The same fee including VAT	At £250,000 you pay
1%	1.2%	£3,000
1.2%	1.44%	£3,600
1.5%	1.8%	£4,500
2%	2.4%	£6,000
3%	3.6%	£9,000

To turn a "plus VAT" rate into an "including VAT" rate, multiply it by 1.2. To find the fee before VAT from an inclusive figure, divide by 1.2. The calculator does both: choose "Yes, it includes VAT" and it splits the VAT out for you.

What's a normal estate agent fee?

MoneyHelper says fees typically range from 0.75% to 3.5% of the selling price, and puts the average fee in 2026 at 1.42% including VAT. At £250,000, a fee of 1.42% including VAT is £3,550. Fees vary by area, by agent and by the type of contract, so treat any average as a starting point for a conversation rather than the right price for your home.

The contract terms that change what you pay

Before you're committed, an agent must tell you in writing when you'll have to pay, how much the fee is (or how it will be worked out) and any other charges. That's a requirement of section 18 of the Estate Agents Act 1979, and an agent who doesn't comply can't enforce the contract without a court order.

Some contract wording has a set legal meaning. The fee is usually triggered at exchange of contracts, when the sale becomes legally binding:

• Sole agency. One agent markets your home. You pay them if contracts are exchanged with a buyer they introduced during the sole agency period, or one introduced by another agent during that period.
• Sole selling rights. You pay the agent even if you find the buyer yourself. Think carefully before agreeing to this.
• Multi-agency. Several agents market the home, and you pay the one whose buyer goes ahead.
• "Ready, willing and able purchaser." If the agent introduces a buyer who is prepared and able to exchange unconditional contracts, you can owe the fee even if you then withdraw, whatever your reasons.

Also check the tie-in period (the minimum time you're committed to the agent), the notice needed to end the contract, and any withdrawal or marketing charges. If you switch agents, the first one may still be owed a fee if a buyer they introduced ends up buying.

How to negotiate an estate agent's fee

MoneyHelper says agents are likely to want your business, so there's usually room to negotiate. A few approaches that help:

1. Get at least three valuations. MoneyHelper suggests this, partly because some agents may overvalue a home to win the instruction. A high valuation with a high fee isn't a good deal if the house then sits unsold.
2. Compare fees including VAT, in pounds, at a realistic sale price. The table under the calculator makes this quick.
3. Offer something in return. Agreeing to sole agency, or making a quick decision, can be worth a lower rate to an agent.
4. Ask for a short tie-in and a clear notice period, so you can move on if the marketing isn't working.
5. Ask what's included, such as photos, a floor plan, portal listings, accompanied viewings and chasing the sale through to completion.
6. Suggest a tiered fee, where the rate rises only if the agent beats an agreed price.

When the fee isn't the biggest number

On most sales the fee is a small part of the money involved, and an agent who prices the house badly can cost you far more than a lower fee saves. Look at the whole sum: our house sale proceeds calculator adds the mortgage, legal fees and other costs to the agent's fee.

Selling to a cash buyer removes the agent's fee altogether. We charge no fees or commission, and we pay the seller's legal fees. But cash buyers, including us, pay below market value, so for many homes in good condition an agent sale still leaves you with more money after the fee. The cash offer vs estate agent calculator compares the two routes using your own figures.

If something goes wrong

Anyone doing residential estate agency work must belong to an approved redress scheme, such as The Property Ombudsman. If you have a complaint, raise it with the agent first. If that doesn't settle it, the agent's scheme can review it independently.