Some 24,003 estate agent branches across the UK have registered with HMRC, the anti-money laundering supervisor for the estate agency sector, according to the latest data available from HMRC. 

An analysis by due diligence platform Thirdfort suggests this shows an increase of 2,340, up from 21,663 in August 2024. 

Figures also indicate that the number of unregistered estate agents, or those completing their renewal, is dropping yearly. 

Last year, 3,500 branches were unregistered or were still completing the renewal process, or 14% of the total. This year, just 1,152 branches still need to register or complete their renewal with HMRC. 

Compared to the 25,155 estate agents in the UK, according to the latest Office of National Statistics data, this represents just under 5% of branches. Some of these branches will be in the process of renewing and therefore not recorded in HMRC’s online figures, which only records branches once they have been approved.

A Thirdfort spokesperson says: “Agents face increased risks of money laundering. HMRC and other regulators have stepped up their oversight and continue to issue fines for regulatory failures. To avoid such penalties, all estate agents should register for money laundering supervision with HMRC. Once registered, agents can streamline and strengthen their anti-money laundering compliance by using technology like our due diligence platform. This makes it quick and easy to undertake AML verification and means compliance becomes a competitive advantage.”