Construction & Property

Which real estate rules apply to your business

"Real estate" covers very different businesses — selling property as an estate agent, letting and managing homes as a lettings agent, owning and renting out property as a landlord, providing social housing, or running a licensed venue. Each has its own regulator and rules, on top of the duties they all share. Work out which description fits you and follow the right guide.

UK-wide
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UK-wide

Related guides in General Compliance

Real estate compliance checklist

A confirmation checklist for real estate businesses. Work through the cross-cutting duties every property business shares, then the …

Real estate activities span sales agency, lettings and management, private landlording, social housing and licensed premises. The rules depend almost entirely on what you do and where: an estate agent selling homes, a lettings agent holding clients' money, a buy-to-let landlord and a housing association are different businesses with different regulators — Trading Standards and HMRC for agents, local housing authorities for landlords, and the Regulator of Social Housing for housing associations.

Many of these rules are devolved, so what applies in England can differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Start with the duties every property business shares, then follow the guide for what you do.

Every real estate business

Whatever you do, start with the duties every property business shares — data protection, equality, employers' liability insurance, health and safety, and fire safety for your offices and any common parts you manage.

Work out which rules apply

Find the description that best fits your business. If more than one applies — many agents both sell and let, and many landlords also act as their own agent — follow every guide that is relevant.

  • You sell property for other people (estate agency) — you must register for anti-money-laundering supervision with HMRC, join a redress scheme, and meet the Estate Agents Act conduct duties. Start with Run an estate agency: rules for selling property.
  • You let or manage property for landlords (lettings agency) — you must protect client money, join a redress scheme, publish your fees and follow the ban on tenant fees. These are mostly England duties, with separate rules in Wales. Start with Set up a property letting business.
  • You own and rent out residential property (landlord) — you must meet the gas, electrical, fire and fitness duties, protect deposits, and (in England) carry out Right to Rent checks. Start with Landlord safety and legal duties for rented homes.
  • You are a private provider of social housing — you may register with the Regulator of Social Housing and must then meet its economic and consumer standards. See the social housing section of the landlord duties guide.
  • You run a licensed venue from a property you own — if you sell alcohol or provide regulated entertainment you need a premises licence under the Licensing Act 2003 (separate regimes in Scotland and Northern Ireland). This is a venue activity, not a residential-landlord one. See premises licence guidance on GOV.UK.
  • You buy, sell or develop your own property as a developer — your obligations are mostly planning, building safety and construction rather than agency or landlord rules. Start with applying for planning permission and Building Regulations approval.

Confirm you have covered everything

Whatever you do, finish with the real estate compliance checklist to confirm your obligations are in place before you begin or continue trading.

Official sources

Authoritative starting points for real estate businesses.