Independent commercial property agent

Landlords and property owners who want to let or sell, and sometimes businesses who hire you to find premises.

Commission on completed lettings and sales, often a percentage of the first year's rent or sale price, sometimes plus retainers or fixed fees for searches and advice.

• Negotiating and sales
• Understanding leases and local property markets
• Building contacts with landlords and businesses
• Clear writing and organisation

• There is no general licence for commercial agency, but estate agency businesses generally need to register with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision before taking on work, so check the current requirements on GOV.UK. If you work under an established firm, ask how its supervision covers you
• Redress scheme membership is compulsory for residential agents but may not apply to purely commercial work, so check whether any scheme applies to you. Many clients still expect you to follow a recognised code of practice, such as RICS standards
• Consider professional indemnity and public liability insurance, which clients and landlords may expect
• Commission-only income can be slow and uneven, so plan cash to cover several months without a completed deal
• Check that your terms of business, marketing and data handling meet consumer protection and data protection rules

Startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on your marketing, website, insurance and any registration or supervision costs. These are estimates, so check current requirements and get quotes for your own setup.

Monthly revenue is typically around £0 to £6,000, depending on how many deals complete. These are estimates. Commission-only income can be slow and uneven, so plan cash to cover several months without a completed deal.

There is no general licence for commercial agency, but estate agency businesses generally need to register with HMRC for anti-money laundering supervision, so check GOV.UK. Also check whether any redress scheme applies, and consider professional indemnity and public liability insurance.