An estate agent can help market a home, communicate offers and keep a transaction moving. That does not give the agent control over every organisation or decision involved in a sale. This guide concerns England and Wales; the process differs elsewhere in the UK.
Agree responsibilities early
Rightmove's April 2026 guide highlighted the limits of an agent's influence over legal work, buyer decisions and completion timing. An agent can chase progress and share information, but cannot remove the need for searches or force another party to proceed.
GOV.UK separates the agent's role from that of the solicitor or conveyancer responsible for legal work. Sellers should establish who is handling each outstanding question rather than assuming their agent can resolve everything.
Prepare for the process
The official selling guide sets out steps including checking the mortgage position, deciding a price, providing the required paperwork, considering offers, exchanging contracts and completing the transfer.
Keep documents organised, respond promptly to requests and ask the appropriate professional about unresolved issues. Treat proposed dates as part of the transaction discussion rather than a promise from the agent. A property's asking price also does not guarantee the amount a buyer will offer.