Estate Agents Brace for Rising Compliance Costs

October 19, 2026

Nearly two-thirds of compliance leaders in estate agencies and property firms expect budgets to increase amid growing pressures

Just 6% expect cuts, down from 31% last year, while 63% now work weekly overtime on AML

The majority of senior compliance professionals in UK property firms and estate agents expect their budgets and teams to grow in the year ahead, as demands on them continue to rise. This is according to new research from intelligent client due diligence platform Thirdfort.

Thirdfort’s latest survey of 200 compliance leaders found that 61% of respondents are planning for their firm’s anti-money laundering (AML) budget to increase in the next year. Just 6% expect a cut, down from 31% in 2025.

Teams are also expected to grow, with over half (51%) expecting the size of their compliance team to increase, compared with 26% last year.

The expectations around investment come as pressure on compliance functions continues to build. Some 85% of respondents said that demands on the compliance function in their firm have increased in the past 12 months. Nearly two thirds (63%) said that they have worked overtime at least once per week to handle AML-related issues, up from 42% in 2025.

Confidence in current processes is mixed. Just over half (52%) believe their current processes are extremely or very effective in ensuring compliance. Larger firms are less confident with 46% of respondents at firms with more than 150 employees saying their processes are effective compared with 59% at firms with 25 people or fewer.

Fragmented systems are a common issue. More than four fifths (81%) of the senior compliance professionals surveyed described fragmented systems as a live challenge they face today.

Olly Thornton-Berry, co-founder and CEO of Thirdfort, said: “Compliance teams in estate agencies and property firms face growing pressure, with a clear trend toward stricter regulation and higher compliance standards. As a result, senior compliance professionals expect to expand both their budgets and teams. 

“Investment can bolster the expertise needed for complex decision-making and address the fragmented systems that create administrative burdens and potentially hide risks. This is crucial for embedding client due diligence processes and, ultimately, putting compliance professionals in control.”

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