How much should you pay for Lettings and Estate Agency in 2026?

A Transparent Breakdown From Homi – The Agency Built by Landlords and Homeowners

If you’ve ever tried to compare agent fees, you’ve probably noticed something: everyone advertises the same promises, but the prices are either hidden, or all over the place. Some agents charge rock-bottom fees, others feel expensive, and the difference can be confusing.

At Homi, we’re a Lettings and Estate Agency based in Glasgow. We’re also landlords and homeowners who became frustrated with the traditional agency model. After years of watching poor practices, unnecessary jargon, and hidden charges, we created our own agency from the ground up.

We’ve now been operating for three years, and our philosophy is simple:

“Charge a fair price, deliver an exceptional service, and don’t cut corners.”

Below, we break down the true cost of Letting and estate agents, what you should pay, what paying less really means, and how fair pricing protects your home, your investment, and your peace of mind.

Letting Agency Fees: What Do Letting Agents Cost?

Letting agent fees vary widely, but here’s the general rule across the industry:

• Cheap Letting fees: Anything under 10% of monthly rent

• Average market fees: 10–14%

• Premium service fees: 15%+

What We Charge at Homi

We charge 10% for Full Management, and we’re unapologetic about that. Why? Because:

• Full management ensures consistent service for landlords and tenants.

• It allows us to maintain lower caseloads per agent.

• We don’t do tenant-find only, because we refuse to compromise on standards.

The Problem With Agents Who Charge Less Than 10%

There’s a reason cheap Letting agents are cheap.

To make money, they must sign up a high volume of landlords and manage more properties per agent than they can realistically handle. This means:

• Slower responses to tenant issues

• Poorer tenant experience → higher turnover & longer voids

• Rushed or inadequate inspections

• Less attention to maintenance → higher long-term repair costs

Case Study: The “Cheap Fee, Expensive Result” Example

We’ve seen this repeatedly: A landlord leaves a budget agency because the rent is always late, maintenance response is poor, and tenants become unhappy.

By the time they switch, void periods, lost rent, and emergency fixes often cost far more than the 1–2% they thought they were saving.

Cheap Letting fees may save you £20–£30 per month on paper. But poor management can cost hundreds or even thousands per year.

Hidden Fees to Watch For

Many agents attract landlords with a low monthly fee, then add extra charges such as:

• Deposit processing fees

• Tenancy creation fees

• Renewal fees

• Maintenance commission (which you often will never know about - ask your agent)

• Check-in/out fees

• Withdrawal fees

At Homi, we avoid all of this. Our pricing is transparent, what you see is what you pay.

Estate Agency Fees: What Do Estate Agents Cost?

Estate agent fees in Scotland typically fall into these ranges:

• Cheap agents: Under 1%

• Mid-range agents: 1%–1.5%

• Premium or hybrid agents: 1.5%+

What We Charge at Homi

We charge 1.2%, which we consider a fair and sustainable fee for delivering a quality outcome.

We don’t negotiate our fee, not because we’re stubborn, but because:

• Selling a home is one of the biggest financial events in your life

• Cutting corners directly impacts the sale price

• We take on less homes per agent, improving service

• Good agents are aligned with your desired outcome, a fast, high-value sale

Why Cheap Estate Agents Often Fail Sellers

Estate agents who charge under 1% typically rely on volume. They need to onboard as many properties as possible to stay profitable, which means:

• Less time spent prepping your home for market

• Lower-quality marketing

• Unrealistic pricing advice

• Poor communication

• Minimal active selling, your listing becomes “just another property”

And here’s the key statistic: If a home doesn’t sell within the first 30 days, it becomes significantly harder to achieve the best offer.

A cheap fee can easily cost you thousands in lost sale price.

Case Study: Why Fair Fees Matter in Sales

We’ve worked with homeowners who initially chose a low-cost agent. The result?

• Poor marketing

• Lack of urgency

• Weak pricing guidance

• No strategy for launch or viewings

When the home didn’t sell in the first month, interest dropped. Buyers began to wonder, “What’s wrong with it?”

By the time we took over, the final sale price had to be adjusted, something that could have been avoided with proper strategy and attention from day one.

The fee saved upfront cost them far more on the sale price.

The Biggest Misunderstanding About Agent Fees

Most landlords and sellers look at agent fees as a cost to minimise. But a good agent is not a cost, they're an investment in the success of your property.

The industry itself has contributed to this misunderstanding. Too many agents overpromise and underdeliver, making people question the value of the service.

At Homi, we built our agency with a different philosophy:

✔ Tailor the service to your goals

✔ Align our actions with your desired outcomes

✔ Charge a fair fee that enables true quality

✔ Avoid volume-driven shortcuts

✔ Keep everything transparent, no hidden charges

This is why we don’t negotiate fees: The value is in the service, not the discount.

Why Our Perspective Is Different

We’re not traditional agents. We’re landlords and homeowners who were tired of poor agencies, vague promises, and bad habits.

So we built Homi differently:

• No legacy practices

• No inflated caseloads

• No hidden charges

• No shortcuts

• Designed from scratch to do what actually works

This outsider mindset means we’re not trapped by “how things have always been done”. We designed our model around what clients actually need.

Final Thoughts: What Should You Expect to Pay?

Letting Agents: Expect to pay 10–15% for proper full management. Anything cheaper risks poor service, hidden fees, and long-term losses.

Estate Agents: Expect to pay 1–1.5% for a professional sale. Going below 1% may look attractive but often reduces service, strategy, and ultimately your sale price.

At Homi, we keep it simple:

• 10% for Lettings Full Management

• 1.2% for Sales

• No hidden fees

• No shortcuts

• Service built around your goals

Because when it comes to your largest assets, saving a little can cost you a lot, and investing in quality gives you peace of mind, better outcomes, and stronger financial results.