# How do buying-agent fees work?

Canonical source: https://rivermarkproperty.com/guides/buying-agent-fees-uk/

Buying-agent fees depend on the appointment. Ask for the work, amount and payment triggers in writing before agreeing to a search.

[Discuss buying a home](https://rivermarkproperty.com/contact/#role=private-client&topic=acquire&briefTitle=Buying%20a%20home)

## What can a fee cover?

An appointment might cover agreeing a brief, searching for properties, speaking with agents, arranging viewings, comparing information and negotiating on your instructions. It may also cover a defined property you found yourself. Ask which tasks and areas are included and who will perform them.

A fee for a search is separate from the purchase price and from your solicitor, surveyor, lender or tax adviser. Ask whether VAT and expenses are included in each quoted amount.

## Compare the payment triggers

An agent may propose a fixed fee, a percentage, a staged fee or another arrangement. Ask when each part becomes payable: on appointment, after a period of work, on an accepted offer, exchange or completion. Do not assume one agent’s terms apply to another.

Ask what happens if you withdraw, the seller withdraws, a purchase does not complete, or you buy a property introduced during or after the appointment. Check any minimum fee, exclusivity and cancellation terms.

For an overseas buyer, ask whether attended or remote viewings, a representative’s visit, translation, travel and additional searches are included. Identify third-party charges and who pays them; a buying-agent fee does not automatically include those services.

## Work through an example

For example, a 1% fee on a £1 million purchase would be £10,000 before VAT, if VAT applies. This is an illustration of the arithmetic, not Rivermark’s quotation or a statement of market rates. Ask the agent to calculate the fee on your expected price and explain how it changes if the price changes.

If a separate initial payment is proposed, ask whether it is credited against a later fee or paid in addition. Compare the total payable in different outcomes rather than comparing only headline percentages.

-   At appointment: is any initial payment refundable or credited against a later fee?
-   During the search: are travel, additional areas or repeat viewings included?
-   On purchase or termination: which event triggers payment and what happens if a transaction falls through?

## What Rivermark agrees

Rivermark discusses the property search or defined single-property appointment and sets out the work and fees in writing before starting. The client decides whether to make an offer; a solicitor, surveyor and finance or tax advisers handle their respective work.

Ask for clarification on anything that is not clear before signing. Government guidance explains the roles involved in a home purchase.

Further reading: [GOV.UK: how to buy a home](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-buy-a-home/how-to-buy)

Official guidance checked 5 November 2026. Confirm the current position and how it applies to your circumstances with the relevant adviser.

- [Buying London property from overseas](https://rivermarkproperty.com/guides/buying-london-property-from-overseas/)
- [Buying a home with cash in England](https://rivermarkproperty.com/guides/buying-a-home-with-cash/)
- [What does buying a London flat cost?](https://rivermarkproperty.com/guides/costs-buying-london-flat/)
- [London buying service](https://rivermarkproperty.com/residential/buying/)

## Looking for a home in London?

Tell us the locations, property and timing you have in mind.

- [Discuss buying a home](https://rivermarkproperty.com/contact/#role=private-client&topic=acquire&briefTitle=Buying%20a%20home)
- [Request a call](https://rivermarkproperty.com/request-a-call/)