National Estate Agents Day 2026: Why UK Estate Agents Deserve More Recognition
National Estate Agents Day 2026: Why UK Estate Agents Deserve More Recognition
It’s here: the first ever National Estate Agents Day!
There are many awareness ‘days’ and ‘weeks’ on the calendar. They celebrate everything, from the worthwhile (World Cancer Day and Men’s Health Month, for example) to the plain ridiculous – we’re looking at you National Umbrella Day!
We noticed a distinct lack of awareness days for the property industry, therefore Viewber was thrilled to see proptech pioneers iamproperty recently launch the first ever National Estate Agents Day. The inaugural event takes place on Thursday 26th February 2026, with a call for agents and suppliers to the industry to recognise the role agents play in the UK property market.
Estate agency is a much maligned profession. A large tranche of ill-feeling comes from a very misguided belief that agents are only interested in earning commission. Suspicions are raised if they arrive at a valuation or viewing in a smart car, wearing a sharp suit.
This is a myth that needs debunking. The debate about suit wearing is peculiar. Why does the cut of a suit or the fabric it is made from affect perceptions or cause offense? In no other profession is wearing a suit seen as such a negative. Let’s put it this way, how would a homeowner feel if the agent turned up to value their home in a Nike tracksuit?
Now onto cars. Many agents provide their staff with a fleet vehicle, which the agent has no control over. The alternative is for the agent to use their own vehicle but what car an agent owns and how it is funded doesn’t reflect their professionalism. They may use their partner’s car or prioritise owning a premium vehicle, being very frugal in other parts of their life.
Finally, to the money aspect. In 2024, eXp UK analysed earnings data generated by Salary Expert. It looked at 15 professions that were largely reliant on the additional income of sales commission and found the median base salary of an estate agent is one of the lowest of all professions. Even when an agents’ salary and commission is combined, they only made it to 9th place out of 15. Additionally, commission is hugely dependent on market conditions – the ‘no sales, no commission’ model can, therefore, be punishing.
Further evidence that estate agents are not the wealthy property tsars they are portrayed to be came in January 2026, when Estate Agent Today published the latest research conducted by Access PayWise+. The financial wellbeing platform analysed more than 20 benefits listed in job ads across 30 UK sectors, revealing which industries best support staff beyond their salaries.
The benchmarks included financial compensation and pay enhancements, insurance and protection, lifestyle support, health and wellbeing, family and parental benefits, retirement and savings, and work from home flexibility.
Estate agency was found to be one of the worst professions for financial wellbeing, ranking in the bottom tier for five of the seven benefits categories. Agency’s overall position, languishing tenth from bottom, reflected poor prospects – especially in respect of retirement or long-term savings benefits. Despite this, agents continue to be an essential cog in the machine that is home moving.
When it comes to estate agency, there is so much more than meets the eyes, including:
– Supporting local communities: many branches, companies and individual agents use their social media platforms to promote local businesses and raise awareness of good causes. Several agencies also have an active ‘giving back’ programme, where they donate money, time or skills to charities and local groups.
– Providing face-to-face customer service: estate agents remain a tour de force in person. Their well-staffed branches offer reassurance and validity when it’s needed most – essential for home movers who are about to buy or sell life’s biggest asset. Nothing beats the ability to pop in and talk over property plans with a real person.
– Keeping faith with the High Street: the demise of our High Streets is well documented but estate agents continue to keep branches operational and even open new ones. This investment in a physical presence comes at a huge financial cost but the payback is priceless – an outward sign that agents are present, transparent, visible in their communities and open for business.
– Legislative experts, not just sales: many home movers will be unaware of the breadth and depth of legally-required checks an estate agent has to undertake. Anti-money laundering laws require the ID verification skills of a detective, while agents often feel like Border Force officers when completing Right to Rent checks.
Estate agents oversee legal transactions, ensure a bewildering amount of Government legislation is adhered to and work long, unsocial hours to support clients. With pretty poor remuneration for the gravitas of their work, Viewber thinks agents need better recognition! Join us on Thursday 26th February as we celebrate National Estate Agents Day.
