My estate agent has gone quiet. Can I leave them?

Silence from an agent is unsettling, especially when your home is the biggest thing you own. The good news is that you are not trapped: an estate agency agreement is a contract for a service, and if the service stops, you have routes out.

The key is to leave in a way that does not leave you owing a fee to an agent who did nothing. Start by reading the contract you signed, because the words tie-in period, notice period and sole selling rights decide what happens next.

Why do estate agents go quiet?

Often it is the market, not neglect. Rightmove reported on 21 September 2026 that the number of homes for sale is at a 12-year high for the time of year, an average of 65 homes per agent, while agreed sales were 9% lower than a year earlier. When there is less good news to report, some agents simply call less.

Quiet can still be a real problem, and sellers are raising it more: The Property Ombudsman received 55% more complaints in the first half of 2026 than a year earlier, according to figures reported on 4 August 2026. The fair first step is to ask your agent directly for the numbers and the plan.

Can I leave my estate agent whenever I want?

It depends on the type of agreement you signed. A sole agency agreement means one agent has the right to sell your home, but you do not owe them a fee if you find the buyer yourself privately. Sole selling rights go further: that agent earns the fee even if you find your own buyer, so it is the clause to watch. Multi-agency means several agents market the home and only the one who sells gets paid, usually at a higher fee.

What is a tie-in period and how long does it last?

A tie-in period is the minimum time you agree to stay with one agent before you can leave. For sole agency agreements it is commonly 4 to 12 weeks, though across the market they range from around 2 to 20 weeks (HomeOwners Alliance, 2026). On top of the tie-in there is usually a notice period, often two to four weeks, before the contract ends. Separately, if you signed the contract in your own home rather than at the agent's office, you have a 14-day cooling-off right to cancel under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013.

How do I leave my estate agent the right way?

1. 1. Read your contract

   Find the tie-in length, the notice period, and whether you signed sole agency or sole selling rights. These three things decide everything that follows.

2. 2. Check where you are in the tie-in

   Work out whether the minimum period has passed. If it has not, you usually cannot instruct a new agent yet without risking a fee to the first.

3. 3. Give notice in writing

   Email or write to end the agreement so you have a dated record. A phone call is too easy to dispute later.

4. 4. Get the end date confirmed in writing

   Ask the agent to confirm the exact date the contract ends and that the property has been withdrawn from the portals.

5. 5. Ask for the list of buyers they introduced

   The Property Ombudsman code says that when an instruction ends, the agent must explain in writing any fee you could still owe and list the parties they introduced to your home. Keep that list.

6. 6. Only then instruct your next agent

   Bring in the new agent once the first contract has fully ended, to avoid an overlap where two agents could claim the same sale.

What is the overlap trap, and how do I avoid it?

The biggest risk in switching is paying twice. If you instruct a new agent while the old contract is still live, and a buyer the first agent introduced goes on to complete, both agents can claim a fee. Avoid it by getting the old contract's end date in writing, asking for the list of introduced buyers, and only signing with the new agent once the first agreement has ended. Move in that order and you keep the cost to a single fee.

What is normal and what is a real red flag?

• Normal: a quieter spell in the first couple of weeks while marketing settles, or fewer viewings when local stock is high.
• Normal: an agent checking in less often once you are sold subject to contract and the solicitors are working.
• Red flag: no contact, no viewing feedback, and no marketing activity for weeks while your home is actively for sale.
• Red flag: an agent who will not put the contract end date in writing or dodges questions about introduced buyers.

Should I get a second opinion before I leave?

Before you leave, it helps to know whether the problem is the agent or the price. Get a second opinion: competing local estate agents value your home side by side on ValuQ, free, always, and anonymously until you choose to connect.

Getting valuations does not change your current contract. Instructing a new agent during a sole agency tie-in or notice period can mean paying two fees, so check your contract first.

The choice of who sells your home belongs to you, and so does the choice to walk away. ValuQ gives UK homeowners free, side-by-side property valuations from competing local estate agents, so you can weigh each agent's price, fee and plan together before you commit to any of them.

Common questions about leaving an estate agent