How to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations (property agents)
It’s a criminal offence to trade as an estate agency business, or letting agency business handling high-value transactions, without being registered with HMRC for money laundering supervision. Make sure you know the rules, risks and ensure that criminal gangs or unscrupulous individuals are not using your business to exploit their ill-gotten gains.
AML resources for members
Fact sheet: Money Laundering Regulations
The aim of the legislation is to reduce money laundering and increase the transparency of business operations in the UK. More recent regulations have been largely driven in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, where the focus has been on overseas actors.
How to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations (auctioneers)
It’s a criminal offence to trade as a high value dealer or property auctioneer without being registered with HMRC for money laundering supervision. Make sure you understand the rules, educate yourself about the risks and ensure criminal gangs or unscrupulous individuals are not using your business to exploit their ill-gotten gains.
Fact sheet: UK sanctions reporting obligations
Under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, the UK Government introduced a new regime of issuing financial sanctions following the UK’s departure from the European Union. Under the Act, businesses specified in the Act have to report to the OFSI if they suspect they are engaging with a client who is under financial sanctions.
Fact Sheet: UK Sanctions Reporting Obligations for High Value Dealers
Under the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, the UK Government introduced a new regime of issuing financial sanctions following the UK’s departure from the European Union. Under the Act, businesses specified in the Act have to report to Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) if they suspect they are engaging with a client who is under financial sanctions.
Fact sheet: Writing an AML risk assessment
Under the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the MLRs) all Estate Agency Businesses and Letting Agency Businesses with properties that have a monthly rent that is the equivalent to 10,000 Euros or more, must produce a risk assessment.
Fact Sheet: Landlord payment requests
This guidance note helps members understand the steps they should take when a client requests payments to be made into a new account. This will support agents in protecting landlords who may have been compromised and in avoiding potential penalties from HMRC.
FAQs: Economic Crime Levy (UK)
The levy was announced at Budget 2020 and the Economic Crime (Anti-Money Laundering) Levy Regulations 2022 were published on 11 March 2022. The Regulations came into force on 1 April 2022.
FAQs: Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023
The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act was introduced through emergency powers, and the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 represents a long-term commitment to addressing economic crime in the UK to increase transparency in the ownership and operation of UK businesses.
How to comply with the Money Laundering Regulations (property agents)
It’s a criminal offence to trade as an estate agency business, or letting agency business handling high-value transactions, without being registered with HMRC for money laundering supervision. Make sure you know the rules, risks and ensure that criminal gangs or unscrupulous individuals are not using your business to exploit their ill-gotten gains.
More information
Guidance for money laundering supervision
Guidance to help prevent money laundering and terrorist financing if you’re an estate agency or property related business.
Reporting SARs
The NCA's SAR Portal enables you to submit Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) to the UK Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) positioned within the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Examining identity documents
This Government guide details how to detect basic forgeries in identity documents.
False ID guidance
See the Government's guides on the legislation relevant to false ID, the types of valid ID, and to what action should be taken when presented with false ID.
Detailed information
Government guidance and forms for money laundering regulations. Including registering, fees, the fit and proper test, reporting, compliance checks, penalties and appeals.
OFSI Consolidated List Search
The consolidated list of financial sanctions targets search enables users to find information relating to asset freeze and investment ban targets across all financial sanctions regimes implemented in the UK.
Register with HMRC
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are the AML supervisors for estate agents. They ensure that companies under their supervision comply with the legislation and maintain a register of their supervised population. Apply to register for money laundering supervision or use the link to manage your account.
Anti-money laundering training
Face-to-face and virtual courses
Anti-money laundering: essentials
This foundation course will provide you with the knowledge you need to ensure compliance with Money Laundering Regulations and the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Anti-money laundering: advanced
Get the knowledge needed to ensure that you can competently undertake the duties of a Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO).
Money laundering regulations and how to comply
This course provides practical approaches to manage risk and ensure Money Laundering compliance in the sales and letting agency sector. The penalties for non-compliance are significant and the training of all staff is a mandatory requirement.
Anti-money laundering: a quick refresher
It is a legal requirement for all relevant property professionals to receive AML training and to stay up-to-date with the current rules.
eLearning: An introduction to anti-money laundering
Raise your awareness of money laundering activities and better equip yourself to minimise the risks by knowing what to look out for.
Latest news on the legislation
Propertymark at the table as officials shape money laundering reform
Head of Policy and Campaigns, Timothy Douglas, met senior officials at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on 8 December to discuss how economic crime affects the property sector, particularly the role of real estate in laundering illicit wealth and the regulatory gaps that can facilitate this activity. Meanwhile, the UK Government published its Anti-Corruption Strategy 2025, setting out plans to strengthen the UK’s defences against illicit finance.
UK Government confirms new AML supervisor — no change for property agents
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will become the Single Professional Services Supervisor (SPSS) overseeing Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing (AML/CTF) compliance for the legal, accountancy, and trust and company service sectors. HMRC will continue to supervise agents under the Money Laundering Regulations, and firms that are already compliant do not need to make any changes to their existing AML procedures.
£10 billion could be laundered through the UK property sector every year
The 2025 National Risk Assessment (NRA) has once again placed the property sector in the spotlight as one of the most attractive ways for criminals to conceal illicit wealth. Complex ownership structures, offshore companies, and opaque trusts continue to disguise the identity of the individuals behind transactions, with both residential and commercial sales and lettings vulnerable.
Policy and campaigns
Reducing economic crime in the property sector
Purchasing property in the UK is a common method that can be used by serious organised criminals to launder the proceeds of criminal activity. This position paper includes recommendations that the UK Government should include in future legislation as well as other plans and reforms to reduce economic crime.