HMO selling costs and agent fees

• Estate / HMO agent commission (percentage or fixed — get it in writing)
• VAT on fees where charged
• Solicitor / conveyancing for a multi-let
• EPC or certificate renewals buyers will demand
• Auction house fees if that route applies
• Early repayment charges on a mortgage (ask your lender — AgentHMO does not advise on mortgage products)
• Minor presentation works
• Abortive costs if a sale falls through (certificates ordered twice, etc.)

Specialist agents (HMO sales overview) typically charge a commission for marketing to investors. Cash buyers (cash-buyer options) often advertise “no agent fee” — the cost usually sits in a lower headline price. Compare apples to apples: net cash in your account, timeline risk and certainty of funds.

“No fee” does not mean “no cost.” Diligence still needs a solicitor. Proof of funds still matters. Some buyers request exclusivity periods — have your solicitor read any lock-out clause before you sign.

Auction houses charge seller fees that can include entry, commission and marketing. Buyers pay their own fees. Add both sides’ economics only if you are testing whether auction beats private treaty on net (auction sale).

Read every engagement letter for withdrawal fees, dual-fee clauses and marketing extras. Ambiguity here causes disputes mid-sale.

It depends what the fee buys: portal coverage, investor lists, accompanied viewings, negotiation skill. A cut-price fee that reaches the wrong audience can cost more than it saves. We do not invent a national “typical HMO fee” — insist on a written schedule for your property.

Sense-check value: get a valuation. Process: how to sell. Licensing still affects buyer confidence: HMO licensing guide. Timeline: timeline and stages.

Licence fees, safety certificates and management are holding costs; do not mix them into a one-off sale fee comparison unless you are modelling hold-versus-sell. Hold-versus-sell is a personal financial decision — not something AgentHMO advises.

Price reductions after a weak launch, aborted sales, and certificate renewals mid-deal all hit net. Build a contingency line rather than assuming the first asking price sticks. Portfolio: portfolio sale.

Start a free sell enquiry: sell your HMO

Headline offer A via agent: subtract agreed commission + VAT + legal fee + certificate top-ups. Headline offer B via cash buyer: subtract legal fee only, but start from the lower headline. Compare the two nets and the timeline risk. We deliberately omit example pound figures so nobody treats them as market rates.