Getting the right people in

Find a property professional, and check them yourself

Every professional you will need is on a public register, and every one of those registers is free to search. Here is which body covers which role, and what is worth checking before you instruct anybody.

We do not run a vetted directory. PropertyVault has no accreditation scheme, checks nobody’s credentials, and takes no fee for a recommendation. Anyone telling you a firm is “approved” should be able to say by whom and against what standard — including us. The registers below are run by the regulators themselves, and they are the ones worth trusting.

Mortgage broker

Finds and arranges the borrowing. A whole-of-market broker can reach lenders you cannot approach directly.

Regulated by: Financial Conduct Authority
Check them on: the Financial Services Register
What to look for: That the firm is authorised, and that mortgage broking is one of the permissions it actually holds. An adviser may be listed under their firm rather than by name.
Worth asking: “Are you whole-of-market or panel? How are you paid — fee, commission, or both?”

Conveyancing solicitor

Handles the legal transfer, the searches and the title. The one person whose job is to find what is wrong with the property on paper.

Regulated by: Solicitors Regulation Authority, or the Council for Licensed Conveyancers
Check them on: Find a Solicitor, run by the Law Society
What to look for: That the firm is currently regulated, and by whom. Licensed conveyancers are regulated by the CLC rather than the SRA — both are legitimate, and they are different registers.
Worth asking: “Who will actually do the work, and how quickly do you return searches? Is the quote fixed?”

Chartered surveyor

Inspects the building and tells you what it needs. The only person on this list who will have stood in it.

Regulated by: Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors
Check them on: Find a Surveyor
What to look for: RICS registration, and that they do the survey level you want. A mortgage valuation is not a survey and will not tell you what is wrong.
Worth asking: “Level 2 or Level 3, and which do you recommend for a property of this age and condition?”

Letting agent

Finds tenants and, if you want, manages the tenancy.

Regulated by: Propertymark, and a government-approved redress scheme
Check them on: the Propertymark member search
What to look for: Redress scheme membership, which is a legal requirement for letting agents in England, and client money protection if they will hold your rent.
Worth asking: “What is the fee on a re-let, and what exactly does 'full management' cover?”

Property accountant

Structures how you hold property and files the returns. Worth involving before you buy, not after.

Regulated by: ICAEW, ACCA or CIOT
Check them on: each body's own member directory
What to look for: Current membership of a recognised body. 'Accountant' is not a protected title in the UK, so anybody may use it.
Worth asking: “How many landlord clients do you have, and do you handle both personal and company structures?”

Before you instruct anybody

Check the register yourself rather than a badge on a website. A logo is an image.
Get the quote in writing, including what is excluded.
Ask who will do the work. The person selling it is often not the person doing it.
Ask how they are paid. A fee you pay is easier to reason about than a commission you do not see.

Are you a property professional?

There is nothing to be listed on yet. A vetted panel needs a verification standard and somebody to apply it, and until both exist a listing would mean no more than the last version of this page did.

If you would want to be part of one, leave your details and we will get in touch when there is something real to join. No fee, and no obligation when there is.

Looking for a tradesperson rather than a professional? That is being built separately.

Disclaimer: The information on this page is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, legal, or tax advice. Always seek independent professional advice before making property or investment decisions. Your property may be repossessed if you do not keep up repayments on a mortgage.

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