- Check registration and professional membership before you hire.
- Ask for references and past work, and speak to previous clients.
- Agree fees and duties in writing.
The Short Answer
The people who help with your property deal can protect you or cost you dearly. A good agent finds genuine listings and negotiates fairly. A good surveyor confirms boundaries and produces reliable plans. Check each one before you pay.
Check Registration and Standing
Ask whether the agent is registered with the relevant professional body and whether the surveyor is licensed. Ask for registration numbers and verify them with the body. Check that the business has a real office.
Be careful with people who only operate through messages and refuse to meet.
Ask for Track Record
Ask for recent deals, references and contact details of past clients. Speak to at least two. Ask what went well, what went wrong and how problems were handled.
Look at online reviews, but do not rely on them alone.
Understand Fees
Ask how the agent or surveyor is paid, what the fee covers and when it is due. Agency and survey fees vary, so compare. Pay by traceable transfer and get a receipt.
Avoid anyone asking for large upfront payments before showing real work.
Put It in Writing
Agree the services, timeline, fees and what happens if the job is not completed. Keep copies of all documents and messages.
Do not let an agent hold documents or money on your behalf without written terms.
Warning Signs
Be wary if the professional pushes you to decide fast, cannot explain the steps, offers a price far below others, or discourages you from using your own lawyer.
Trust your instincts and walk away when something feels wrong.
What a Good Agent or Surveyor Does
A good agent explains the market, shows genuine listings, helps negotiate and refers you to a lawyer for the legal work. A good surveyor measures the land, confirms boundaries and gives you an accurate plan you can check.
Neither should pressure you to pay quickly or hold your money without written terms.
Interview Before You Hire
Speak to at least two professionals. Ask how long they have worked in the area, how many similar deals they have handled, who will do the work and how they communicate. Ask what could go wrong and how they handle it.
Compare how clearly each one answers.
Keep Control of the Deal
Never let one person act as agent, lawyer and seller together. Pay each professional separately for their own work. Keep your own copies of documents and attend key inspections yourself.
Check everything the agent tells you with your lawyer.
Action Checklist
- Verify registration with the professional body
- Ask for references and speak to past clients
- Compare fees from more than one professional
- Agree services and fees in writing
- Pay by traceable transfer and keep receipts
- Walk away from pressure or secrecy
