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The 9 Best Estate Agents in London (2026)

Updated October 2026 · 9 picks

The best estate agents in London in 2026 include Knight Frank and Savills for prime homes across the city, Strutt & Parker for South Kensington and Chelsea, Foxtons and Dexters for wide London coverage, and Marsh & Parsons for Notting Hill and west London. For super-prime Mayfair property, look at Beauchamp Estates; for St John's Wood and Hampstead, Aston Chase.

Buying in London runs on a simple rule: an accepted offer is not binding until contracts are exchanged, which is usually several weeks later, once your solicitor has finished the searches and enquiries. Most agents here do both sales and lettings; the big names have branches across the city, so ask for the office that covers the street you want rather than the head office.

1. Knight Frank — Marylebone (head office), Soho & the West End

The best-known name in prime London property, with branches across the central and west London postcodes.

Specialty Prime residential sales and lettings, new homes, researchBest for Buyers, sellers, landlords and international clients at the upper end

Knight Frank has been selling property since 1896 and remains the agency most people think of first for prime London homes. Its residential arm runs sales and lettings offices across central, west and north London, alongside new-homes, property management, mortgage broking and a research team whose London market reports are widely quoted.

It suits buyers and sellers in the upper half of the market, and overseas buyers who want one firm that also has offices abroad. For an ordinary flat it may feel like more firepower than you need; for a family house in Kensington, Chelsea or Hampstead it is an obvious first call.

Good to know: Contact the local branch for the postcode you are buying in, not the Baker Street head office; each branch runs its own listings and applicant list.

55 Baker Street, London W1U 8AN

Google Maps Website

2. Savills — Fitzrovia (head office), Soho & the West End

A big, listed property firm with London branches from Chelsea to Islington and a strong new-homes arm.

Specialty Residential sales and lettings, new homes, property managementBest for Buyers, sellers and landlords across the London market

Savills has more than 100 offices across the UK and hundreds more worldwide, and its London residential network covers most of the postcodes people actually search, from Chelsea, Fulham and Notting Hill to Islington, Hampstead and Wimbledon. It also handles a large share of new-build launches and runs property management for landlords.

Like Knight Frank, it is strongest in the prime and upper-middle market, and its research team publishes regular London price forecasts. Branch quality varies with the people in it, so meet the negotiator who will actually handle your sale.

Good to know: If you are buying new-build, ask the Savills new-homes team rather than a local branch; launches are often marketed there first.

33 Margaret Street, London W1G 0JD

Google Maps Website

3. Strutt & Parker — South Kensington

A firm in land and property since 1885, with a strong South Kensington and Chelsea office.

Specialty Residential sales and lettings, country houses and estatesBest for Buyers and sellers in prime central London and families moving out to the country

Strutt & Parker has worked in land and property since 1885 and has more than 50 offices nationwide. In London it is a prime-market agency with offices in areas such as South Kensington, Chelsea and Notting Hill; the South Kensington office on Old Brompton Road handles both sales and lettings for the streets around Onslow Gardens, Thurloe Square and Cornwall Gardens.

Its national country-house network is the reason to choose it if you are selling in London to buy outside it, or the reverse: one firm can run both ends.

Good to know: The South Kensington office has separate sales and lettings lines; call the right one to avoid being passed around.

90 Old Brompton Road, London SW7 3LQ

Google Maps Website

4. Foxtons — Chiswick (head office)

London's most visible high-street agent, with a dense branch network and long opening hours.

Specialty Residential sales, long lets and short lets, property managementBest for Sellers and landlords who want reach across London, and renters

Foxtons is a London-focused agency with branches across much of the city, best known for its distinctive offices and an aggressive, sales-driven style. It handles sales, long lets and short lets, and has a large property-management business for landlords.

Its reach is the selling point: a big pool of buyers and tenants, and staff who answer the phone. Fees have historically been at the higher end of the market, so negotiate, and read the terms on tenancy renewals and management carefully before you sign.

Good to know: Ask for the fee and the minimum contract term in writing, and compare them with an independent agent's before you sign.

Building 12, Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road, London W4 5AN

Google Maps Website

5. Chestertons — Euston (head office), Camden & King's Cross

A long-established London agency with branches across central and inner London.

Specialty Residential sales and lettings, new homes, property managementBest for Buyers, sellers, landlords and tenants across London

Chestertons is one of London's oldest estate agencies, with a large network of branches across central and inner London covering sales, lettings, new homes and property management. It is a common choice for landlords who want a fully managed let.

It sits in the broad middle of the market rather than only at the top, which makes it useful for first-time buyers and renters as well as owners of larger homes.

Good to know: For a rental, ask the branch whether the property is fully managed by Chestertons or let-only; it decides who you call when the boiler breaks.

5th Floor West, The Lantern Building, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL

Google Maps Website

6. Dexters — Mayfair, Soho & the West End

One of London's biggest branch networks, with dozens of offices across the capital.

Specialty Residential sales and lettings, property managementBest for Buyers, sellers, landlords and renters in most London postcodes

Dexters says it has 50 offices in central London and more than 90 across the capital, so there is a branch near almost any street you are looking at. It covers sales, lettings and management, from studio flats to family houses.

Its strength is local coverage at ordinary price points, which suits first-time buyers, renters and landlords with one or two flats. Its registered office is its Mayfair showroom on Grosvenor Street.

Good to know: Register with two or three neighbouring Dexters branches if you are flexible on area; listings are run branch by branch.

66 Grosvenor Street, London W1K 3JL

Google Maps Website

7. Marsh & Parsons — Notting Hill

A west London specialist whose flagship sits on Kensington Park Road.

Specialty Residential sales and lettings in west and south-west LondonBest for Buyers, sellers and renters in Notting Hill, Kensington and nearby

Marsh & Parsons is a London agency with a dense network of branches in west and south-west London, and its Notting Hill office, by its own description, is the brand's flagship, handling residential sales and lettings in one of the city's most sought-after neighbourhoods.

Choose it if you are set on Notting Hill, Kensington, Holland Park or the surrounding streets and want agents who sell there every week.

Good to know: The Notting Hill office has separate sales and lettings teams; ask for the right one when you call.

2 Kensington Park Road, London W11 3BU

Google Maps Website

8. Beauchamp Estates — Mayfair, Soho & the West End

A Mayfair agency that works almost entirely in the prime and super-prime market.

Specialty Prime and super-prime residential sales and lettingsBest for High-net-worth buyers and sellers, including international clients

Beauchamp Estates is a privately owned agency based in a Mayfair townhouse on Curzon Street, focused on prime and super-prime homes in central London, with an international reach.

This is a specialist for very expensive property; a good fit if you are buying or selling at that level and want discretion, including off-market sales. At ordinary price points, a branch-based agent is the better choice.

Good to know: Much of the very top of the market changes hands off-market; tell the agent your brief rather than relying on the listings.

24 Curzon Street, London W1J 7TF

Google Maps Website

9. Aston Chase — Regent's Park / St John's Wood

A north-west London specialist since 1985, strongest in St John's Wood and Hampstead.

Specialty Prime residential sales and lettings, new homes, property managementBest for Buyers, sellers and tenants in St John's Wood, Hampstead, Primrose Hill and Marylebone

Aston Chase has been selling and letting homes in north-west London since 1985, with an office on Park Road by Regent's Park. It covers St John's Wood, Hampstead, Primrose Hill, Marylebone and the streets around Regent's Park, and its stock runs up to the very top of the market.

It suits families moving to St John's Wood and Hampstead, popular with international and American families for the schools nearby, and landlords who want a local, managed service.

Good to know: If you are relocating with children, ask the team which streets fall in the catchments you care about before you book viewings.

67-71 Park Road, London NW1 6XU

Google Maps Website

Frequently asked questions

How much do estate agents charge in London?

Sellers usually pay a percentage of the sale price plus VAT, commonly somewhere around 1–2% for a sole agency, more if you instruct several agents at once (multi-agency) or want premium marketing. Landlords pay a percentage of the rent for a let-only or fully managed service. Everything is negotiable, so get two or three valuations and compare the fee, the contract length and the notice period, not just the asking price each agent suggests.

Do tenants pay fees to letting agents in London?

Not usually. Since the Tenant Fees Act 2019, letting agents and landlords in England cannot charge tenants for viewings, references or contracts. What you can be asked for is rent, a refundable holding deposit capped at one week's rent, and a security deposit capped at five weeks' rent (six if the annual rent is £50,000 or more), which must be protected in a government-approved deposit scheme. The Renters' Rights Act is also changing private renting in England, including the end of 'no-fault' Section 21 evictions, so ask your agent which rules apply to your tenancy.

How much is stamp duty on a London home?

Stamp Duty Land Tax is charged in bands on the part of the price above each threshold. From April 2025 the standard residential rates are 0% up to £125,000, 2% to £250,000, 5% to £925,000, 10% to £1.5 million and 12% above that; first-time buyers pay nothing up to £300,000 on homes costing up to £500,000. Buyers of additional homes pay a 5% surcharge on top, and non-UK residents a further 2%. Rates change, so check HMRC's calculator or ask your conveyancer.

How long does buying a home in London take?

From accepted offer to completion, typically two to four months, longer in a chain or with a leasehold flat, where the solicitor has to review the lease and management pack. Nothing is legally binding until contracts are exchanged, so a seller can still accept a higher offer ('gazumping') before then. Have your mortgage agreed in principle and a solicitor lined up before you start offering.

How do I check an estate agent is legitimate?

Ask which redress scheme it belongs to (The Property Ombudsman or the Property Redress Scheme) and check the scheme's own site; letting agents must also show their client money protection certificate. Propertymark membership is a good sign. National Trading Standards keeps a list of people banned from estate and letting agency work. Never pay a holding deposit before you have seen the property and the agent's credentials.

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