Editor's note: This brief was summarised by The Property AI Newsroom from a report by Property Industry Eye. Read the original article for full details.
Late Payment and Admin Burdens Top Concerns for UK Property Professionals
A recent survey by The Accountancy Partnership has identified late payment as the biggest concern for self-employed property professionals in the UK. The research found that 28.7% of respondents said delayed or unpaid invoices posed the greatest threat to their business.
Other significant challenges reported include rising energy bills (16%), securing a consistent pipeline of work (14.9%), and increasing software costs (7.4%). Administrative burdens remain a key issue, with almost 45% of respondents citing HMRC and tax administration as the most significant external factor affecting their work in 2025. Inflation and rising household bills were also highlighted by 41.5% of those surveyed.
Pricing pressures were another recurring theme, with 44.7% of respondents stating that businesses most commonly lose clients because of fees. Poor communication or customer service was cited by 26.6% as a reason for client loss.
The survey also revealed the personal impact of these industry challenges. More than six in ten respondents (61.7%) reported increased stress or anxiety due to industry pressures, and 16% said they were working longer hours than usual. Among those who answered, 53.2% said the challenges of the past year had made them consider leaving self-employment for an employed role.
Unpaid work appears to be widespread, with 73.4% of respondents saying it is either expected within the sector or becoming more common.
Despite these pressures, the outlook among respondents remains broadly positive. Almost three-quarters (74.5%) expressed confidence that they would match or exceed last year’s profit, and 77.6% said they felt financially secure over the next 12 months. The most commonly cited benefits of self-employment were a better work-life balance (31.9%), greater flexibility around family commitments (25.5%), and not having a manager (21.3%).
These findings are particularly relevant for UK letting agents and inventory clerks, who may face similar challenges in managing cash flow, administrative demands, and client relationships in the current property market.
Source: Property Industry Eye