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.
Letting Agents' Business Confidence Rises Despite Political Distrust
Estate and letting agents across the UK are reporting increased confidence in their business prospects, even as trust in politicians to address the housing crisis continues to decline. This is according to the latest findings from the Voice of the Agent 2026 research series.
The study found that net business confidence in the sector has risen from +7% to +16%. Nearly half (47%) of agencies expect their businesses to continue growing, despite ongoing economic uncertainty. The research also indicates that this is the second consecutive year of strengthening confidence, with agencies now focusing on measured and sustainable growth rather than rapid expansion.
However, the positive business outlook is not matched by agents' views of political leadership on housing. The report states that 43% of agents could not identify a single political party they trust most on housing issues. No individual party commands the confidence of even one in six agents, highlighting widespread scepticism about the ability of politicians to tackle the housing crisis.
Sentiment towards house prices remains positive across all UK regions, with Scotland showing the highest confidence at +23%, followed by the North West at +21%. For the first time since 2024, however, prospective movers are less optimistic than the wider public about future house prices.
The Voice of the Agent 2026 report concludes that as the property market stabilises, agents believe that success will increasingly depend on understanding factors such as interest rates, inflation, politics, and international markets, in addition to traditional agency skills.
The findings are based on 351 responses collected through The Voice of the Agent, weighted against an independently recruited random sample of 90 UK estate and letting agents conducted by Find Out Now, alongside nationally representative YouGov consumer research.
Source: Property Industry Eye