Estate agents and property firms are preparing to spend more on anti-money laundering (AML) compliance as growing workloads put increasing pressure on staff. New research from Thirdfort reveals that 61% of senior compliance professionals expect their firm’s AML budget to increase over the next 12 months. Just 6% anticipate cuts, compared with 31% last year.
Compliance teams set to expand
More than half (51%) also expect their compliance teams to expand, almost double the 26% recorded in 2025. The findings come as firms grapple with growing regulatory demands and increasingly complex compliance procedures.
Thirdfort’s survey of 200 senior compliance professionals found that 85% had experienced an increase in compliance demands over the past year. Almost two-thirds (63%) reported working overtime at least once a week to deal with AML-related issues, up sharply from 42% in 2025.
Firms struggle with fragmented systems
Despite the additional resources being allocated to compliance, confidence in existing procedures remains mixed. Just 52% of respondents believe their current compliance processes are very or extremely effective.
Larger firms expressed greater concern. Among businesses employing more than 150 people, only 46% rated their compliance processes as effective. That compares with 59% at firms with 25 employees or fewer.
Fragmented systems also remain a significant problem, with 81% of respondents identifying them as an ongoing challenge. The findings suggest that increasing compliance budgets alone may not resolve the administrative burden facing estate agencies.
Investment needed for complex decision-making
Olly Thornton-Berry, co-founder and CEO of Thirdfort, said: “Compliance teams in estate agencies and property firms face growing pressure, with a clear trend toward stricter regulation and higher compliance standards. As a result, senior compliance professionals expect to expand both their budgets and teams.
“Investment can bolster the expertise needed for complex decision-making and address the fragmented systems that create administrative burdens and potentially hide risks. This is crucial for embedding client due diligence processes and, ultimately, putting compliance professionals in control.”
