Ian Bates, Personal Estate Agent, Covering London and Surrounding Areas

Ian Bates, Personal Estate Agent, Covering London and Surrounding Areas My journey in real estate is driven by a deep love for property and a genuine enjoyment of meeting new people.

With over a decade in the industry, I’ve developed a reputation for a service-focused approach and an honest, transparent philosophy. I’m Ian, and I’m thrilled to share my passion for property with you. My journey in real estate is driven by a deep love for property, a genuine enjoyment of meeting people, and a unique twist—I relish the thrill of riding my motorcycle across London, experiencing ev

ery corner of this vibrant city. Whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or let a property, my commitment is to provide a hands-off experience where you can trust that your best interests are always at heart. If for any reason I’m not the right fit for your needs, I’ll gladly connect you with someone who is. As a proud member of ARLA Propertymark, I adhere to the highest industry standards and practices. My vision for the business is not only to deliver exceptional results but also to demonstrate new, innovative ways of working that make the process enjoyable and rewarding. My goal is to create a balanced life while continually exceeding client expectations. I invite you to explore how I can assist you in achieving your property goals. Feel free to get in touch for a friendly chat about your needs—I’m here to make the journey smooth, insightful, and, above all, enjoyable. Thank you for visiting, and I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.

You can’t buy your way up the queue anymore.Since 1 May, offering over the asking rent is illegal — agents can’t even ac...
03/08/2026

You can’t buy your way up the queue anymore.

Since 1 May, offering over the asking rent is illegal — agents can’t even accept it, the fine runs to £7,000, and nobody’s allowed to take more than a month up front. I spent years giving renters the grim-but-honest version: if you really want it, outbid. That advice is now dead, and good riddance.

The catch: with money off the table, everything else counts double. The tenants getting keys now are simply the easiest to say yes to. Paperwork ready before the viewing. Guarantor asked before you fall in love with somewhere. Honest about the dog. A short note proving you’re a person, not a form. And answering your messages — speed is one of the few honest advantages left.

Full piece on my website — link in bio.

Renters: what’s the most you were ever asked for up front, back when that was allowed? Just the number of months. No context required.

30/07/2026

This flat comes with £27,600 a year and a tenant who’d like to stay.

Dalston, £425,000. The tenant’s paying £2,300 a month, has been for a year, and would like to carry on. That’s a 6.5% gross yield with no void, no furnishing, no finding anyone — it earns from the day you complete.

Most London buy-to-let maths stopped adding up a while ago. This one still does.

Not an investor? Vacant possession available — four months’ notice served on acceptance. So it works as a home too, if you’d rather live in Dalston than profit from it.

Open day Saturday 1 August. Comment VIEWING and I’ll book you a slot. One working arm, but the diary hand still functions.

29/07/2026

My agency’s staff list this month: one yoga teacher and an AI.

Hit by a car in June. Broken arm, written-off bike, a diary I couldn’t get to. My wife did the viewings — agreed two tenancies while telling everyone she is, in fact, not an estate agent. Everything else ran from the sofa. Claude typed. I supervised. Badly.

I stayed employed fifteen years because of one fear: if something happens, it’s just me. Something happened. It wasn’t just me. The tools changed, and the maths on going it alone changed with them.

If that’s the fear keeping you where you are — DMs open. I’ll show you the sofa setup.

You bring in the business. Someone else keeps most of it.For fifteen-odd years I assumed that was just the deal: a branc...
27/07/2026

You bring in the business. Someone else keeps most of it.

For fifteen-odd years I assumed that was just the deal: a branch, a desk, a patch, and a healthy slice of every fee disappearing into shopfront rent and someone’s area manager.

Then I did the maths on the other model. No branch to fund. A capped annual amount instead of a cut of every deal, forever. Proper tech, actual training, and — the bit nobody warns you about — other agents who pick up at 7pm when a chain’s falling apart.

It’s not for everyone. No salary, no one structuring your day, no one to blame. If you need leads handed to you, stay put.

But if you’re good at this job and quietly tired of watching the fee leave, I’ve written the honest version — the bit the recruitment brochures skip — on my site. Link in bio.

DMs open if you’d rather ask the awkward questions in private. No hard sell — I’m mostly answering the question I get asked at the end of viewings anyway.

5.0 on Google. 41 reviews. Zero shortcuts.Swipe for real words from the people who matter most — landlords, tenants, buy...
25/07/2026

5.0 on Google. 41 reviews. Zero shortcuts.

Swipe for real words from the people who matter most — landlords, tenants, buyers and sellers across London. One thing in common: they worked directly with me from valuation to completion. No handovers, no departments, no chasing.

Thinking of selling or letting? My DMs are open.

07792 786 606 · [email protected]

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London

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+447792786606

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