Screening can help before the door opens. What matters is what is in place afterwards.
If someone books a viewing with one of your negotiators tomorrow, how much do you actually know about who will be walking through the door?
In most agencies the answer is a name, an address and a phone number, confirmed in writing and sometimes by a call. In May, the Guild of Property Professionals issued guidance on whether agents can go further and ask for ID before a viewing, and the trade has been debating it since.
It is a reasonable question for any agency that sends staff to meet strangers in empty properties. It is also an easy one to over-answer, in either direction. ID checks can be a sensible part of a safety approach. They are not a safety system.
In Short: ID checks before a viewing are allowed if they are proportionate, justified and applied consistently, according to Guild of Property Professionals guidance. They can help screen viewers but do nothing once an agent is alone inside a property. Agencies should combine screening with check-ins, an alarm and a written record.
Key Facts
- The Guild’s guidance says agents can ask for ID before a viewing, but any request must be proportionate, justified and applied consistently, never in a discriminatory way.
- Viewers are entitled to refuse, so decide in advance what happens when they do.
- The check can be simple: seeing a passport in person or on a video call and confirming it matches the person. There is no requirement to keep copies.
- The Guild’s guidance is mainly about checks requested by sellers, for example where a vendor has been stalked or harassed. Using ID checks to protect your own staff is a related but separate case, so write down your reasons.
- An ID check happens before the viewing. It does nothing once an agent is alone with someone inside a property.
- There is little published UK evidence either way on whether ID checks reduce incidents, so treat them as one reasonable step, not a guarantee.
What the Guild Said
The guidance answers a practical question: when can an agent ask for ID ahead of a viewing? The Guild’s compliance officer said there are legitimate circumstances in which a seller may instruct the agent to verify who is coming, such as high-net-worth sellers with security concerns, or vendors who have experienced stalking or harassment, where verifying identity can be an important safeguard. Agents, he said, should first establish the reasoning behind the seller’s request.
The guidance sets out three limits. The check does not fall under money laundering regulations, which apply once a business relationship has been formally established. It does not need to be as extensive as anti-money-laundering checks, and visually confirming ID in person or by video call is enough, with no need to retain copies. And viewers can refuse, so any request must be applied to all viewers, must not be used in a discriminatory way, and must have a valid and justifiable reason. His summary was that it is possible, but it must be proportionate, justified and handled correctly.
What an ID Check Can and Can’t Do
Used well, an ID check may make it harder for someone to misuse a viewing booking, confirms that the person is who they say they are, and tells viewers that the agency takes safety seriously. You can also make a note that ID was seen, without keeping a copy.
What it cannot do is help once the viewing is under way. A person with a valid passport can still become threatening halfway round a flat. Screening reduces some risks before the door opens. It says nothing about how someone will behave once it has.
Fairness and Data
Consistency is the point the Guild stresses most. If some viewers are asked for ID and others are not, based on a negotiator’s judgement of who looks like a risk, that is exactly the pattern the Guild warns against. A rule that applies to a defined type of viewing, such as all evening viewings of vacant properties, is likely to be easier to defend than one that depends on instinct.
Data protection also applies if you collect ID details. In general that means collecting only what you need, telling people why, and not keeping it longer than necessary. The Guild’s point that copies are not required makes the simplest approach the safest one. Trust is a factor too: research by identity verification firm Credas, based on a survey of 1,000 UK consumers, found that only 35% of homebuyers trust estate agents with their personal data. It is vendor research, but it is a reason to explain why you are asking and to keep the request light.
Where It Fits Under the 30 October Duty
Acas’s guidance on the new third-party harassment duty does not mention ID checks, and nothing in it suggests they are required. But its approach is to assess the risk, take steps proportionate to your size and sector, and record your reasoning. An agency that has considered ID checks, decided to use them for certain viewings and written down why is in a stronger position than one that never considered them. The same is true if you consider them and decide against, provided the reasoning is recorded.
Do your higher-risk viewings have a check-in and an alarm behind them? See how The Sentry gives you both, and the dated record that goes with them: Book a free demo.
Before, During and After
It helps to think in three layers. Before the viewing sits screening: written confirmation, a follow-up call, ID where it is justified, and a second person attending viewings that carry more risk. During the viewing sit a check-in with a defined response if it is missed, and an alarm that works without the agent having to speak or type. After the viewing sit the record of what happened, incident reporting and a review.
Most agencies put their effort into the first layer. The second and third are where informal arrangements tend to fall short.
A Short Checklist
- Decide which viewings carry more risk, such as evening, vacant or first-time viewings, and note why.
- If you use ID checks, set a consistent rule for when, and write it into your viewing procedure.
- Keep it light: see ID in person or by video, and do not keep copies unless you have a clear reason.
- Decide what happens if someone refuses, and make sure staff know.
- Make sure every higher-risk viewing has a check-in time and a defined response if it is missed.
- Log the outcome, including any viewing declined or cancelled for safety reasons.
How The Sentry Helps
ID screening is something you do before the viewing. The Sentry is for what follows: timed check-ins that can be escalated if one is missed, a one-touch alarm that shares the agent’s location, confidential incident reporting, and a Compliance Portal that timestamps what was in place and what was used. Together with a written viewing procedure, that gives you something concrete to show if you are ever asked what you did.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can estate agents ask for ID before a viewing? Yes, according to the Guild of Property Professionals, provided the request is proportionate, justified and applied consistently. It must not be used in a discriminatory way, and there must be a valid and justifiable reason for asking. The Guild’s guidance is mainly about checks requested by sellers, such as where a vendor has been stalked or harassed.
Do ID checks before a viewing have to follow anti-money-laundering rules? No. The Guild’s guidance says the check does not fall under money laundering regulations, which apply once a business relationship has been formally established. It does not need to be as extensive as an anti-money-laundering check. Seeing ID in person or on a video call is enough, with no need to keep copies.
Can a viewer refuse to show ID? Yes, viewers are entitled to refuse, so decide in advance what happens when they do and make sure staff know. Because any request must be applied to all viewers in the same way, a rule that covers a defined type of viewing, such as all evening viewings of vacant properties, is likely to be easier to defend than one that depends on a negotiator’s instinct.
Is an ID check enough to keep negotiators safe? No. An ID check happens before the viewing and does nothing once an agent is alone with someone inside a property. A person with a valid passport can still become threatening halfway round a flat. There is also little published UK evidence on whether ID checks reduce incidents, so treat them as one reasonable step alongside check-ins, an alarm and incident reporting.
Does the 30 October duty require agencies to ask for ID? No. Acas’s guidance on the new third-party harassment duty does not mention ID checks, and nothing in it suggests they are required. Its approach is to assess the risk, take steps proportionate to your size and sector, and record your reasoning. An agency that has considered ID checks and recorded its decision, either way, is in a stronger position than one that never considered them.
Rebecca Evans is COO of The Sentry, specialising in staff safety in the property sector.