Are there too many estate agents on London’s high streets? According to research carried out by online estate agent HouseSimple there are currently more than 2,600 estate agents in the capital, and seven London boroughs are home to more than 100 estate agents each. 

Local residents worry about the lack of diversity on their high streets, and it is easy to see why, when there is an average of 83 estate agent branches in every London borough. Wandsworth, for example, which includes popular areas such as Balham, Putney and Wandsworth Town, has more than 150 estate agents. 

But is it any surprise there are so many high street agents, when you look at how much they are making in fees in a buoyant London property market. According to HouseSimple, individual London estate agent branches made an average of more than £400,000 in fees last year, on less than four sales a month. 

The sheer number of estate agent branches in London highlights a concern over the lack of diversity on the capital’s local high streets. Major retailers and higher rents have squeezed out independent shops and HouseSimple worked out how many estate agents there are on popular London high streets, by counting the number of estate agent branches within 400 metres of major Tube stations. 

The research revealed that Walthamstow has 18 estate agents within 400 metres of its Tube station. While Wimbledon, Ealing Broadway and Borough, each have 15 agents and Canary Wharf and Notting Hill Gate, each have 14.