Questions to ask any UK host agency before you join

Most people choosing a host agency ask about the joining fee and the commission split, get reassuring answers, and sign. Then they discover the notice period, or that the client list is not theirs, or that commission arrives four months after the client travels. None of that is hidden exactly. It just sits in paperwork nobody reads at the point of maximum enthusiasm.

Here is what to ask, and roughly what a good answer sounds like. Take it to every company you are considering, including us.

Money

What percentage of the commission do I keep? You want a number, not an adjective. "Industry-leading" is not a number. Get it in writing, and get it as a percentage.

Is that a percentage of the commission or of the sale? These are wildly different and some companies are vague about which they mean. A holiday selling for £4,000 might earn £400 in commission. Eighty per cent of the commission is £320. Eighty per cent of the sale is not a thing anyone is offering. Make sure you are comparing like with like.

Does the split change with volume? Some hosts run a ladder where you start low and climb. Ask what the starting rate is, what the top rate is, and what you have to sell to move up. A headline rate you reach in year three is not the rate you are on.

What are all the ongoing costs? Monthly fee, yes. Also ask about booking fees, technology charges, card processing, insurance, training costs and anything charged per transaction. Add them up.

When do I get paid? Some pay after the client travels, some before. The difference is months of cash flow, and it matters enormously in your first year when you have no pipeline behind you.

Commitment

What is the notice period? A rolling monthly arrangement and a fixed-term agreement are different risks entirely.

Is there a minimum sales target? If yes, what happens if you miss it. Some models quietly reduce your commission, some charge you, some terminate.

What am I signing? Ask for the agreement before you pay, not after. Any company that will not show you the contract until you have committed money has told you something important.

Your clients

Who owns the client data? If you leave, can you take your client list. The answer is in the data-protection and non-solicitation clauses, and it varies enormously between companies. This is covered properly in our guide to who owns your clients under a UK host agency contract.

What happens to bookings that have not travelled if I leave? You did the work. Do you still get the commission. Ask directly.

Can I trade under my own brand? Some models require you to trade under theirs. If building your own name matters to you, establish this early.

Protection and compliance

Is client money held in a trust account? This protects your clients if the company fails, and it protects you from holding customer money in your own account, which is a place you very much do not want it to be.

What licensing sits behind my bookings? ATOL for flight-inclusive packages, and whatever bonding arrangement covers the rest. Ask for the licence number and check it.

Who is liable if a supplier fails? Airlines and tour operators do go under. Find out where you stand before it happens rather than during.

Our explainer on ATOL protection and travel industry compliance covers what these terms actually mean.

Support and training

Is there a real person to call when a booking goes wrong at 9pm on a Friday? Not a portal. Not a ticket. A person. Ask what the hours are and ask what happens outside them.

What does the training actually consist of, and does it cost extra? Some models include it. Some ask you to fund it. Both are legitimate, but you need to know which you are getting.

How many suppliers can I book, and on what terms? Access to a large supplier list matters less than access to the right ones for what you intend to sell.

The two questions that tell you the most

"Can you send me your fees and commission split in writing before we speak again?" How a company responds to this is more informative than the answer itself. Open ones send a document. Others want you on a call first, because the pitch works better than the paperwork does.

"Can I speak to someone who left?" Nobody will hand you a list. But the reaction is worth watching, and a company confident in its model will usually point you at current agents who will speak freely, including about the downsides.

Our answers

Since we are asking you to put these to us as well, here they are.

You keep 80% of the commission, we keep 20%. It is a percentage of the commission, not the sale, and it does not change with volume. There is no ladder to climb. Membership is £85 a month with a one-off £99 joining fee, and there are no per-booking charges on top. Commission is paid to you once the booking is confirmed and the supplier has settled with us, rather than being held until after travel.

There is no fixed term and no minimum sales target. You can cancel any time. Client money sits in a PTS trust account, and bookings are covered by our ATOL, so your clients have the protection they would get from a high street agency. You trade under your own brand, with your own agent page. And there is a named person to call rather than a queue.

Ready to ask us the rest? Start an application, or book a call and work through this list line by line. That is what it is for.

Frequently asked questions

Should I be suspicious if a host agency will not publish its fees?

Not automatically, but you should ask why. Plenty of legitimate companies prefer a conversation. What matters is that you get complete figures in writing before you pay anything, and that nobody pressures you to decide on the call.

What is a reasonable commission split in the UK?

Published UK homeworking splits range from around 50% up to 80% in the agent's favour, with the higher end usually coming with a monthly fee rather than a large up-front cost. Judge a split alongside the fees, the payment timing and the notice period rather than on its own.

How long should I expect to wait for commission?

It varies from weeks to several months depending on whether the company pays on confirmation or after the client travels. Ask which, because in your first year it decides whether the business funds itself or you fund it.

Can I join more than one host agency?

Sometimes, though many agreements include exclusivity clauses. Check the contract, and be honest with both companies if you are considering it.

What if I sign up and it turns out not to suit me?

That depends entirely on the notice period and the term, which is why they are on this list. On a rolling monthly membership you give notice and stop. On a fixed-term agreement you may be committed for the remainder regardless.