Protecting an agent's commission when the client buys months later

A client may choose an apartment today but return to the purchase after selling another property or when a bank deposit matures. Managers, prices and the shortlist can change in that time. To avoid reconstructing agreements from memory, establish how your contribution is recorded and what must happen for the fee to be paid.

What to agree before introducing the buyer

Ask about more than the commission amount. Request an explanation of the process when a purchase is delayed.

This is a list of points to agree on, not a statement of IBG Property's standard terms. Your agreement determines the applicable rules. For more on the calculation, see the guide to commission on an overseas transaction.

Working with a client who is not yet ready to pay

Distinguish a pause from a decision not to proceed. If funds will become available in a particular month, record that timing and agree the next conversation date. There is no need to send new properties every week to someone whose circumstances have not changed.

Keep the significant events in the enquiry history: introduction date, agreed brief, reason for the pause, updated budget and agreed next step. Do not duplicate passports or payment documents in notes. Share personal data only with the client's consent and through an agreed channel.

When a manager changes, ask for confirmation that the new person can see the history and your role. If the attribution period is nearing its end, clarify an extension before it expires.

What a ten-month case illustrates

In the account provided by the company, a client came through a partner with a budget of up to USD 100,000. Their money was held in a bank deposit, so a quick decision was unlikely from the outset. The team kept in touch and resumed active property selection as the funds were about to become available.

Later, the client could not secure the chosen property. Instead of returning to dozens of random offers, the team found an alternative and explained the payment schedule again. The client signed the contract and made the first payment. According to the company, the partner's commission was approximately USD 3,000.

The full anonymised case illustrates the value of support during a pause. It does not disclose the terms of that particular partner agreement or prove that every attribution automatically lasts ten months.

What to check if the client changes property

Update the enquiry record and ask for confirmation of the terms for the new property. This is especially important if the country, developer or contracting party changes. Do not apply the previous rate to a new purchase without checking.

If another person or company will become the buyer, discuss in advance how that affects attribution. If the client returns for a second apartment, separately clarify the repeat-purchase rules. Clarify a verbal 'everything stays the same' before the next payment.

Checklist before an expected payment

1. Check which property and buyer are named in the confirmation.
2. Establish that the stage specified in the agreement has been reached.
3. Obtain a calculation of the amount showing a clear basis and currency.
4. Clarify the transfer deadline and which documents the partner needs to provide.
5. If the calculation differs from your expectations, send the responsible person the specific discrepancy and supporting confirmations.

A dispute about contractual performance requires advice from a suitably qualified lawyer. This article helps prepare questions but does not replace a legal assessment.

Questions and answers

Is entering the client in a CRM enough?

No. A record alone is not enough to establish entitlement to commission. Obtain confirmation that the enquiry has been accepted and understand the agreement's terms, including how matches with the existing client database are handled.

Does the client need to be attributed again after a pause?

That depends on the attribution period and rules. Before resuming property selection, check the status and agree an extension if needed. Do not treat silence as confirmation.

Does a buyer's deposit mean commission is already payable?

Not necessarily. The agreement may specify another stage as the payment trigger. Ask which stage applies before the referral, rather than after reservation.

Sources and limits of this material

This material draws on partner-support questions and a case provided by IBG Property. Participants' names and property names are not published. Payments in individual stories are not an offer of the same terms to all partners.

The guide to starting work on an overseas enquiry helps you prepare the first brief. The editorial methodologyRU explains our approach to publication.