ESTATE agent fees have risen more in Bromsgrove and Redditch in 2020 than virtually anywhere else in the country.

The latest data from estate agency comparison site, GetAgent.co.uk, shows the percentage rise in fees in both towns is among the top 15 in the country.

Bromsgrove lies 13th in the standings with a 0.45% increase - fees having gone up by more than a third from a lowly 0.91% in 2019 to 1.36% in 2020.

Redditch is a single place lower in the nationwide rankings, fees having increased by 0.42% from 1.19% in 2019 to 1.61% in 2020.

Both of those rises are far above the national average increase of 0.26% over the past year.

Despite the large proportional increase, Bromsgrove's average agent fee of 1.36% remains below the national average of 1.51% - but Redditch's 1.61% is above it.

Founder and CEO of GetAgent.co.uk, Colby Short picked out some reasons for the rises.

He said: “With the market starting to pick up after months on end of Brexit uncertainty, exacerbated by a total pandemic lockdown, it’s only natural that fees will also see a slight lift, particularly given the financial turmoil some agents may now be in.

"Of course, this percentage-based fee means that those lucky enough to have a considerably more expensive house to sell will pay out a fair chunk more for the pleasure.

"However, the average fee remains far more palpable than the three and a half per cent that used to be the norm.

"Homesellers are also starting to realise the vital role estate agents play in the property selling process and, given the tougher market conditions, they will probably find their fees much better value for money than they may have previously.”

The highest average estate agent fee in the country is a whopping 2.32% in the London borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Westminster, Bleanau Gwent and Hammersmith and Fulham also boast average fees of more than 2%.

House price data is sourced from the Land Registry.